How To Write a Good Complaint Letter

I don't want it to sound like I'm forever complaining to companies and businesses because I am not. Quite frankly, I'm not all that picky and I also don't have oodles of extra time on my hands. However, there are certain things that are just unacceptable... like when the laundry detergent stained a whole mess of my children's clothes with purple spots... or when the tabs broke off every.single.diaper in one particular pack... or when the store was out of about 20% of the items on my list. These are things I feel justified in complaining about and, to be honest, most companies would rather you let them know about these situations rather than just go around town bad-mouthing their product.

I don't write tons of complaint letters, but I probably write a few each year. I have amazing success in getting really good responses. I believe that if you approach your criticism in the right manner, most businesses don't mind hearing from you. If you decide you are going to write a letter of complaint to a company, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Keep it brief. The customer service departments reviewing these letter do not have tons of extra time on their hands. You'll make their jobs easier- and happier- if you get right to the point.
• Remain polite and upfront. There is absolutely no reason to be nasty, vulgar, or rude in your letter. I lead off with "Dear Sir or Madam:" and use proper and polite structure throughout the letter. Even if you're really angry about something, try to remember that the person who will be reading your letter is likely not the person who ticked you off. At the same time, leave out all the flowery, "First of all, I'd really like to thank you for taking time out of your doubtless busy day to sit down and read what I need to say. It really means a lot to me that you are reading my letter and I hope that you will find what I have written to be valuable information..." Be courteous, but not long-winded.
• Stick to one topic. If you're upset because you were treated really, really shabbily then that's what you should write about. The fact that you noticed the store could have been cleaner doesn't really help drive home your point... it makes you sound overly picky and whiny.
• Be honest in your "threats". Do not say you'll "never shop there again" or that you'll never buy another of their products unless you truly mean it. In my recent letter to Aldi, I was very honest about the fact that I would continue to shop at their store... but I did mention that it made it hard for me to recommend their business to my friends and family when they were out of stock of so many products. Companies really like good "word of mouth"... finding out that I didn't feel confident recommending them is enough of a threat.
• Don't exaggerate or make things up to try to score free stuff. I can't emphasize this point enough. Being dishonest in order to gain coupons or free products is never okay. It is unfair to a company to spend time researching an issue that was, in fact, contrived. Just don't do it.

I don't think you should be scared to let a company know what you really think... but that also leads me to my final point...

Write letters about good stuff too. I write probably four praise letters for every letter of complaint. I love to let businesses know about outstanding service I received or how much I adore a particular product of theirs. These letters truly mean something. If you've ever worked in a service industry, you know how precious it is to receive a letter commending you on a job well done. Don't be stingy with your praise.

Write on, my friends!

How about you? Do you take the time to let businesses know what you think about them... good or bad? What response have you received?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

A Tale of Customer Service...

I drive an hour and a half (total trip) to do most of my grocery shopping. Sound crazy? I don't think it is. We make the trek three towns over to Aldi once a month where I stock up for the next four weeks of meals. It's worth it for us. It helps me stay within my "$200/month for my family of 5" food budget.

I love Aldi. While I enjoy using coupons (and do!), I also enjoy the convenience of not having to bother with them and the simplicity of "one size/one brand". That makes shopping quick and simple.

And so, on May 1st, when we set out for the monthly stock-up trip, I assumed everything would go smoothly, just like always.

I was so disappointed.

My Aldi was out of: baking powder, baking soda, slivered almonds, old fashioned oats, swiss cheese, and yellow onions.

My careful plans were falling apart. I made do, sure. But it was so frustrating to not be able to get all that we needed. I can understand running out of a thing or two, but that seemed excessive.

A couple days later, I emailed Aldi's customer service. I just wanted to let them know. I had no intention of stopping my trips there and I said as much. I wasn't actually angry at anyone, just disappointed; I brag about Aldi all the time and I think my friends and family would be unimpressed if they made the trek only to discover so many gaps in stock!

A week and a half went by and I heard nothing. Until yesterday.

