Frugal Living Archives

What You Don’t Know about Shopping at Farmer’s Markets

Posted by Julie | Mar 1, 2017 | Family Life, Frugal Living |

This post was sponsored by Fresh From Florida as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, however all opinions expressed are my own. Winter has hit Florida. It’s been *ahem* brutal this year, which means that we’re facing temperatures of 60 degrees instead of 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Sorry, all my northern friends, you’ll just have to come visit! Now, I love almost everything about the seasons here in Florida, but one of my favorite benefits is that I have access to fresh, local food all year-round! We enjoying harvesting produce from our church garden, and we even have...

Minimalist Essentials for the New Baby

Posted by Julie | Feb 16, 2017 | Babies, Baby Care Tips & Schedules, Frugal Living |

(Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase through my link. Of course, I only recommend products I use and love myself!) With our first baby, we went registry-crazy. Two different types of baby bathtubs, 18 sets of onesies. And “Oh yes, I can’t live without a wipes warmer. We’re not animals.” It was ridiculous. Part of the problem was that as brand new parents we simply didn’t know what we needed. There’s a pretty steep learning curve for first-time parenthood. But another misguided aspect was that we bought into the...

How to Use a 5-Day Spending Freeze to Reach Your Financial Goals

Posted by Julie | Mar 2, 2016 | Family Life, Frugal Living |

Let me tell you a little secret. I’m a spender at heart. And oh boy, my natural inclination toward spending gets me in a whole heap of trouble sometimes. Can you relate? If you’re a chronic spender like me, I’ve got a challenge for you, my friend. Are you ready to take on my 5-day spending freeze challenge? Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. What’s My Motivation? Here’s my story: A few years ago, my husband and I made a series of major life changes. Before these changes, we were really in debt. $14,000 of consumer debt hanging over...

4 Reasons Why You Should Be Shopping At Aldi

Posted by Julie | Jan 8, 2016 | Family Life, Frugal Living |

Does your grocery bill seem to eat up too much of your budget each month? Maybe you tried couponing and became burnt out (that’s me!), or perhaps you’re just tired of the endless and overwhelming product options at your big box grocery store. Let me ask you…have you tried shopping at Aldi yet? You’ve probably heard someone, somewhere, talking about their obsession with Aldi. But have you tried it for yourself? My family hears me rave all the time about shopping at Aldi. And for good reason! There is so much to love about this grocery store chain, but...

Two Week Menu Planner FREE PRINTABLE

Posted by Julie | Dec 30, 2015 | Family Life, Frugal Living |

So, one of my big goals for the New Year is to be WAY more consistent with menu planning. Right now, my plan usually consists of a scrap piece of paper, a few scribbled meals, and a hob-nob of assorted items on my grocery list. Most of you can relate, I’m sure. The rest of you…carry on with your got-it-togetherness. Carry on. I started thinking about the best meal planning system. What would it look like? For a menu plan to work it has to be something I’ll actually use. It has to be FREE. It has to be...

DIY Toddler Boy Haircut

Posted by Julie | Oct 28, 2015 | Family Life, Frugal Living, Toddlers & Preschoolers |

Is your little dude looking a little disheveled lately? It’s time to snip, trim, and buzz. Whip out those clippers and scissors mama. Little man is about to get a whole new look! The best part about this is that it’s free. I absolutely refuse to pay $15-20 for a two year old’s haircut. Won’t do it. Nope. When my son’s hair needs a trim I do it myself! Psst…I’m not a professional. I’m a stay-at-home mom with a knack for saving money. I have a two year old son with tons of energy. What I offer here are my own...

Where to Buy Cheap Clothes Online (3 Fantastic Shops You’ll Love!)

Posted by Julie | Oct 27, 2015 | Family Life, Frugal Living, Motherhood |

Oh, how I love a good deal on a cute top or shoes. Who’s with me? But, I’m a bit of a Scrooge when it comes to spending money on myself. That’s why I’m so excited about this post! Read on to find out how where I buy quality cheap clothes online. Looking put together doesn’t have to break the bank! As a stay at home mom, my clothing budget certainly doesn’t have much substance to it. And that’s ok! I love staying home with my son and I’m more than willing to make the sacrifice. But… I do also like...

7 Surprising Ways Being a Stay at Home Mom Saves Money (almost $17,000 a Year!)

Posted by Julie | Oct 21, 2015 | Family Life, Frugal Living, Motherhood |

Once upon a time I was a teacher. Honestly, as a teacher of gifted and talented children I had every educator’s dream job. And it was my dream job too. But then my son was born. Thanks to my husband’s CONSIDERABLE big heartedness, I was able to stay home with my son for the first 8 months of his life. I went back to work in August, just after he started crawling! I absolutely loved teaching these unique, incredible, and interesting kids at school, but there was a tug in my heart just pulling me back home. The hubs and I...

How I Save Money on Groceries (Without Clipping Coupons!)

Posted by Julie | Jul 28, 2015 | Family Life, Frugal Living |

For about the first year of Little J’s life he thrived on mama’s milk and homemade food. In my new mother naiveté, I thought “What are all these boy-moms complaining about? Surely no one is actually eaten out of house and home!” Then Little J turned one. And he started to EAT. I don’t know where he packs it away, but this kid regularly eats adult sized portions of everything. Chicken, veggies (especially “bwa-colli”), fruit, you name it. I needed to get serious about cutting down my grocery budget! I tried clipping coupons, but I found that 1. coupons didn’t...

How I Became a Stay at Home Mom (And How You Can Too!)

Posted by Julie | Jul 24, 2015 | Family Life, Frugal Living, Motherhood, Work From Home |

My family has been on a roller coaster this year. We’ve gone from a two-income and debt laden family, to a one-income and debt free family! I transitioned from a full-time teacher to a full-time mom and homemaker. Why did we change our course? How did we do it? Let’s go back to the beginning. I took a leave of absence from teaching when my son was born, but went back to work as a teacher when Little J was 8 months old. This was so hard for me, but I thought it was necessary. Honestly, we were horrible...