06/01/2017
I know I promised I would try to do more posts... but life as I know it has been crazy ya'll.
We closed on our new house in April. We spent the first two weeks of April making sure everything was good with closing and fixing the problems that arose, and the last two packing, moving, appliance shopping, cleaning and painting!
We bought a foreclosure, and ya'll we are in for some work!
Day 1 began with the removal of the carpet. I was NOT going to allow my baby to be on it even with shoes, and as bad as it was I didn't want to be on it either!
We literally had/have to sanitize EVERY surface in this house. I never knew kitchen cupboards could be so dirty... not to mention the scum line on the tile near the wall in the kitchen that has to be scrubbed/scraped because mopping won't do the trick, or the bathtubs covered in a layer of filth, or the vent that is full of lint!?
I wiped down all the walls prior to painting as they were disgusting too. I decided to go with Sherwin Williams Repose Grey, and went during one of their 40% off sales.
-I would not recommend them. I had to wait an hour with my baby there for my paint to be made, and they made the wrong paint which cost me extra when I had to go back for more of the Super-paint rather than the Cashmere I had ordered... More than the issues at the store is the quality, I didn't find it superior to other paints I had bought in the past at Home Depot yet even at 40% off it was more expensive; The paint separates rather quickly and is hard to remix at home as well.
We bought a spray painter as we were repainting all the walls and removing the floor in a large percentage of the house. The spray painter did make the paint go on a LOT faster, and looked great at first but no matter how tempted you might be ALWAYS back-roll the last coat. There are areas that I can't tell if its just the light hitting the wall or if the coat is uneven and if you are spraying a lighter color its hard to tell exactly where you are spraying!!
Ceiling Paint should be flat! I got some over-spray on the ceiling and decided to just go with it and coat the whole ceiling but no matter how careful and meticulous I tried to be, it was NEVER even. I even rolled and I can still see flaws. I am going to have to repaint the whole ceiling in every bedroom!
We had new carpet installed with hypoallergenic pad in all the bedrooms, unfortunately we had the carpet installed after I had painted the ceilings but before they had dried to show their hideous flaws...so I have to cover the new carpets (and furniture) when the ceilings are repainted.
Other than cleaning, painting, and carpeting we haven't made much progress. We recently got our flooring for the living room and hallway delivered, and we got the tile in front of our door up. Now I'm trying to find the best way to remove the mortar and make the concrete nice and smooth for our new Luxury vinyl flooring. According to the flooring guys it is the floor of the future as it is very durable and stands up to dog nails, kids, and water better than any other option on the market.
Last weekend the progress made was mostly outside. The bank had the lawn mowed regularly but their yard guy didn't touch a large section of overgrowth in the back of a side yard we referred to as "the jungle". It was 3" tall and now we have got it to "almost mowable". Hedge trimmers are great for over growth of all kinds! I also fixed our boxhedge and cut down a bush by our mailbox to make it look more managed! I LOVE hedge trimmers!
There is a LONG list of future projects, I'm hoping we can knock them out fairly quickly. I'm planning to hire a babysitter to watch my lo in another room in my house while I'm working on projects just so I can get something done! We are also looking for a handyman for some of the projects we don't want to handle so hopefully we can find a local one as good as the one we have where we moved from!
Hopefully I can post pictures soon, and hopefully some before and afters before to long!
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Monday, March 27, 2017
Becoming the Unintentional Landlords
Although we have intended to become landlords, we are also unintentional landlords in that we never planned on renting out the house that is now our rental property.
We bought our first house in 2014. It is a ranch style house, built in 1975, complete with 3 bedrooms, 2 larger bathrooms, and a 2 car garage. It was well maintained and solid, but needed some upgrades. I haven't done all the math but I would estimate we have probably put $13,000 into the house in repairs and upgrades.
We recently had to replace a 2012 AC unit due to vandalism related to renting out the house, which was $2,100, and that is in addition to other damages!
We made many upgrades while living at the house, and had started replacing the flooring when we found out we needed to relocate for my husband's job. We were initially going to sell, but were concerned with the time of year and cost of selling a house that we had just bought 2 years before... 5 year rule and all the investments. A neighbor mentioned a contractor couple she knew looking to rent, one who wanted to move in immediately and would finish the flooring who needed to move due to mold causing health problems for their children, and having a newborn I felt really bad for them and thought it could be a win win!
Tip #1: If you are going to be a landlord you need to be able to keep your emotions OUT of it!
- I felt sorry for this family, especially the children, which is why we agreed to rent out the property! I learned my lesson the hard way, and it cost plenty
Tip #2 Tenant Screening
At a minimum you should be doing credit checks and looking for eviction reports. My current tenants submitted for both!
Depending on the cause of poor credit to me depends on whether it is workable or not. I had a call from someone who had bad credit due to medical bills, that could happen to anyone and doesn't indicate an unwillingness to work/pay bills... just the high cost of healthcare in our country!
I also ask for past addresses/landlord information now and I did call!
Tip #3 If a tenant is willing to break their current lease early they will break yours too!
This isn't a absolute, but it shows a disregard so unless they have come to an agreement with the current landlord to end the lease early, say paying fees etc. I would keep looking.
Tip #4 Always plan on paying the mortgage
The bank doesn't care that your property isn't rented, the tenant isn't paying, etc. You signed the mortgage papers and you are responsible irrespective!
Tip #5 No Pay No Stay
If a tenant doesn't pay rent move to evict them within 2 weeks! The eviction process is long enough and courts can grant them extra time (after all what do the courts care, they aren't paying anymore than the deadbeat tenant!)... Sometimes it might even be worth it to pay the tenant to leave as they can monopolize your property without paying for months, and if they are broke then they are judgement proof!
Tip #6 Have a strong lease
What do I mean by this? You need to include provisions such as those stating tenant must notify you immediately of problems of they are liable if the problem causes additional damage due to their negligence in notifying you! They can't flush anything but toilet paper. They can't make any changes without WRITTEN permission, they can't get an animal without WRITTEN permission, what they are responsible for, what is expected. You really need to outline EVERYTHING.
Tip #7 All Contact should be done THROUGH email, except in the case of an emergency
I am about to give an addendum notifying my tenants of this. This is for my sanity more than anything else. I get a call from them and I'm already stressed before answering wondering what is wrong and how much it will cost THIS time... not to mention phone calls force you to respond right away. My apartment lease stipulates all repair requests will be made online unless it is an emergency, now my residential will too!
Email also provides a written record!
Tip #8 Find a good contractor
Our contractor has saved my sanity more than once. He dealt with the aftermath of the first tenants, the vandalism, and taking care of the new tenant's repair needs. He is my go to guy and my eyes and ears while he is there and his prices are reasonable. He is also a landlord so he looks out for me!
Tip #9 Security Deposit
Tenants can always do more damage than their security deposit, but at a minimum security deposit should equal one months rent!
Tip #10 Know your State's Landlord Laws
I researched these when I became a landlord. I wouldn't say I'm a pro as laws do change, and can be interpreted differently or ignored by local police/courts, but I at least did due diligence to try to prepare myself.
-If there is ambiguity in a lease it favors the person who did not write it aka the tenant
-If you wrongfully withhold a security deposit, which can mean you failed to tell them why within your states time-frame, than you can actually owe double or triple in some states!
I would absolutely encourage anyone considering renting out a property to really sit down and think about it, do some math and see if it is really worth it. How much are you losing selling now? How much will you lose by having to pay the mortgage for X amount of months, or if you have a heavy repair/maintenance bill?
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Looking at flooring options
03/14/2017
So we are buying a house, and if you know me at all by now that means some remodeling and probably DIY! We are due to close in about a month and want to get some work done prior to moving in; painting and replacing floors is much easier to do in an empty house!
We replaced all the flooring in our other house, which is currently rented out. We replaced some older carpet with a really pretty laminate floor. The laminate floor is the TrafficMaster Lakeshore Pecan from Home Depot and is only .79/sq ft which is pretty much an unbeatable price. It is a fairly easy installation and 100% DIY-able meaning you can save a lot of money by not having to pay for skilled labor, whereas other flooring options like carpet or vinyl sheeting I wouldn't attempt to DIY.
I really like the look of the laminate flooring we did at the other house, but it hurt my feet! I looked it up to see if other people have this problem and apparently some do and some don't, but a foot doctor was saying hard floors aren't good for our feet... but the soft floor aka carpet isn't good for our respiratory system so what's a girl to do!?
I really want wood look floors in the living room and hallway. My husband wants carpet in the bedrooms. I want to do a walk in tile shower in the master bath where the flooring needs replaced anyway... so we are looking for some new floors!
Did you know that every flooring option out there right now except carpet comes in wood look? I'm trying to narrow down the type of flooring material I want to use now, there is: laminate, hardwood, engineered hardwood, bamboo, cork, vinyl, luxury vinyl, and tile!
We have pets and one baby, and we are working on number two, so I'm looking for something that is going to be scratch and drool resistant, as well as being comfortable for the dogs and us.
I ruled out tile a LONG time ago.
We currently have vinyl in our rented apartment and dropping a can caused a permanent dent and somehow it also got a gash in it, which makes me wonder about the durability... but the flooring store swears by it (and they sell hardwood, laminate, and engineered hardwood as well).
Hardwood would probably be one of the most expensive options, the hardwoods I have seen that I like usually are around $6/sq ft and I would probably have to pay for install or lose a lot of money due to the "learning curve".
I have seen several Laminates that I really like the look of and are a good price, but I'm really worried about comfort if we go with this option! I really don't want flooring that causes me to be in pain!
Engineered Hardwood is more eco-friendly than hardwood, and is supposed to be better with moisture... but is similar in price and often can't be refinished or at least not as much.
Bamboo is a very eco-friendly option. The pricing is pretty reasonable, but the only bamboo flooring I have seen, liked, and was in our budget scratches easily making it a horrible choice for my household!
I honestly just don't like the look of cork, and I can't see it as being super durable and one reviewer said as much!