I received a personal phone call from the regional manager of Aldi. She listened to me. She apologized. She offered some explanation, but not an excuse. (Their truck was delayed and they got hit hard on the first of the month since that's when food stamps are issued.) I was satisfied with the call and prepared to say my goodbye. The manager said this:

"I just want you to know that, while the trucking situation obviously impacted us, what is most upsetting is that it impacted our customers. I've given your name to the manager of your store and, next time you're there, please stop to see him. He will bag up every item you were looking for that was out of stock and give them to you free of charge. Is there anything else I can to help restore your confidence in Aldi?"

I almost dropped the phone.

I wasn't prepared for that kind of service.

One more thing to love about Aldi? Truly phenomenal customer service. Talk about going above and beyond.

Aldi is always a frugal part of my month... this past week, it became one of the finer points of my month as well.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday and Finer Things Friday.

Flowers For Mother's Day

It's true that my favorite kind of flowers to receive are this kind.

But, when the occasion calls for real, live flowers, there's little more beautiful than simple forsythia in a blue glass vase. (Or dandelions in a juice glass...)

Go outside! Comb your yard! What treasures can you find? Beautiful arrangements are so much more than 1-800-blah, blah, blah...

This post is linked to:
Frugal Friday
Finer Things Friday

Save Dough- Make Dough

I live in an affluent area now. I feel a little bit like a fish out of water, but I'm not about to give up my frugal, money-saving ways. (For the record, we couldn't AFFORD for me to give up my frugal ways either, so it's a good thing that I'm pretty set in them!)

I don't find many people to "talk thrifty" with, it seems. Recently, however, at a four-year old birthday party, I started chatting with another mom who originally hails from Wisconsin. She has a frugal spirit much like my own. We got along smashingly. One of the things we discussed happened to be the tradition of a Friday night Pizza & A Movie Night. That seems to be a pretty common weekly event, even around here. What's not so common? Actually making the pizza yourself. But we both do. Hooray! Someone who understands! Further conversation revealed that she buys her pizza dough for $2.50 at a discount grocery store... way more affordable than buying a pizza pre-made, for sure, but not nearly as affordable as making your own...

I shared my pizza dough recipe and she has never looked back.

Here's how I do it:

1 tablespoon yeast (.05 - I buy my yeast in bulk bags!)

1 teaspoon sugar (.01)

1 cup very warm water (free)

1 tablespoon oil (.05)

1 teaspoon salt (.01)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional- I sometimes add it and sometimes don't...) (.03)

2 1/2 cups flour (.15)

total: .27 (max... I think I usually come out even less than that what-with sales and coupons... and the fact that a teaspoon of salt doesn't even cost a penny.)

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water until nice and foamy. Add remaining ingredients in order listed. I like to mix mine in my KitchenAid with a dough hook. Transfer dough to an oiled glass or ceramic bowl, cover with a tea towel, and place in a warm place for 20 minutes. Punch down, let rest a couple minutes, and spread on pizza pan. Continue as usual with your pizza making!

Making dough saves dough. Easy as that.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Saving Money at the Grocery Store: Local Contacts

I'm far and away the biggest "deal-shopper" in my family-- either side, for that matter. I'm the one who matches all the sales and coupons and saves 75+% with staggering regularity.

But get us together and here are some things you'll hear:

from Dad to sis, "Hey, they had canned clams marked way down at Big Y."

from my mother-in-law to me, "Eggs are 69 cents a dozen right now at Walmart."

from me to sis, "Did you see that they had unbleached flour for a buck at Northville?"

from Dad to me, "I saw they had whole chickens for 89 cents a pound..."

from me to Mom, "Stop & Shop has a good deal on yogurt right now... I found coupon blinkies right next to the display..."

from me to my brother-in-law, "They marked the canisters of steel-cut oats down to 89 cents at Aldi!"

It's all just casual conversation. It's not some big discussion about grocery shopping or the merits of couponing or any of that. It's just little snippets in passing.

And you know what?

It saves us money. We may not jump on every deal we hear about, but we're able to file those little nuggets away and use the ones that work for us.

The bloggy world is far-and-away my best source for finding good deals, but there's something to be said for having local family and friends with whom you share deals too. For one, the deals they mention are easy for you to get to... that's the beauty of "local". Added to that, they're less likely to bother telling you about sales on things you never buy anyway and that saves a little time and energy. People who shop the exact same stores as you can let you know of specific items on close-out or the marked-down shelf. Handy!