I'm not sure what the difference is between vinyl and luxury vinyl to be honest. There are different qualities to vinyl however and I'm worried about getting a more durable/higher quality vinyl and price does not always equate quality!
I'm still slightly undecided. I'll probably wind up with a laminate or vinyl though. I prefer laminate for looks and think it will be better for resale but I like vinyl for comfort. Durability of either depends on how well made they are!
What are your thoughts? Is it just me or does vinyl in the living room seem odd, even if it is vinyl planks!? Can you tell what type of flooring it is in these pictures?
So we are buying a house, and if you know me at all by now that means some remodeling and probably DIY! We are due to close in about a month and want to get some work done prior to moving in; painting and replacing floors is much easier to do in an empty house!
We replaced all the flooring in our other house, which is currently rented out. We replaced some older carpet with a really pretty laminate floor. The laminate floor is the TrafficMaster Lakeshore Pecan from Home Depot and is only .79/sq ft which is pretty much an unbeatable price. It is a fairly easy installation and 100% DIY-able meaning you can save a lot of money by not having to pay for skilled labor, whereas other flooring options like carpet or vinyl sheeting I wouldn't attempt to DIY.I really like the look of the laminate flooring we did at the other house, but it hurt my feet! I looked it up to see if other people have this problem and apparently some do and some don't, but a foot doctor was saying hard floors aren't good for our feet... but the soft floor aka carpet isn't good for our respiratory system so what's a girl to do!?
I really want wood look floors in the living room and hallway. My husband wants carpet in the bedrooms. I want to do a walk in tile shower in the master bath where the flooring needs replaced anyway... so we are looking for some new floors!
Did you know that every flooring option out there right now except carpet comes in wood look? I'm trying to narrow down the type of flooring material I want to use now, there is: laminate, hardwood, engineered hardwood, bamboo, cork, vinyl, luxury vinyl, and tile!
We have pets and one baby, and we are working on number two, so I'm looking for something that is going to be scratch and drool resistant, as well as being comfortable for the dogs and us.
I ruled out tile a LONG time ago.
We currently have vinyl in our rented apartment and dropping a can caused a permanent dent and somehow it also got a gash in it, which makes me wonder about the durability... but the flooring store swears by it (and they sell hardwood, laminate, and engineered hardwood as well).
Hardwood would probably be one of the most expensive options, the hardwoods I have seen that I like usually are around $6/sq ft and I would probably have to pay for install or lose a lot of money due to the "learning curve".
I have seen several Laminates that I really like the look of and are a good price, but I'm really worried about comfort if we go with this option! I really don't want flooring that causes me to be in pain!
Engineered Hardwood is more eco-friendly than hardwood, and is supposed to be better with moisture... but is similar in price and often can't be refinished or at least not as much.
Bamboo is a very eco-friendly option. The pricing is pretty reasonable, but the only bamboo flooring I have seen, liked, and was in our budget scratches easily making it a horrible choice for my household!
I honestly just don't like the look of cork, and I can't see it as being super durable and one reviewer said as much!
I'm not sure what the difference is between vinyl and luxury vinyl to be honest. There are different qualities to vinyl however and I'm worried about getting a more durable/higher quality vinyl and price does not always equate quality!
I'm still slightly undecided. I'll probably wind up with a laminate or vinyl though. I prefer laminate for looks and think it will be better for resale but I like vinyl for comfort. Durability of either depends on how well made they are!
What are your thoughts? Is it just me or does vinyl in the living room seem odd, even if it is vinyl planks!? Can you tell what type of flooring it is in these pictures?
If you have guessed it should be vinyl, laminate, vinyl. The last one surprised me a bit!
Tuesday, March 7, 2017
We're buying a house (again)!
03/07/2017
I haven't really been blogging as much lately, so in case I missed it:
Last year we found out that my husband had to move for his job, we rented out our home and I stayed with my mother for a couple of months while we house hunted down here. We bid on a few houses and had to back out due to bad inspections and not really finding a house we wanted in our budget that we thought would be a good investment and safe for our daughter (mold). -I emboldened the highlights for the lazy readers out there!
Since August we have been living in an apartment here, its safe and its okay... but they don't maintain it well, its apartment living with a baby and two dogs, and other tenants don't clean up or leash their dogs (half the time). I have got two scars from a dog since living here, had to return a dog to its owner 2-3 times, and my dog has been in a fight 2 times with a loose dog! When my husband has tdy and is gone for work I have to walk our two dogs and our baby, and with all these lovely people who aren't responsible with their dogs it can be SUPER stressful! It is also 900 sq ft, which is small when you are used to, and have stuff that fits in, a 1500 sq foot house with a 2 car garage. It also feels cramped with a toddler and two dogs running around!
About to be OUR NEW HOUSE:
$69,300 Purchase Price- we were approved for $140k and wanted to stay under 120k
HUD Foreclosure
Sight Unseen- inside in person, I drove by and peeked in windows and saw pictures and a walkthrough video online but being such a good deal and having looked for so long we didn't wanna wait to put in an offer.
Good Investment- Neighborhood comps are much higher so we can put money in and get it back, and we have wiggle room to make any unforeseen repairs, or just unseen ones!
Newer AC Unit- It is a 2013 model so it was just a few years ago!
3 bedrooms/ 2 baths
1600 sq ft roughly according to the listing (it looks a little smaller though, honestly)
2 car garage
Brick House
In a culdasac/safe area
Good School District
We are buying this property with the intention of turning it into a rental property. With our first home we became unintentional landlords, but we always intended on eventually becoming landlords... just not with that house! Although we are buying this property to turn into an eventual rental it will be our residence for at least a few years prior, so I'm going to make this house our home!
The Plan:
Open the wall between the living room and dining room
Replace Flooring in the majority of the house
Paint the whole house
New Toilet(s) (one is broken, if the other looks yucky I'll replace it)
Epoxy Shower/Tub Combo if needed (I hate dingy looking ones!)
Install Walk in Shower in Master
Remove some Upper Cabinets
Refurbish Cabinets
Install Privacy Fence
Replace Front Door
Replace Locks
New Lights (2 need replaced)
I also have some question mark items on my list as I haven't gone in yet. I will be going inside soon however to see if there is anything that needs added to the list as well as to measure and start coming up with ideas/budgeting. We want to get as much done as possible prior to move in!
Originally we were planning on hiring much of this out as diy-ing with a toddler isn't super easy, but our budget just took a huge hit thanks to some jerk who vandalized our 2012 AC unit at our first house... so now we have to pay to replace it, as repairing it will be at least $1300 and that won't guarantee it is fixed that will just let them know if another expensive part needs fixed hence they recommend replacing! Not super news but that is what we are stuck with so we are just trying to take it in stride and be thankful that everyone has been so helpful and that we are able financially to afford to replace it because some people would really struggle our where we live it isn't very optional, it gets really hot and our tenants need AC in summer!
Financials:
Finances are my domain. My husband brings home the bacon and I conserve it. Many people are broke, and not just because of the unlivable minimum (and often times above minimum) wage! People don't budget, they don't wait, they want something and they want it now. I want things to, but above all I want security. I want to know that we can pay all of our bills, that my daughter won't ever have to go hungry, go without utilities, reliable/safe transportation, or a home!
We live below our means and because of that (and the fact our house is rented, and this house is relatively cheap) it might be possible for us to pay off this new house we are buying in under 5 years! We are not rich by any means, we have a middle class income! "It's not about how much you make, it is how much you keep". We keep our costs down! I'll do another blog post later about our budget, but I am super excited and I wanted to share with ya'll.
Look forward to some DIY posts and before and after pictures!
I haven't really been blogging as much lately, so in case I missed it:
Last year we found out that my husband had to move for his job, we rented out our home and I stayed with my mother for a couple of months while we house hunted down here. We bid on a few houses and had to back out due to bad inspections and not really finding a house we wanted in our budget that we thought would be a good investment and safe for our daughter (mold). -I emboldened the highlights for the lazy readers out there!
Since August we have been living in an apartment here, its safe and its okay... but they don't maintain it well, its apartment living with a baby and two dogs, and other tenants don't clean up or leash their dogs (half the time). I have got two scars from a dog since living here, had to return a dog to its owner 2-3 times, and my dog has been in a fight 2 times with a loose dog! When my husband has tdy and is gone for work I have to walk our two dogs and our baby, and with all these lovely people who aren't responsible with their dogs it can be SUPER stressful! It is also 900 sq ft, which is small when you are used to, and have stuff that fits in, a 1500 sq foot house with a 2 car garage. It also feels cramped with a toddler and two dogs running around!
About to be OUR NEW HOUSE:
$69,300 Purchase Price- we were approved for $140k and wanted to stay under 120k
HUD Foreclosure
Sight Unseen- inside in person, I drove by and peeked in windows and saw pictures and a walkthrough video online but being such a good deal and having looked for so long we didn't wanna wait to put in an offer.
Good Investment- Neighborhood comps are much higher so we can put money in and get it back, and we have wiggle room to make any unforeseen repairs, or just unseen ones!
Newer AC Unit- It is a 2013 model so it was just a few years ago!
3 bedrooms/ 2 baths
1600 sq ft roughly according to the listing (it looks a little smaller though, honestly)
2 car garage
Brick House
In a culdasac/safe area
Good School District
We are buying this property with the intention of turning it into a rental property. With our first home we became unintentional landlords, but we always intended on eventually becoming landlords... just not with that house! Although we are buying this property to turn into an eventual rental it will be our residence for at least a few years prior, so I'm going to make this house our home!
The Plan:
Open the wall between the living room and dining room
Replace Flooring in the majority of the house
Paint the whole house
New Toilet(s) (one is broken, if the other looks yucky I'll replace it)
Epoxy Shower/Tub Combo if needed (I hate dingy looking ones!)
Install Walk in Shower in Master
Remove some Upper Cabinets
Refurbish Cabinets
Install Privacy Fence
Replace Front Door
Replace Locks
New Lights (2 need replaced)
I also have some question mark items on my list as I haven't gone in yet. I will be going inside soon however to see if there is anything that needs added to the list as well as to measure and start coming up with ideas/budgeting. We want to get as much done as possible prior to move in!
Originally we were planning on hiring much of this out as diy-ing with a toddler isn't super easy, but our budget just took a huge hit thanks to some jerk who vandalized our 2012 AC unit at our first house... so now we have to pay to replace it, as repairing it will be at least $1300 and that won't guarantee it is fixed that will just let them know if another expensive part needs fixed hence they recommend replacing! Not super news but that is what we are stuck with so we are just trying to take it in stride and be thankful that everyone has been so helpful and that we are able financially to afford to replace it because some people would really struggle our where we live it isn't very optional, it gets really hot and our tenants need AC in summer!
Financials:
Finances are my domain. My husband brings home the bacon and I conserve it. Many people are broke, and not just because of the unlivable minimum (and often times above minimum) wage! People don't budget, they don't wait, they want something and they want it now. I want things to, but above all I want security. I want to know that we can pay all of our bills, that my daughter won't ever have to go hungry, go without utilities, reliable/safe transportation, or a home!
We live below our means and because of that (and the fact our house is rented, and this house is relatively cheap) it might be possible for us to pay off this new house we are buying in under 5 years! We are not rich by any means, we have a middle class income! "It's not about how much you make, it is how much you keep". We keep our costs down! I'll do another blog post later about our budget, but I am super excited and I wanted to share with ya'll.
Look forward to some DIY posts and before and after pictures!
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
Walgreens Wednesday
03/01/2017
I'm back! I started a WordPress account and honestly was not a fan, I didn't even get ONE view... I know it takes a while to build up a following but if no one is even seeing the blog then it isn't going to get a following, not sure why other bloggers recommend/hype on it!
Anyway the reason for the hiatus was just that I haven't had a lot of baby free time to blog, but I am back and hopefully I will be able to do at LEAST one new entry a week. I'm also considering vlogging, in addition to blog. I know that is kind of the thing now, although I still love blogs because I'm a fast reader and it is just way more efficient for me time wise to read a blog than watch a 11 minute vlog on the same thing... anyway share your thoughts on that in the comments.
So, Walgreens Wednesday!
When I was newly adulting Walgreens was one of my favorite places to shop. They always have clearance there and sometimes it is a great price, they also have walgreens rewards, ecoupons, and walgreens register rewards!
Walgreens ads come out every wednesday and are always worth a quick sneak peak because sometimes they have items that are free with a ecoupon or very cheap!
Here is my last Walgreens Haul, from the week after Valentine's Day:
There is also another Dr. Pepper that is not pictured. My total for everything was right around $8 with tax for everything
COST
Dr. Pepper 2/$3
SoftSoap .99 after ecoupon
Colgate Optic White FREE after ecoupon
Russel Stover $2.50 (Half off)
Colgate Floss Tip $3.49, .49 after the $3 in RR
I have debated signing my husband up for a Walgreens card to double my/our savings. I also have $3 in balance rewards at the moment which is free money!
If you buy the sunday paper and clip coupons you can find many good deals there just by popping in regularly. I saw some mens body wash reduced from $4.57 to $1.80, and while bar soap is cheaper that is a good price for this brand/type! They also do clearance on food items, I recently got some Lean Cuisine type meals that usually cost $3.79 each for .99 each for my mom and was able to use $3 in balance rewards getting some of them free!
Shop Walgreens Ya'll!
I'm back! I started a WordPress account and honestly was not a fan, I didn't even get ONE view... I know it takes a while to build up a following but if no one is even seeing the blog then it isn't going to get a following, not sure why other bloggers recommend/hype on it!
Anyway the reason for the hiatus was just that I haven't had a lot of baby free time to blog, but I am back and hopefully I will be able to do at LEAST one new entry a week. I'm also considering vlogging, in addition to blog. I know that is kind of the thing now, although I still love blogs because I'm a fast reader and it is just way more efficient for me time wise to read a blog than watch a 11 minute vlog on the same thing... anyway share your thoughts on that in the comments.
So, Walgreens Wednesday!
When I was newly adulting Walgreens was one of my favorite places to shop. They always have clearance there and sometimes it is a great price, they also have walgreens rewards, ecoupons, and walgreens register rewards!
Walgreens ads come out every wednesday and are always worth a quick sneak peak because sometimes they have items that are free with a ecoupon or very cheap!
Here is my last Walgreens Haul, from the week after Valentine's Day:
COST
Dr. Pepper 2/$3
SoftSoap .99 after ecoupon
Colgate Optic White FREE after ecoupon
Russel Stover $2.50 (Half off)
Colgate Floss Tip $3.49, .49 after the $3 in RR
I have debated signing my husband up for a Walgreens card to double my/our savings. I also have $3 in balance rewards at the moment which is free money!
If you buy the sunday paper and clip coupons you can find many good deals there just by popping in regularly. I saw some mens body wash reduced from $4.57 to $1.80, and while bar soap is cheaper that is a good price for this brand/type! They also do clearance on food items, I recently got some Lean Cuisine type meals that usually cost $3.79 each for .99 each for my mom and was able to use $3 in balance rewards getting some of them free!
Shop Walgreens Ya'll!
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Rhea Lana's 1/2 Off Haul
03/10/2016
Hey y'all,
It has been about two weeks since I've posted because I've been super busy with some new things I've got going on (more on those later but they are super exciting). Well, my baby is growing like a weed! She recently turned three months old and she wears 9 months in some things... she is cloth diapered so that adds some bulk but dang, my little girl is growing so fast!
In a very short time our little girl went through THREE clothing sizes. We had some 9 months clothes, since I am a bargain shopper and will buy ahead when I find cute things on clearance, but not a whole wardrobe for her... enter Rhea Lana's, problem solved!
I really was only planning on getting her 5 more pieces of clothing, I came home with 21.
I'm in love with easy outfits, as is my husband. We like things that are easy to put on, take off, and do diaper changes in. These all fit the bill on that, they are super cute, and it only cost my $5 total for all three! The first was $2, and the other two were only $1.50. These all look BRAND new, so much so that I'm not really even sure that they were ever actually worn.
So I'm in love with this swimsuit. Normally it isn't the kind of thing I'd buy used (like underwear, bras, etc)... but it is for a baby. It will be washed and I'm not having to really worry about someone nasty having worn it before, in fact it doesn't even look like it was ever worn. My baby actually does have 2 other swimsuits that were given to use by my husbands coworker, but they weren't really my style. This is like a mermaid/ballerina swimsuit and I think it is totally adorable, and best of all it was only $2.75!
One of my best finds was probably the Children's Place skirt, brand new WITH tags so there is no speculating on this one. I don't mind used clothes because it can save money, it is environmentally friendly, and you can find super cool and unique pieces that aren't in stores anymore, but I think just about everyone in the world likes new clothes.
I went with my mom and my daughter. We were hoping to find the Rhea Lana's gift certificates they had hidden throughout the store. No luck finding those, but we did get 26 items for just $61. Of the items bought they were all clothing, and and 21 of them were for my daughter and the other 5 were for my nieces. Of the 5 my mom bought for her other granddaughters (my nieces), the total on just those 5 was $19.75.
$61.25 - $19.75 = $41.50
(Total- Nieces = Daughters)
Going on half off day we saved $41.25 on our purchases. Not everything on half off day IS half off though, anything with a red dot on the tag is NOT half off. The consignors get to chose if they want to participate in half off day or not. Of everything we bought there were only 3 items that we selected and decided to purchase that weren't half off: the brand new skirt, a dress for my niece, and one of my daughters dresses.
The average price I spent on my daughters items were $2/each, given that just about everything I purchased is in PRISTINE condition and many items I think are probably new without tags (I've washed some clothes my baby never got a chance to wear so I'm sure other momma's have also) I'm really happy with my haul.
If you wanna check out a Rhea Lana's in your area just look at their webpage or facebook page. 1/2 off day is the last two days of their sale so things are more picked through but you can still find overlooked gems... I found quiet a few!
Hey y'all,
It has been about two weeks since I've posted because I've been super busy with some new things I've got going on (more on those later but they are super exciting). Well, my baby is growing like a weed! She recently turned three months old and she wears 9 months in some things... she is cloth diapered so that adds some bulk but dang, my little girl is growing so fast!
In a very short time our little girl went through THREE clothing sizes. We had some 9 months clothes, since I am a bargain shopper and will buy ahead when I find cute things on clearance, but not a whole wardrobe for her... enter Rhea Lana's, problem solved!
I really was only planning on getting her 5 more pieces of clothing, I came home with 21.
One of my best finds was probably the Children's Place skirt, brand new WITH tags so there is no speculating on this one. I don't mind used clothes because it can save money, it is environmentally friendly, and you can find super cool and unique pieces that aren't in stores anymore, but I think just about everyone in the world likes new clothes.I went with my mom and my daughter. We were hoping to find the Rhea Lana's gift certificates they had hidden throughout the store. No luck finding those, but we did get 26 items for just $61. Of the items bought they were all clothing, and and 21 of them were for my daughter and the other 5 were for my nieces. Of the 5 my mom bought for her other granddaughters (my nieces), the total on just those 5 was $19.75.
$61.25 - $19.75 = $41.50
(Total- Nieces = Daughters)
Going on half off day we saved $41.25 on our purchases. Not everything on half off day IS half off though, anything with a red dot on the tag is NOT half off. The consignors get to chose if they want to participate in half off day or not. Of everything we bought there were only 3 items that we selected and decided to purchase that weren't half off: the brand new skirt, a dress for my niece, and one of my daughters dresses.
The average price I spent on my daughters items were $2/each, given that just about everything I purchased is in PRISTINE condition and many items I think are probably new without tags (I've washed some clothes my baby never got a chance to wear so I'm sure other momma's have also) I'm really happy with my haul.