Sharing deals with local contacts saves me money. How about you?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Kids' Toothpaste

Have you see these toothpastes before?



Or maybe this kind?


What about this neat-o tube with Elmo on it?

Those marketing people are geniuses. They're banking on a few things:

1. Your kids will whine and beg for these products because of the nifty-snifty characters they have on them.
2. You'll buy whatever you have to in order to get your kids to brush their teeth.
3. You'll buy into the hype that, for some reason, children require pastes that taste like bubblegum or berry punch.

But you know what? While you can manage to score a decent deal on those kids' toothpastes by combining a coupon and a sale, I've never managed to find a way to get them for free. And, believe me, I get free toothpaste all. the. time.

And here's what those marketing people won't tell you...

Cartoon characters may get kids excited, but you know what else gets them excited? Getting to be like the "big people".

And so here's our kids' toothpaste:


Minty-fresh. Easy. And, oh yeah, free.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

"But There Are No Good Coupons!!"

I spent the past four weeks providing you all with forty different opportunities you might have to get those coupons clipped. It was important to me that I dispel the myth that you don't have the time to do it. You all jumped right on board with me and offered up some more great suggestions in the comments.

A few of you, however, do not seem to be having issues with finding the time to clip coupons... you just don't believe me that you can use coupons to buy quality, healthy foods. "They're all for junk!" you tell me. Or, "I never find any coupons for anything I would ever buy for family!"

Okay. I hear you. And there is the chance that, perhaps, there really are no coupons out there that will suit your particular family's needs. But I kind of doubt it. And I do challenge the notion that all coupons are for junk. I think we can all agree that we all have different ideas of what constitutes "healthy", but stick with me for a moment...

This was my quickie grocery trip I made after church this past Sunday:

And, okay, those fruit snacks are junk-y. Nothing "fruit" about them- I am aware of this. I am also aware that I am not the only mommy buying them occasionally. The other stuff I brought home?

• Yogurt
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Pasta
• Chocolate Chips (not healthy but, hey, I love to bake!)
• Soap
• Sour Cream
• Cottage Cheese

This is not "weird" food, people. These are things that I would, indeed, be buying even if I didn't have coupons. But here's why I choose to use the coupons:

By using my grocery store's "loyalty card", I saved $12.05. That's good. But my coupons saved me- wait for it- $23.09. All told, I bought $40.82 worth of food for $5.68... a savings of 86%. Want me to sweeten that deal for you even more? All of those coupons (except for $1.50 off the fruit snacks, which was mailed to me) were internet printables. I did not even have to purchase the Sunday paper to get those savings.

Still skeptical? What do I need to do to convince you that coupons could probably help your budget? Let me know in the comments!

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Cutting Coupons: You're Not Too Busy, part 4

Well, this will be my final segment on cutting coupons. So far, I've shared thirty-- yep, 30!!!-- opportunities to clip coupons during an average week. I've addressed cutting in the car, while you do your job, and with your children. If you haven't read through the comments yet, I encourage you to do so because my readers have some great tips! For this final part of the series, I'm offering ten more times to get some clipping done...

During "Things That Pop Up" (these will be times that are unlikely to occur during your daily life but the odds are very good that one of them will happen every couple weeks or so... great opportunities to get caught up on that clipping!)