If you wanna check out a Rhea Lana's in your area just look at their webpage or facebook page. 1/2 off day is the last two days of their sale so things are more picked through but you can still find overlooked gems... I found quiet a few!
Monday, February 29, 2016
Kroger Haul 02/25/16
As you all know, I do Kroger Hauls ALL the time. This is another haul I'm super excited about FULL of managers specials.
I didn't take pictures of my entire haul, because having a newborn I'm usually taking care of her while my husband puts the groceries away (not on the counter tops for a quick pic). The image above is actually of my BEST deals, and those that wouldn't fit in the cupboards LOL.
I didn't take pictures of my entire haul, because having a newborn I'm usually taking care of her while my husband puts the groceries away (not on the counter tops for a quick pic). The image above is actually of my BEST deals, and those that wouldn't fit in the cupboards LOL.
I got:
31 BIG cans of Pumpkin for .39
6 Heinz Gravy Jars .19
10 BIG cans of Yams .29
2 Dole squezable fruit packs 1.39 (had an ecoupon so one of these was just .39)
2 Cans of Cranberries .29
2 Jiff Whips PB & Choc 1.59
4 Thomas English Muffins bogo
3 Bag of Red Potatoes .49
Milk FREE (with purchase of cereals shown)
Organic Choc Milk 1.99
These are just the best deals we got, in total my purchases came to $115.56. I am super stocked about my purchases since the cans of pumpkin alone retail for $120! I got the pumpkin for 90% off, I was excited to find little cans for .69 before so now we have LOTS of pumpkin.
The funny thing about the pumpkin is that I actually don't like pumpkin, I used to only buy it for the dogs (it was recommended by my vet to help my little dog lose weight/maintain a healthy weight) and now I'm also buying it for my little pumpkin.... think of all the money I'll save on baby food! I can't wait to feed my little one pumpkin both by itself and mixed with other fruits/veggies/spices!
Of the purchases the Gravy and some of the pumpkin are for the dogs. Some of the Pumpkin, the yams, and cranberries are all for my baby girl! I have been planning on making homemade baby food and pumpkin and yams are great for that! The Dole sqeezables can also be for her since they aren't expiring before she will start trying solid foods!
I should also point out these cans don't expire til next year... so apparently late February is the time to start buying Thanksgiving/Christmas foods!
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Guide to Cloth Diapering on a budget
I've heard from a few people how they want to cloth diaper, but the upfront cost is just too much for them. It doesn't have to be. I wanted to share some tips and things I've learned about saving money on cloth.Nayeli's Tips for Saving $$$ on Cloth
#1 Ebay- I got a great deal on a lot of new Kawaii diapers, which retail for $12 each, on ebay. I paid around $6 a diaper by buying them in a lot of 12 and they each come with 2 super thick inserts!!
#2 Local Facebook Groups- I found a facebook group in my area dedicated to cloth diapers and on there I bought 2 brand new bum genius diapers for $7 each (pictured right), retail is $17/each. I also found a lady selling her extra Kawaii inserts for only .50 each! I'm still trying to meet up with her!#3 Cloth Diaper Co-ops- these groups get people to pool money to make a bulk purchase in order for each person to save money. I personally haven't used one because it is kinda a hassle but I've heard good things and it IS a way to save.
#4 Yard Sales- my mom found bum genius in good condition for $5/each at one!
#5 Dirt Cheap- I got a brand new bum genius here for $1! That is $16 off! Last time I was in they had a lot of 6 Charlie Bananas for around $70, which is $40 off the lowest price I could find for that pack.
#6 Cloth Diaper Covers- Covers are a cheap yet still easy option. They can be reused as long as the poop/pee doesn't get on the cover, which means with these you need less covers and more inserts.
Grocery Haul 02/17/2016
Hey everyone,
I know it has been a while since I did a grocery haul post, but my last grocery shopping trip I got some great deals (partially pictured) that I have been dying to share with you!
I went to a Kroger I don't shop at normally on Thursday, my new shopping day, and apparently that is this Kroger's day for meat markdowns because their clearance section was filled. I personally don't like/eat pork but there was lots of pork, a package or two of ribeye, my meats that I use for fajitas, hamburgers, neck bones, ground beef, and chicken all on markdown.
To the left you can see part of my haul. I got 3 packages of top round steak for $3.74/lb, ground beef for $2 and $2.99 (one was more lean than the other), and organic hamburger patties for $2.
When I got home and viewed my haul and decided I wanted to blog about it I started thinking and was kicking myself for not JUST buying the hamburger patties instead of the ground beef. The hamburger patties were 1 lb packages of ORGANIC ground beef, who cares that they were shaped into a patty? They weren't flavored or anything, so I could have gotten better meat for cheaper and/or the same price. Lesson learned: think outside the box, or in this case marketing/label.
Meat wasn't the only thing I managed to scoop up on clearance, out of the 26 items I bought 22 were clearance deals I found in the store.
I also got on managers special:
Skye organic protein Smoothies .99 (4)
Shredded Carrots .69
Baby Bella's 1.49
Organic Spinach 3.00
Canned Pumpkin .69 (3)
Organic Eggs .99
Libby Pumpkin .49
Simple Truth Organic PB $1.99 (2)
Bag of Apples .99 (2)
The only products I paid full price for this trip was lunch meat, bananas, and yogurt. I also picked up some simple truth toilet paper but I got that on sale and had an ecoupon for it on my kroger card making it like 2/3 to 1/2 the normal price.
My total for this shopping trip was $62.73 and I have enough meat to last me 3 weeks to a month!
I know it has been a while since I did a grocery haul post, but my last grocery shopping trip I got some great deals (partially pictured) that I have been dying to share with you!
I went to a Kroger I don't shop at normally on Thursday, my new shopping day, and apparently that is this Kroger's day for meat markdowns because their clearance section was filled. I personally don't like/eat pork but there was lots of pork, a package or two of ribeye, my meats that I use for fajitas, hamburgers, neck bones, ground beef, and chicken all on markdown.
To the left you can see part of my haul. I got 3 packages of top round steak for $3.74/lb, ground beef for $2 and $2.99 (one was more lean than the other), and organic hamburger patties for $2.
When I got home and viewed my haul and decided I wanted to blog about it I started thinking and was kicking myself for not JUST buying the hamburger patties instead of the ground beef. The hamburger patties were 1 lb packages of ORGANIC ground beef, who cares that they were shaped into a patty? They weren't flavored or anything, so I could have gotten better meat for cheaper and/or the same price. Lesson learned: think outside the box, or in this case marketing/label.
Meat wasn't the only thing I managed to scoop up on clearance, out of the 26 items I bought 22 were clearance deals I found in the store.
I also got on managers special:
Skye organic protein Smoothies .99 (4)
Shredded Carrots .69
Baby Bella's 1.49
Organic Spinach 3.00
Canned Pumpkin .69 (3)
Organic Eggs .99
Libby Pumpkin .49
Simple Truth Organic PB $1.99 (2)
Bag of Apples .99 (2)
The only products I paid full price for this trip was lunch meat, bananas, and yogurt. I also picked up some simple truth toilet paper but I got that on sale and had an ecoupon for it on my kroger card making it like 2/3 to 1/2 the normal price.
My total for this shopping trip was $62.73 and I have enough meat to last me 3 weeks to a month!
Saturday, February 13, 2016
Kroger Valentines Mailers
02/13/2016
I just got my first Kroger mailer for the first time in over two years, since we moved to our house. When I moved I updated my address online with Kroger, but their mailer system is different then their rewards system apparently so I called. It's been months since I called to ask, since I did internet research and confirmed they were still sending out mailers to their "gold" status customers aka frequent shoppers.
If you're signed up with Kroger, have been at the same address since you got your Kroger card, and have never received a mailer you're probably just not shopping there enough to qualify for this perk. When I called I was told it was based on checkouts not amount spent. I'm making a purchase in Kroger at least once a week just about EVERY week.
One thing I love about Kroger is their rewards program is personalized for each customer. If you go online to the savings center they have a section where it shows sale items for you, it is based on things you have bought in the past and includes both advertised and unadvertised sales. Their mailers are also personalized, and include coupons for FREE stuff!
This mailer was not as good as some that I've gotten in the past, like ones including a coupon for $5 off $15 in the produce section... that one is ALWAYS a winner with me, but free stuff so I can't complain.
The coupons in this mailer included free salad dressing, Cheerios, Thomas english muffins, and Kroger frozen vegetables (non steamable). I also got two coupons for $ off cheese, and $1 off bakery goods both things I frequently buy.
There were also coupons in the mailer for things I don't buy, probably due to my mom also using my card when she shops at Kroger. My mom uses my card rather than her own to rack up more points for a gas discount, she usually uses the discount before us.
Did you get a Kroger Mailer this month?
If your signed up to get emails from Kroger I've heard some people get personalized coupons like these ones as an email that they can add to their card (they aren't listed under loadable coupons, you have to click the email).
Happy Shopping!
If you're signed up with Kroger, have been at the same address since you got your Kroger card, and have never received a mailer you're probably just not shopping there enough to qualify for this perk. When I called I was told it was based on checkouts not amount spent. I'm making a purchase in Kroger at least once a week just about EVERY week.
One thing I love about Kroger is their rewards program is personalized for each customer. If you go online to the savings center they have a section where it shows sale items for you, it is based on things you have bought in the past and includes both advertised and unadvertised sales. Their mailers are also personalized, and include coupons for FREE stuff!
This mailer was not as good as some that I've gotten in the past, like ones including a coupon for $5 off $15 in the produce section... that one is ALWAYS a winner with me, but free stuff so I can't complain.The coupons in this mailer included free salad dressing, Cheerios, Thomas english muffins, and Kroger frozen vegetables (non steamable). I also got two coupons for $ off cheese, and $1 off bakery goods both things I frequently buy.