1. While waiting at the doctor's office- We all know it. You're going to have to wait. You may as well get something accomplished while you're doing it!
2. While you get your oil changed- This is a great 15-20 minute stretch of time that is good for little else...
3. While riding the bus/train- I have a very dear friend who has a baby and works full-time. She is legitimately busy. What does she have over me- a stay-at-home mom of three? Her 45 minute train ride to and from the city each day. Perfect opportunity to get a ton done!
4. While sitting under the dryer- At the hair salon, that is. I don't happen to really go to the salon more than *ahem* once a year for a quick trim. But if you have a more regular routine going, you could use that "magazine flippin'" time to get some coupon clippin' done instead!
5. While waiting for registration- Have you ever gone to register your child for an activity only to get stuck behind the dozen parents who did NOT complete all the pre-work and end up taking ages upon ages? No? Well then this might not work for you. But I seem to always land behind the unprepared people. If I remember this for the next time, I can get some stuff done while I wait!
6. While waiting at the pharmacy- I'd love to think that I could always just breeze in and pick up my ready-and-waiting prescription but it doesn't always work that way...
7. While waiting for a flight- This one is tricky because, well, now that I think about it, you can't really have scissors with you anymore, can you... but you could organize some stuff. And tear it if you're desperate... ;) (Am I the only one who has torn a coupon carefully out when I forgot my scissors???)
8. While waiting for someone's arrival- Okay, here's the truth about me. If I've gone through the trouble of getting my home pristine before someone's arrival, there are very few things I'm willing to get out and work on lest I dirty what I just cleaned. Coupons do not create much of a mess, truly, and they're easy to scoop back up and toss in a drawer. If I'm expecting someone but I'm not sure exactly when they'll be here, coupons are something I can work on in the meantime.
9. While your toenails dry- Oh, I wish this was a weekly event for me! I used to have the prettiest toenails on the block. I've slacked since having children, but I do try to keep them presentable during flip-flop weather!
10. While you procrastinate on another chore- I am absolutely serious here. We all have some job that we just can't stand. We probably all manage to procrastinate large chunks of time away... you may as well get something done

The biggest lesson here is this-- if you're prepared and have your materials with you and at the ready, you can absolutely get those coupons clipped. Trust me... I have forty reasons that you're not too busy.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Cutting Coupons: You're Not Too Busy, Part 3

So far, I've shared twenty different opportunities with you all for getting those coupons clipped: ten opportunities in the car and ten while you do your job. In this segment, part 3 of a 4-part series, I'd like to share ten different ways you can incorporate coupon clipping...

While You Care For Your Children

1. Babies love to rattle paper- No doubt about it, babies adore crinkly, slippery, papery things. Give a baby a big scrap of paper and she'll be happy. Colorful coupon inserts (with the coupons you need already removed!) fit the bill. Do note that babies also love to taste paper and those dyes are not so good for them, so be sure to keep an eye out...
2. Toddlers love to tear paper- The slightly older no-longer-babies-can't-yet-cut set loves to tear. Toddlers will have a ball if you let them tear your scraps into even tinier pieces. Bonus? Tearing is actually really good for them! It builds hand strength and forces them to use both hands together to accomplish a goal.
3. Preschoolers need to practice cutting- Once your child is 3 or 4, he'll enjoy snipping alongside you. You can't expect your child to neatly trim out each coupon for you (yet), but you can let him practice his cutting skills on scraps or around coupons you know you do not want.
4. Elementary school children can neatly cut on lines- Once your little one has entered even the youngest grades, she can cut neatly enough to actually help you... hooray! Involving your child makes it special. Try having a set "date" and serving up a special snack while you work and chat together.
5. Tween-age children can learn why coupons matter and organize them- Your 'tween can be a super helper to you. Children in this age bracket can understand why coupons help us save money. They can help you locate a certain coupon you need for a specific trip. They can even help filter out the expired ones. Don't underestimate that skill- I've met a lot of adults who really have to think to determine where one date falls in relation to another.
6. Teenage children can help plan menus and lists by matching coupons- Teenagers are getting ever-closer to heading out into the big world on their own. Now is the perfect time to teach them how to plan menus based on the sales and how to maximize saving by matching coupons. Children this age are absolutely savvy enough to get these concepts and, if you teach them now, they won't have to try to figure it out on their own once they're managing their own families and households.
7. While scrapbooking- Putting together scrapbooks with your children can be a really special way to commemorate the big moments in their lives! While I have my snazzy paper-cutting doo-hickey out, I love to cut out my internet printables. It is absolutely perfect for all those coupons right in a row- always straight and easy as pie.
8. While making collages- Children love to paste together images to form collages! And, boy, is it ever fun to see what things they wind up putting together. There are tons of pictures of food, animals, and people in coupon inserts. Even as toddlers, my kids loved to glue these images onto a big sheet of paper while I took care of the coupon business.
9. While doing homework- If your children are a little older and have homework to do, use this opportunity to get a little clipping done while you sit with them at the table. You'll be available for any questions and you'll get this pesky little task out of the way.
10. While they draw/color- It may seem oxymoronic, but for some children, creativity thrives with a little direction. Some little ones enjoy drawing and coloring more when given a mission. For example, you might see a coupon for frozen veggies with an image of green beans. You could say, "Look at these green beans! Can you draw some green beans? Do you think you can come up with three other green fruits and vegetables to add to the picture?" This will keep your little one engaged and make him feel like he's still "connected", in a way, to what you're working on.