There were also coupons in the mailer for things I don't buy, probably due to my mom also using my card when she shops at Kroger. My mom uses my card rather than her own to rack up more points for a gas discount, she usually uses the discount before us.
Did you get a Kroger Mailer this month?
If your signed up to get emails from Kroger I've heard some people get personalized coupons like these ones as an email that they can add to their card (they aren't listed under loadable coupons, you have to click the email).
Happy Shopping!
Sunday, January 17, 2016
How to save money on Groceries (at Kroger) with little effort
01/12/2016
If you read my blog regularly there are two things you should already know; I shop at Kroger and I like getting good deals! I have been asked a few times how I manage to get all my groceries for x amount or to get specific items so cheap so I thought I'd do an entry with some tips on how to save money at Kroger (although many tips apply to other stores as well).
How to save money on Groceries
#1 Sales Ad- I ALWAYS plan my purchases around what is on sale that week.
#2 Stock Up- When I see an item that is cheap and has a long shelf life I buy enough that I can hopefully not have to purchase anymore until that item is on sale again.
#3 Know your Price Points- Price points just let you know what a good price for that item is. Anything you regularly buy you should get to know a good sale price for that item and what price you personally don't want to pay above for it e.g. I don't like paying more than $2.50 for raspberries, and prefer finding them on sale for $2.
#4 Shop At the Right Time I always try to shop Tuesdays or Wednesdays around 12-2, many articles say those are the best days of the week to save money grocery shopping. For the best time for your store/area you can always call/ask departments when they do markdowns.
#5 Savings Center- If you shop at Kroger you absolutely SHOULD have a Kroger card, you should also enroll online. Kroger.com has a feature savings center which has a section called "deals for you" and will show you sales (advertised and unadvertised) based on things you have purchased in the past.
#6 Online Coupons- Couponing can take time and some find it embarrassing. Online coupons are easy to use. With Kroger.com you just sign in and load them on your card then when you scan your Kroger card the sales and coupon savings come off. Kroger also does an online coupon every Friday for a free item!
#7 Markdowns this ties in with number 4, but this is the BEST way to save. Don't be afraid to buy markdowns, many of the items are still good for a while after the "sell by" or "best by" dates... in fact I expect my purchases to be good for several days after the "sell by" day, because if the store can sell it until that day then they shouldn't expect the consumer to go home and eat it THAT day, that is ridiculous.
Some of my shopping trips I have saved over 50% with these techniques, and the prep (#2, #5, #6) takes less than 10 minutes.
How to save money on Groceries
#1 Sales Ad- I ALWAYS plan my purchases around what is on sale that week.
#2 Stock Up- When I see an item that is cheap and has a long shelf life I buy enough that I can hopefully not have to purchase anymore until that item is on sale again.
#3 Know your Price Points- Price points just let you know what a good price for that item is. Anything you regularly buy you should get to know a good sale price for that item and what price you personally don't want to pay above for it e.g. I don't like paying more than $2.50 for raspberries, and prefer finding them on sale for $2.
#4 Shop At the Right Time I always try to shop Tuesdays or Wednesdays around 12-2, many articles say those are the best days of the week to save money grocery shopping. For the best time for your store/area you can always call/ask departments when they do markdowns.
#5 Savings Center- If you shop at Kroger you absolutely SHOULD have a Kroger card, you should also enroll online. Kroger.com has a feature savings center which has a section called "deals for you" and will show you sales (advertised and unadvertised) based on things you have purchased in the past.
#6 Online Coupons- Couponing can take time and some find it embarrassing. Online coupons are easy to use. With Kroger.com you just sign in and load them on your card then when you scan your Kroger card the sales and coupon savings come off. Kroger also does an online coupon every Friday for a free item!
#7 Markdowns this ties in with number 4, but this is the BEST way to save. Don't be afraid to buy markdowns, many of the items are still good for a while after the "sell by" or "best by" dates... in fact I expect my purchases to be good for several days after the "sell by" day, because if the store can sell it until that day then they shouldn't expect the consumer to go home and eat it THAT day, that is ridiculous.
Some of my shopping trips I have saved over 50% with these techniques, and the prep (#2, #5, #6) takes less than 10 minutes.
Thursday, December 24, 2015
After Christmas Shopping
12/24/2015
Merry Christmas Eve Everyone,
This year we aren't doing all that much for the holidays since we have a newborn. Next year when our little girl is one we want to do more things with her to celebrate the holidays, which for us means buying more things (decorations, books, dvds, toys, apparel).
We have some decorations right now, but we do want to pick up more. We have NO outside decorations, no wreath, etc. We need a new Christmas tree, ours isn't big enough for all of our ornaments and is shorter than my husband would like.
Since I know we want more Christmas stuff for next year I'm planning on going shopping the day after Christmas this year. This is HUGE for me, since it will be my first time leaving my 3 week old for more than ten minutes. I've gone grocery shopping where my husband stayed in the car with our sleeping infant, but I've never been more than a few minutes away from her... so this will be a first!
In about another hour it will be Christmas, which I'm hoping means the sales ads will be released. The ad I'm most interested in is Kroger's ad, because we need groceries! Other than groceries I am making a mental (and physical) list of items I think will be discounted and I may pickup, depending on prices.
What to buy the day after Christmas:
Apparel- Winter apparel and especially holiday related will be discounted
Decorations
Wrapping Paper
Gift Bags
Ornaments
Stockings
Christmas Trees
Holiday Music
Holiday Dvd's
Holiday Books
Gift Sets (make up, hygiene, perfume, foods)
Candy
Candles
Holiday scented items
Toys
I'm not sure if I'm leaving anything off but I'm about to start my list of items I'm HOPING to pickup at a discount tomorrow. In another hour it will be Christmas, and I'm hoping the ads will be released!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
AND... Turns out After Christmas shopping was NOT worth it. The day after the discounts were 30-50% off and they still remained there on the 31st. I was expecting 70-90% but no luck.
Merry Christmas Eve Everyone,This year we aren't doing all that much for the holidays since we have a newborn. Next year when our little girl is one we want to do more things with her to celebrate the holidays, which for us means buying more things (decorations, books, dvds, toys, apparel).
We have some decorations right now, but we do want to pick up more. We have NO outside decorations, no wreath, etc. We need a new Christmas tree, ours isn't big enough for all of our ornaments and is shorter than my husband would like.
Since I know we want more Christmas stuff for next year I'm planning on going shopping the day after Christmas this year. This is HUGE for me, since it will be my first time leaving my 3 week old for more than ten minutes. I've gone grocery shopping where my husband stayed in the car with our sleeping infant, but I've never been more than a few minutes away from her... so this will be a first!
In about another hour it will be Christmas, which I'm hoping means the sales ads will be released. The ad I'm most interested in is Kroger's ad, because we need groceries! Other than groceries I am making a mental (and physical) list of items I think will be discounted and I may pickup, depending on prices.
What to buy the day after Christmas:
Apparel- Winter apparel and especially holiday related will be discounted
Decorations
Wrapping Paper
Gift Bags
Ornaments
Stockings
Christmas Trees
Holiday Music
Holiday Dvd's
Holiday Books
Gift Sets (make up, hygiene, perfume, foods)
Candy
Candles
Holiday scented items
Toys
I'm not sure if I'm leaving anything off but I'm about to start my list of items I'm HOPING to pickup at a discount tomorrow. In another hour it will be Christmas, and I'm hoping the ads will be released!
Merry Christmas Everyone!
AND... Turns out After Christmas shopping was NOT worth it. The day after the discounts were 30-50% off and they still remained there on the 31st. I was expecting 70-90% but no luck.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
New Mom Must Haves
12/23/2015My baby girl is almost three weeks old, and I'm constantly learning. I knew what to expect with labor for the most part, but I had no idea about recovery. I wanted to make this post to include things that you NEVER see on the other "must have" lists, both the things that YOU and baby need!
The hospital will give you SOME things. A general rule of thumb is if it is in your room and relates directly to you or the baby you can take it. I also got extra's by asking: jel packs for the girls, and an abdominal binder for my stomach. What the hospital provides is NOT enough for your entire recovery though.
Disclaimer: I had a mostly natural vaginal birth and a 4th degree tear, I also breastfeed. If your a c section formula feeding momma then what you need will be way different.
Nursing Bra's- Mine are from Target and Walmart. I also bought a Bravada, but they are expensive and it doesn't fit since I had to buy it online. When my milk came in I went up ANOTHER size (I also went up a size during pregnancy). Your milk doesn't come in for 2-3 days after giving birth so you can go to the store if you want to double check your size! You will want a few of these, I have 4 at the moment and plan to buy more.
Hydrojel Pads- these are for the girls, they help with discomfort a ton. Highly recommend them. I got some by asking the hospital if they had anything since my girls hurt, and they gave me a pack... they are reusable for a while but for the week-week and a half I used them I went ahead and bought more... you don't want a breast infection!
Nursing Pads- You WILL leak, in fact sometimes I spray. I got some disposable nursing pads from a friend who had them leftover and so I used those before switching to some reusable ones... I recommend the reusable pads, the disposables didn't stay in place for me and the reusable is greener and will save you money. I got these, and like them. I have 2 packs but I'd recommend you getting 3 (I'm planning on buying another pack).
Electric Pump- I'm all for actually BREASTfeeding, but sometimes your boobs or you need a break... rather than supplementing with formula (which will hurt your supply) pumping is a great option, and many insurance companies will pay for an electric breastpump.
-You can get ice cube trays with lids to store your breast milk in the freezer then put the cubes in freezer bags and reuse the trays to save money!
Breastfeeding Friendly Bottles- Some bottles (and pacifiers) are shaped to mimic the nipple which is supposedly easier/better for the breastfed baby. My pump (Spectra) came with some, and before I knew that I bought a 3 pack of Tommy Tippee's closer to nature bottles.
Coconut Oil- Coconut Oil has 5,000 uses, both for you and baby. It is here because it can be used as nipple cream and works well... and you don't have to worry about what is in it as far as baby ingesting it goes. I also use this on my stretch marks/dry skin.