Your kids come first. They should. I understand that you don't want to "take away" from your time with them. The above ten opportunities are there to help you find ways to spend good, quality time with your children AND save your family some money. And that's time well spent.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Cutting Coupons: You're Not Too Busy, Part 2

I mentioned last week how I hear all the time from people who are just "too busy" to clip coupons. I'm not buying it. I've committed to giving you all FORTY ideas of times when you could get those coupons clipped without having to set aside a huge chunk of time to do so. Last Friday, I shared ten opportunities to tackle this chore in the car. This week, I'd like to offer up ten suggestions for coupon clipping opportunities:

While You Do Your Job

(For the stay-at-home mom -- this does NOT include ways to do this task WITH your children... that'll be coming.)

1. Clip while you cook- There are lots of pockets of time when we bake and cook. You can't necessarily leave the kitchen and embark on a big project, but you can certainly cut out some coupons in between tasks.
2. Clip while they eat- Am I the only one who finishes my meal way before the kids? It's necessity, really, that causes us moms to learn to eat fast. When I'm not swamped in dishes or other chores, I can get some coupons clipped while they finish up.
3. Clip with your morning tea/coffee- I do this once a week. I'm the first one up, so I pour my coffee, print what coupons I'll be needing, and sit down to cut them... all before the rest of my household rises.
4. Clip outside- There is no rule that says you need to clip indoors. Cut out some coupons while your children run around! You can easily clip AND supervise.
5. Clip while you delegate- This looks like this: (while sitting on sofa with scissors and inserts in hand) "A- how about matching those socks together for Mommy from the laundry basket? C- can you dance for G? See how that makes her smile? You guys are such great helpers!"

(For the work-outside-the-home mom)

1. Clip in your car- Whether you're stuck in traffic, at a super-long red light, or just a few minutes early to work, you can get some cutting done from the driver's seat! (It goes without saying that you need to be STOPPED to be cutting coupons... no distracted driving, people!)
2. Clip on your lunch break- You all have lots of reasons to envy stay-at-home moms. This is the biggest reason we envy you (well, that, or the fact that you can go to the bathroom by yourself ;)). Your life is busy, busy, busy, but this is a time when you could get some clipping done while waiting for lunch to heat up or chatting with a friend.
3. Clip on a coffee break- You may only have five minutes or so, but a lot can be accomplished in that time! And, as you can see above, I think coffee and coupons go together splendidly!
4. Clip while you wait on copies, the printer, the fax- This is kind of like clipping while you cook- pockets of time that aren't good for much, but you can breeze through a few sheets of coupons, for sure!
5. Clip as part of cleaning your desk at the end of the day- I'm not suggesting that you should get paid for this time, but if you're salaried, you can always finish any random clipping as part of clearing out the paperwork before you go home. It will only take a few minutes and there is the added incentive of getting out the door!

Happy clipping to you! Cutting coupons can certainly be worked into your daily job. And, consider this... the money you save by clipping some coupons (if they are for things you use anyway) is the same as money earned. Cha-ching.

This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life As MOM.

Cutting Coupons: You're Not Too Busy, Part 1

I hear it all the time:

"I'm too busy to cut coupons!"

I hear it from everyone. Stay-at-home-moms. Work-outside-the-home-moms. Young people. Older folks. Rich people. Those barely making it. And you know what? It's an excuse that doesn't hold water, no matter who you may be. Trust me-- there is someone out there who has more kids, works longer hours, and juggles more responsibilities than you and still manages to cut coupons.

For the next four Fridays, I'm going to be offering up a total of forty, yes, FORTY times during a typical week when you could get that coupon clipping done. Now, I'm not saying that all forty will necessarily apply to you. But I bet you can find a few...

For this first segment, here are ten times you can...