Handheld Shower Head- this is good for cleaning your tear/butt. The nurse recommended I use it if I had one (we did, but if not they are $20 so get one)
Stitz Bath- I got this and felt better days later, I'm not sure if it was this or just my body heals quickly but I'll recommend it! I put epson salt and tea tree oil or lavender in mine (both essential oils have properties conducive to helping heal/prevent infection).
Tucks- I never had hemorrhoids until I was 36 weeks pregnant, and thought I wouldn't get them... I did. The hospital will give you tucks while you are there, but I had a 4th degree tear and was released the next day so you will need some for recovery at home!
Cream- This is a prescription, in the hospital it was Analphram, but the kind prescribed is a generic I think. Make SURE that they give you a prescription for cream, they accidentally wrote me a prescription for some foam stuff.. its a pain in the ass trying to get the foam and work that when your in pain and trying to hurry up before the baby starts screaming...
Pads- I NEVER wear pads. I hate the feeling of leaking, even if it is onto a pad... that being said you will NEED them, and you can't use a tampon or menstrual cup. I would recommend Kroger Brand Pads if you have a Kroger. They have long ones 24 for $1.49! I haven't had ANY problem with them, and I've had a medium/light flow.
Prenatal Vitamins- if your breastfeeding you should continue taking these.
Colace- this is the recommended safe OTC stool softener, and if you got hemorrhoids you do not want to get constipated and have hard poo!
Nursing Tops- I only have one of these but I love how the shirt has slits that are covered in the breast area so you can nurse and still have your boob and chest covered. If you can find these I'd recommend at least one or two for breastfeeding in public or in front of family. Nursing covers don't make my list since my baby doesn't want anything over her when she is eating (can't blame her). I do want the boobie beanie for those prudes who want to make snide remarks about me feeding my baby... #boobsareforbabies
Burp Cloths- My baby rarely spits up, so I actually use these for my boobs to stop the flow of my breast milk. I read breastfed babies spit up less, but these are absolutely still handy (for the leaking).
Diapers- I did a post on my cloth diaper stash, that I spent under $200 on here. Unfortunately my baby doesn't fit into her cloth diapers yet.... but regardless of whether your doing cloth or sposies your baby needs diapers, for sposies I like 7th gen and Luvs!
Clothes- Really think about what clothes will be easiest on you (and him/her). If the baby is going to be inside in a temperature controlled environment then they really do NOT need a bunch of winter clothes (my mistake). Easiest are onsies/shirts with short sleeves, you can always throw a jacket on them if your going outside. Pants are fairly easy as well, as are pajamas and many one piece outfits. Our daughter almost lives in her sleep sacks and pj's just because it is easiest on her and us!
Sleep Sacks- I mentioned these above in clothes, but these can be worn over other clothes if its really cold or by themselves. You use these INSTEAD of a blanket, so much safer! My sister told me my niece would always manage to get the blankets over her head so she switched to these... I just don't do blankets in her crib at all, and in the bouncer or rock n' play we always tuck them 1/2 way on her body.
Rock N' Play- We use this rather than a bassinet. With me breastfeeding, and checking to make sure she is breathing multiple times at night she sleeps in our room. I like the rock n' play. It is smallish, collapses, hers vibrates, and its easy to rock. I plan on taking this with us for Christmas with the family rather than the pack n' play since its easier to collapse, use, etc at this age.
Baby Wash- I'd recommend researching chemicals and getting a more natural/safe option. I also changed my wash when I was pregnant and still now since she is skin to skin with me, and chemicals are absorbed through the skin. Babies only need 2-3 baths a week, more is harmful to their skin.
Gas Drops- Our LO gets bad gas, which makes her fussy and seems like it is painful/uncomfortable. Gas drops are fine to give regularly (although we don't since we don't want her depending on them), but they don't work for all babies from what I've read. I would recommend them anyway, in addition to breastfeeding with her head above her stomach (which can prevent/minimize gas).
Baby Wipes- We got a natural brand and still have read bad things about the chemicals etc in them. If your using cloth diapers then using cloth wipes is easiest, cheapest, and in my and my husbands opinion best (for cleaning up the mess, and due to the lack of chemicals).
Pacifier- This is a choice. I prefer to give a baby a paci then to have them use their hands/fingers (as you can't take a thumb away when its time to wean them). My baby actually doesn't use her paci all that much however... if your breastfeeding, make sure the paci is nipple shaped (meaning it is just kind of long and round at the end).
Bouncer- this puts her more upright so she prefers it when she is awake, and they are like $20 so it is good to have also for another room. We use ours daily, but we don't use the features honestly...
The biggest new mom must have in my opinion/experience is HELP. It could be because I had the worst degree of tear you can get, but I had a hard time doing ANYTHING the first week; I was essentially on bed-rest, as sitting or standing/walking would upset both my tear and hemorrhoids. After the first week I was slowly able to do more and more, and now at three weeks for the most part I'm fine. During the first week my husband did most of the household chores, burping, and diaper changes... for the most part I could just feed our daughter, and even that required me to sit up (since I was learning positioning etc) aggravating my injuries... My mom came by a couple of times, she helped clean and would just hold/care for our daughter letting both my husband and I rest. I really appreciate my husband and my mom. Help isn't really a must have, I would have dealt with the pain, prolonged my healing, and cared for my daughter... but if you can get help then take it!
This list is just things we have found helpful; Obviously the baby nor I wouldn't die without the items listed above (third world countries anyone)... but I highly recommend them.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Saving money by shopping Ebay
12/16/2015
This is a post I probably should have made much earlier to save ya'll money, but with the pregnancy and now a newborn it isn't something I really thought much about until today. About a month ago when I was doing my Christmas shopping I was dismayed by the cost of some items on wishlists. I wanted to purchase what this person wanted, but the price was a little high... in comes Ebay.
The product I'm referring to above, a perfume, was $89 on amazon and similarly priced at other online department store retailers; I paid under $40 for it and given the numerous reviews of the seller I'm comfortable with gifting it believing it will be an authentic item. Other than the perfume there are other things I've bought on ebay for massive savings:
Snap Jewelry- No, I didn't get the brand name "Ginger Snaps", but I did get
around 20 pieces, snaps and settings, for around $20. Ginger Snaps start out at $7 just for the snaps, the settings are over $20 EACH.
Jewelry- Other than Snap Jewelry I bought 3 really cute grandma/mimi necklaces for my baby's grandmas. I saw these in a store for $15/each, I paid $0.75/each!
Handmade Burp Cloths- I paid $2.50/each and bought from thepinkpolkadot2015. I just purchased 3 of these, and I'm expecting them in the next week. The price isn't bad, when you compare the price and quality to store bought. The price was also lower than I could find on Etsy, the marketplace of the homemade.
Cloth Diapers- I got 12 Kawaii goodnights with inserts for just under $70. Normally these diapers are $12/each, I paid just under $6 effectively getting 1/2 of them free.
My total savings on those things listed here is right around $300! It is worth price checking on ebay. Most of the things in the stores are made in China, by buying directly from the source via ebay you can save some serious money... but you do have to wait for shipping.
This is a post I probably should have made much earlier to save ya'll money, but with the pregnancy and now a newborn it isn't something I really thought much about until today. About a month ago when I was doing my Christmas shopping I was dismayed by the cost of some items on wishlists. I wanted to purchase what this person wanted, but the price was a little high... in comes Ebay.The product I'm referring to above, a perfume, was $89 on amazon and similarly priced at other online department store retailers; I paid under $40 for it and given the numerous reviews of the seller I'm comfortable with gifting it believing it will be an authentic item. Other than the perfume there are other things I've bought on ebay for massive savings:
Snap Jewelry- No, I didn't get the brand name "Ginger Snaps", but I did get around 20 pieces, snaps and settings, for around $20. Ginger Snaps start out at $7 just for the snaps, the settings are over $20 EACH.
Jewelry- Other than Snap Jewelry I bought 3 really cute grandma/mimi necklaces for my baby's grandmas. I saw these in a store for $15/each, I paid $0.75/each!
Handmade Burp Cloths- I paid $2.50/each and bought from thepinkpolkadot2015. I just purchased 3 of these, and I'm expecting them in the next week. The price isn't bad, when you compare the price and quality to store bought. The price was also lower than I could find on Etsy, the marketplace of the homemade.Cloth Diapers- I got 12 Kawaii goodnights with inserts for just under $70. Normally these diapers are $12/each, I paid just under $6 effectively getting 1/2 of them free.
My total savings on those things listed here is right around $300! It is worth price checking on ebay. Most of the things in the stores are made in China, by buying directly from the source via ebay you can save some serious money... but you do have to wait for shipping.
My Cloth Diaper Stash ($200 budget)
12/16/2015
Prior to my pregnancy I decided I wanted to use cloth diapers rather than disposables. Our children inherit our world so I try to be green and conscious of my impact, other than being green going with cloth diapers saves green ($).
In a prior post I estimated my total cost for building my cloth diaper stash would be around $300. At this point I believe I have around 33 diapers with inserts. My mother bought me 6 bumgenius diapers she found at a yardsale, my mil bought us a pack of CBI (charcoal bamboo inserts), a friend bought one Kawaii goodnight, I'm buying 10 bumgenius diapers from my sister ($80), I purchased 12 Kawaii Goodnight Diapers ($68), 5 Alvababy diapers ($28), and 2 inserts ($1).
Total Spent: $177
I'm super happy to say I've only spent $177 on our babies cloth diapers; they are all one size so they should fit her now til she is potty trained. I'm going to try to sell some of the Kawaii for $10 each, which would make my total closer to $120... although then I would probably buy more Alva's bringing my total back to around $140-$150.
The average age in the US in 2003 for children to be potty trained is 37 months; unfortunately I couldn't find more recent figure. Assuming you change your baby around 10 times a day you would go through 10,656 diapers from birth til potty training. Over ten thousand diapers PER child, and it is estimated they take from 250-500 years to decompose, I'm not okay with leaving that in the landfills ruining our world for future generations. In addition to the long lasting environmental impact of disposable diapers is the financial cost. I went on amazon and looked up diapers, the price varied from .13 to .40 a diaper depending on brand making the total cost for disposables til your baby is potty trained $1,385-$4,262 (not accounting for waste due to diaper size).
I will post pictures of my stash once I have all of it, I'm getting the diapers from my sister after Christmas and the majority of my diapers are in the wash at the moment getting prepped. The picture at the top does show some of my stash as I do have all of the diapers pictured, but if I manage to sell the diapers I want to then I'll lose a couple of those designs.
My savings by going cloth versus disposable I would estimate at around $3,000. I had three huge motivations for going cloth:
1. Chemicals, there are harsh chemicals in disposables that I don't like so if I did go disposable it would be a natural brand like 7th gen (what I am currently using as I got sposies to use til her cord fell off), natural brands are more expensive...
2. Environment
3. Financial
#1 explains how I got my rough $3,000 figure. I based it on the current cost of 7th gen diapers, but went with a rough average as the cost is different based on diaper size and there is no way of knowing how long your child will be in each diaper size.
EDIT: Baby girl is back in 'sposies. We had to buy 2 48 packs of luvs and hopefully when those run out she fits into her cloth diapers... right now they are just too big on her. We spent $15 on the 2 packages of luvs and if you are going with sposies and aren't gonna do 7th gen then I'd recommend Luv's, they are cheaper than Huggies or Pampers and IMO are just as good.
Prior to my pregnancy I decided I wanted to use cloth diapers rather than disposables. Our children inherit our world so I try to be green and conscious of my impact, other than being green going with cloth diapers saves green ($).
In a prior post I estimated my total cost for building my cloth diaper stash would be around $300. At this point I believe I have around 33 diapers with inserts. My mother bought me 6 bumgenius diapers she found at a yardsale, my mil bought us a pack of CBI (charcoal bamboo inserts), a friend bought one Kawaii goodnight, I'm buying 10 bumgenius diapers from my sister ($80), I purchased 12 Kawaii Goodnight Diapers ($68), 5 Alvababy diapers ($28), and 2 inserts ($1).
Total Spent: $177
I'm super happy to say I've only spent $177 on our babies cloth diapers; they are all one size so they should fit her now til she is potty trained. I'm going to try to sell some of the Kawaii for $10 each, which would make my total closer to $120... although then I would probably buy more Alva's bringing my total back to around $140-$150.
The average age in the US in 2003 for children to be potty trained is 37 months; unfortunately I couldn't find more recent figure. Assuming you change your baby around 10 times a day you would go through 10,656 diapers from birth til potty training. Over ten thousand diapers PER child, and it is estimated they take from 250-500 years to decompose, I'm not okay with leaving that in the landfills ruining our world for future generations. In addition to the long lasting environmental impact of disposable diapers is the financial cost. I went on amazon and looked up diapers, the price varied from .13 to .40 a diaper depending on brand making the total cost for disposables til your baby is potty trained $1,385-$4,262 (not accounting for waste due to diaper size).
I will post pictures of my stash once I have all of it, I'm getting the diapers from my sister after Christmas and the majority of my diapers are in the wash at the moment getting prepped. The picture at the top does show some of my stash as I do have all of the diapers pictured, but if I manage to sell the diapers I want to then I'll lose a couple of those designs.
My savings by going cloth versus disposable I would estimate at around $3,000. I had three huge motivations for going cloth:
1. Chemicals, there are harsh chemicals in disposables that I don't like so if I did go disposable it would be a natural brand like 7th gen (what I am currently using as I got sposies to use til her cord fell off), natural brands are more expensive...
2. Environment
3. Financial
#1 explains how I got my rough $3,000 figure. I based it on the current cost of 7th gen diapers, but went with a rough average as the cost is different based on diaper size and there is no way of knowing how long your child will be in each diaper size.
EDIT: Baby girl is back in 'sposies. We had to buy 2 48 packs of luvs and hopefully when those run out she fits into her cloth diapers... right now they are just too big on her. We spent $15 on the 2 packages of luvs and if you are going with sposies and aren't gonna do 7th gen then I'd recommend Luv's, they are cheaper than Huggies or Pampers and IMO are just as good.
Saturday, November 28, 2015
Christmas Gifts for the Dogs
11/28/2015
Every year I do a little something to include my dogs in the holiday; Holidays are about family, and our dogs are a cherished part of our family! This year our family will grow by one, we are expecting our daughter to be here anytime now. With a new addition to the family that will take a lot of attention I went ALL out on the dogs!
I was originally planning on just getting the dogs a couple more expensive chews that they don't get often like pig ears, duck feet, cow ears, paragon dental chews, etc, two or three new toys, and some dentastix... then I found this website. This website has things MUCH cheaper than you can find either in store or at amazon, their clearance under $4 section is HUGE!
Originally I had planned on just getting enough to fill the dogs stockings, one for Nina and one for Shadow, but the website I ordered off of offers free shipping for orders over $99 and once I hit $68 I wanted the free shipping!
The cost for what I originally planned to buy off Amazon was around $69. I spent $39 more than originally planned and got: 11 extra toys, 4 extra bags of treats, 12 extra packs of chews, 20 extra treats (ears, hooves, feet).
I'll admit, I went a little overboard... but with the new baby on the way I wanted plenty of distractions for the pooches and I don't think I'll be buying anymore toys until next Christmas!
According to Huffingtonpost over half of all pet owners buy Christmas gifts for their pets, spending on average $46. The article isn't very clear on whether that $46 is per pet or all inclusive.
TheDailyMail's said that 95% of those surveyed by Rover admitted to buying their pets gifts, spending on average $36 per pet.
... yes, I went over at $54 per dog but with the baby coming they should have extradistractions gifts this year!
NOTE: This is NOT a recommendation for that website, I am not affiliated with them in any way and I JUST placed my order with them for the first time. I will update this post with a review once I get my items but I have not used them before so please don't take this post as me recommending them just yet!
I was originally planning on just getting the dogs a couple more expensive chews that they don't get often like pig ears, duck feet, cow ears, paragon dental chews, etc, two or three new toys, and some dentastix... then I found this website. This website has things MUCH cheaper than you can find either in store or at amazon, their clearance under $4 section is HUGE!
|
CART
ITEMS |
QTY |
Price |
Retail |
Furry Ball Squeaky Dog Toy |
1 |
0.98 |
4 |
|
American
Farms Individual Smoked Pig Ear Dog Trea
|
2 |
1.27 |
1.89 |
|
Cadet
10 Pack 10" Rawhide Twist Sticks
|
10 |
1.69 |
8.78 |
|
Dura
Fused Fox Leather Dog Toy
|
2 |
3.07 |
5.38 |
|
Dura
Fused Raccoon Leather Dog Toy
|
2 |
3.07 |
6.39 |
|
Cow
Hooves All Natural
|
2 |
0.63 |
0.99 |
|
Grriggles
Bolt Buddies Small Green Dog Toy
|
1 |
2.17 |
9.65 |
|
Multipet
Mossy Oak Holiday Duck 6 Inch Dog Dog Toy
|
1 |
2.5 |
6 |
|
Multipet
Weavie Wonders Assorted Dog Toy
|
1 |
3.97 |
11.33 |
|
Old
Mother Hubbard Mini P-Nuttier Dog Biscuit Treats 5oz
|
1 |
2.16 |
4.79 |
|
Outward
Hound Bottle Buddies Cow Water Bottle Toy
|
1 |
4 |
4.94 |
|
Outward
Hound Mini Invincible Hedgehog Dog Toy
|
1 |
2.51 |
3.99 |
|
Chicken
Feet
|
2 |
0.51 |
0.73 |
|
Duck Feet All Natural
|
4 |
0.51 |
0.73 |
|
Cow Ear
|
20 |
0.97 |
0.99 |
|
Lamb Ear
|
10 |
0.63 |
0.71 |
|
Smokehouse
6 Pack Beef Recipe Rolls
|
2 |
2.06 |
5.93 |
|
Canvas
Pawprint Fetch Toy
|
2 |
1 |
3.83 |
|
Zippy
Paws Deluxe Water Bottle Crusherz Dolphin Toy
|
1 |
3.71 |
5.99 |
|
Zippy
Paws Jigglerz Jr Bunny - Shake Squeak N Crackle Toy
|
1 |
3.71 |
6.72 |
|
Zukes
Mini Naturals Pork Dog Treats
|
1 |
2.61 |
4.79 |
|
Zukes
Mini Naturals Wild Rabbit Dog Treats
|
2 |
2.61 |
2.74 |
|
Zukes
Skinny Bakes Yogurt Honey 2
|
1 |
3.15 |
4.99 |
|
Zukes
Skinny Bakes Yogurt Vanilla
|
1 |
3.15 |
6.28 |
|
My
total:
|
$107.70
USD
|
|
Retail:
|
$246.85
USD
|
|
Savings:
|
$139.15
USD
|
Originally I had planned on just getting enough to fill the dogs stockings, one for Nina and one for Shadow, but the website I ordered off of offers free shipping for orders over $99 and once I hit $68 I wanted the free shipping!
The cost for what I originally planned to buy off Amazon was around $69. I spent $39 more than originally planned and got: 11 extra toys, 4 extra bags of treats, 12 extra packs of chews, 20 extra treats (ears, hooves, feet).
I'll admit, I went a little overboard... but with the new baby on the way I wanted plenty of distractions for the pooches and I don't think I'll be buying anymore toys until next Christmas!
According to Huffingtonpost over half of all pet owners buy Christmas gifts for their pets, spending on average $46. The article isn't very clear on whether that $46 is per pet or all inclusive.TheDailyMail's said that 95% of those surveyed by Rover admitted to buying their pets gifts, spending on average $36 per pet.
... yes, I went over at $54 per dog but with the baby coming they should have extra
NOTE: This is NOT a recommendation for that website, I am not affiliated with them in any way and I JUST placed my order with them for the first time. I will update this post with a review once I get my items but I have not used them before so please don't take this post as me recommending them just yet!
Friday, November 20, 2015
Natural Ways to Induce Labor
11/20/2015
I am 38 weeks pregnant tomorrow and I'm ready for her to be here.
I've had a fairly easy pregnancy until recently, now my stomach is just too big and its really painful for the stretching as she is getting bigger and bigger in there. Her health is obviously paramount, but at this point everything points towards her being healthy if she is born... therefore I'm ready to evict her!
There are many natural ways that are suggested to be effective at inducing labor, many are probably wives tales but I figured it wouldn't hurt to try a couple.
Natural Ways to Induce Labor
I've had a fairly easy pregnancy until recently, now my stomach is just too big and its really painful for the stretching as she is getting bigger and bigger in there. Her health is obviously paramount, but at this point everything points towards her being healthy if she is born... therefore I'm ready to evict her!
There are many natural ways that are suggested to be effective at inducing labor, many are probably wives tales but I figured it wouldn't hurt to try a couple.
Natural Ways to Induce Labor
- Walking
- Dancing
- Bouncing on a Yoga Ball
- Sex (Orgasms AND male semen)
- Eating a LOT of Pineapple
- Raspberry Leaf Tea
- Cohosh (wouldn't recommend this one)
- Nipple Stimulation
- Massage
- Acupuncture/Acupressure
- Spicy Foods
- Evening Primrose Oil
- Castor Oil (wouldn't recommend this one)
I personally have tried a couple of the above methods and am so far pregnant and as far as I can tell not in labor, although I do think she has dropped down some more. I've tried walking, bouncing, sex, nipple stimulation, and acupressure.
Some women swear by these methods so I'm not sure if it is just that I am not doing them long enough, if they only work for some women, etc. I'm going to continue trying these methods and hopefully we will be greeting a healthy beautiful baby girl soon!
Have any of you tried any of these methods? If you have do you think they worked/helped?
November Ipsy Bag
11/20/2015
Sometime in September I signed up for Ipsy, a beauty subscription service. Ipsy is $10 a month and sends out a package once a month with some beauty samples including makeup, nail polish, skin care, makeup tools, and I believe sometimes even perfume.
This is my first Ipsy bag. When you sign up for Ipsy it is a rather aggravating process, you get put on a waitlist and repeatedly emailed about sharing about Ipsy on your social media accounts in order to skip the wait. I opted not to share their posts to skip the wait since I didn't want to endorse a product/service that I haven't even tried.
Here is what I got in my November Ipsy bag:
Every month Ipsy sends a bag with 5 deluxe size samples or full sized products. This month the Ipsy bag is space themed, and in my opinion ugly!
This month included in the bag was:
Sometime in September I signed up for Ipsy, a beauty subscription service. Ipsy is $10 a month and sends out a package once a month with some beauty samples including makeup, nail polish, skin care, makeup tools, and I believe sometimes even perfume.
This is my first Ipsy bag. When you sign up for Ipsy it is a rather aggravating process, you get put on a waitlist and repeatedly emailed about sharing about Ipsy on your social media accounts in order to skip the wait. I opted not to share their posts to skip the wait since I didn't want to endorse a product/service that I haven't even tried.
Here is what I got in my November Ipsy bag:
Every month Ipsy sends a bag with 5 deluxe size samples or full sized products. This month the Ipsy bag is space themed, and in my opinion ugly!
This month included in the bag was:
- Tucker Ashley Moisturizer
- Sinful Colors Nail Polish (full sized)
- Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara
- Trestique Lip Crayon
- Beaute Basics Eye Crayon
Out of those 5 products I'm only familiar with 2 of the brands: Sinful and Smashbox.
Smashbox is a better beauty brand, but the product included in the bag isn't one of their best items.
Sinful Nail Polish was the only full sized product in the bag. I do like the colors that Sinful puts out, but I'm not a huge nail polish fan and this isn't the best nail polish anyway. I have seen these nail polishes on sale for either $1 or $1.99.
Tucker Ashley Moisturizer is a product that I actually like. The moisturizer doesn't make your face oily at all, but provides some nourishment/moisture to your skin. There is no scent in the product.
The Trestique Lip Crayon is my favorite product in the bag, because it is something new; I've never tried a lip crayon before but think it might be one of my favorite beauty products once I find the right color/brand. I do like this but it isn't a color I'd buy on my own, and I also feel like there are probably better brands/formulas.
The Beaute Basics Eye Crayon came in a lovely gold color, when I first got it I didn't think it would compliment my lighter skin tone but upon trying it on I have to say that I think this color actually would look good on women of ANY skin tone! I was happy with the color but I'm not a fan of eye crayons personally and would never buy them on my own, as they aren't the best to apply.
I have to admit, getting the Ipsy bag in the mail with no idea what is inside is exciting... but I'm not sure if it is worth it or not. Over the course of a year the Ipsy subscription is $120; I know many women who drop $120 in a single shopping trip on makeup, I'm not one of them though. Ipsy is supposed to pick your products around a quiz you take about your beauty style and based on reviews you leave. I made sure to review every product on the website so that hopefully next month and going forward I won't get anymore nail polishes (rarely use them) or eye crayons! I am planning on trying Ipsy out for a few months and we will see how it goes!
Friday, November 13, 2015
Homemade Beeswax Candle
11/13/2015
Conventional store bought candles contain all kinds of toxins. I could write about it and explain how bad they are/what is in them, but that has already been done. If you want to read all about what is in your store bought candles then you can read about that here and here. The bottom line of store bought candles is they are NOT good for you or your family, even soy/beeswax store bought ones often contain paraffin or "fragrance".
I bought my first essential oils about a year ago, smelled them and barely used them. I was going to make my own laundry soap and cleaners, but wasn't happy with the results for either so went back to store bought green/healthier brands. Months ago we began using the essential oils in our humidifier, but only the lavender, eucalyptus, or peppermint as those are great for respiration/immune system. Within the last month I made a oil rub for my husband when he was getting sick, something that helped him! I'm a big fan of essential oils, as they are a natural fragrance with health benefits!
When I found out how bad the conventional candles are I decided I didn't want to buy any anymore. I started looking on Etsy for beeswax candles but found them to both be expensive, and have questionable ingredients at times. Instead of spending $11 plus per candle I decided to try my hand at making my own.
Conventional store bought candles contain all kinds of toxins. I could write about it and explain how bad they are/what is in them, but that has already been done. If you want to read all about what is in your store bought candles then you can read about that here and here. The bottom line of store bought candles is they are NOT good for you or your family, even soy/beeswax store bought ones often contain paraffin or "fragrance".
I bought my first essential oils about a year ago, smelled them and barely used them. I was going to make my own laundry soap and cleaners, but wasn't happy with the results for either so went back to store bought green/healthier brands. Months ago we began using the essential oils in our humidifier, but only the lavender, eucalyptus, or peppermint as those are great for respiration/immune system. Within the last month I made a oil rub for my husband when he was getting sick, something that helped him! I'm a big fan of essential oils, as they are a natural fragrance with health benefits!
When I found out how bad the conventional candles are I decided I didn't want to buy any anymore. I started looking on Etsy for beeswax candles but found them to both be expensive, and have questionable ingredients at times. Instead of spending $11 plus per candle I decided to try my hand at making my own.
Here is a picture of the candle as it was cooling. I reused an empty candle jar I had. The candle smells AMAZING. I used 30 drops of essential oils (a mix), and it is 1/2 beeswax 1/2 coconut oil. The only problem with the candle is the wick, I opted for a hemp wick and the wick is too small so I need a bigger wick or to put a couple of wicks in.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
$40 Grocery Trip
11/08/2015
I want to start this post by pointing out that the title on this one says trip, not haul. I was proud of myself when I did the large $50 grocery hauls, but those are TOTALLY dependent on me finding managers specials, good sales, and being flexible with my purchases.
The last two weeks I didn't even post my hauls because I went over budget. This week I will go over once I finish my shopping, I'm going again on Wednesday for double ad day at Knights (a great place to buy meat).
This week my most expensive purchase was organic salad, We paid $5.99 for a big tub. Normally we pay $1.99 for the big tub on the sell by date (usually is good for days to a week after this date), but today there were none on managers special. I could have also saved money by buying the salad loose rather than packaged, that would have saved 50%.
This trip was one of my worst IMO. I got 22 items for $40, but most of those items are snacks or only one part of a meal...
I decided to do a blog about this trip because I'm really trying to come up with the appropriate budget for our needs. I'm just not sure my last goal of $50 a week or $200 a month is sustainable, because that figure depends on finding good deals, and sometimes we can't! I also need to come up with a budget for non food items that some people include in their grocery budget but up til this point we have kept separate.
I want to start this post by pointing out that the title on this one says trip, not haul. I was proud of myself when I did the large $50 grocery hauls, but those are TOTALLY dependent on me finding managers specials, good sales, and being flexible with my purchases.
The last two weeks I didn't even post my hauls because I went over budget. This week I will go over once I finish my shopping, I'm going again on Wednesday for double ad day at Knights (a great place to buy meat).
This week my most expensive purchase was organic salad, We paid $5.99 for a big tub. Normally we pay $1.99 for the big tub on the sell by date (usually is good for days to a week after this date), but today there were none on managers special. I could have also saved money by buying the salad loose rather than packaged, that would have saved 50%.
This trip was one of my worst IMO. I got 22 items for $40, but most of those items are snacks or only one part of a meal...
I decided to do a blog about this trip because I'm really trying to come up with the appropriate budget for our needs. I'm just not sure my last goal of $50 a week or $200 a month is sustainable, because that figure depends on finding good deals, and sometimes we can't! I also need to come up with a budget for non food items that some people include in their grocery budget but up til this point we have kept separate.
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