Clip in the Car

1. While you wait for your kids- This right here is your number one time to clip coupons. We spend an awful lot of time waiting in cars at bus stops or outside of schools/gyms/libraries/etc.
2. While you wait in a drive-thru lane- Especially at the bank or drugstore. These transactions tend to take a few minutes and, if you're prepared, you can get quite a bit done.
3. When you're a few minutes early arriving someplace- If you don't need to go in the building for five or ten more minutes, may as well get some clipping done!
4. When you have sleeping children in the backseat- Am I the only one this has happened to? If your babies fall asleep and don't transfer well, why not get some something done while you sit in the car with them? Play some happy music and CUT!
5. When you're on a trip- If you're on a longer trip and you're not the only driver, you have the potential to get caught up on a lot of clipping.
6. While you nurse a baby- If you have to feed your baby while you're out and you choose to do it in the car, you can get some clipping done. This takes a little juggling but most mommies will tell you that they learn to do all manner of things while nursing! (I often wonder just how many posts get written one-handed while feeding a baby...)
7. While you pump gas- True, unless you drive a gigantic vehicle, you're not going to get much done while your gas pumps... but you could certainly breeze through 3 or 4 sheets of internet printables!
8. When you're waiting on a friend- This is kind of like the kid thing. If you're waiting for a friend who you're picking up or meeting someplace, you can keep yourself busy rather than get frustrated if she's less-than-prompt.
9. While you prep to go in the store- This is my least favorite option but, if need be, you can clip some coupons in the parking lot right before you run in. Sometimes I find myself with a few minutes of wait-time while I wait for someone with a cart to show up. (Occasionally those cart-retrievers are too on top of things!) It's difficult for me to schlep three kids five and under, a diaper bag, my coupons, and reusable grocery bags in the store without a cart. If this happens, I can clip some coupons while I wait!
10. On your way to or from church- This is my very favorite time to get this chore done. The coupons come out in the Sunday paper anyway. If you go to church with your spouse, whoever is not driving can clip. Easy peasy!

Keeping your to-be-clipped coupons in a simple folder with a pair of scissors is really all you need to do to be prepared to get some clipping done in the car!

I'll be back again next Friday with ten more times you can get those coupons clipped!

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How about you? Do you clip coupons in your car? When?

This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life as MOM.

Homemade Baby Food

This is my third baby, but I've learned something new this time around:

I've learned how to make baby food.

I am ashamed (literally- my cheeks are flaming as I type this) to admit that I once purchased banana baby food in a jar. Seriously? Did I not think I could mash a ripe banana with a fork? I guess I just never even considered it. I know, I know...

But I'm not afraid to tackle all sorts of fun foods for little Baby G. Our freezer currently contains cubes of sweet potato, squash (both butternut and acorn), peas, chicken, ham, avocado, blueberries, pears, apricots, apples, mango, and banana. I have to admit that I have WAY too much fun coming up with different combinations of food for my little girl to try.

Two sites that have been incredibly helpful to me are Once A Month Mom's baby food section and Wholesome Baby Food. These web sites give me the instructions I need to feel confident tackling whatever sounds tasty! They also help provide guidelines for appropriate ages to introduce specific foods- Wholesome Baby Foods does a wonderful job of outlining allergen risks.

Making baby food has been a delight for me- I adore learning how to do something new. It has also saved our family a whole lot of money. I haven't calculated it all out, but I can say that we have not had to budge an inch from our $200/month grocery budget, even with another little mouth eating solids now. What a win-win!

How about you? Do you make baby food at home? What's your favorite thing to prepare? (By the way, can anyone guess what G's been eating in the above shot?)

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This post is linked to Finer Things Friday, hosted at The Finer Things In Life and Frugal Friday, hosted at Life As MOM.

Green Frosting... Hike!

My son has a January birthday. So when he wanted me to make a "football cake" for the occasion, I was completely okay with that. Super Bowl season is the best time to get football decorations!

I figured out pretty early on what kind of cake I was baking:



What I loved most about this cake was that it's just a simple 9x13" pan. No cutting, no stacking, no expensive form cake pans. Just a plain ol' 9x13". What I wasn't keen on? Shelling out the money to buy green paste color to get the field just right. I don't make a lot of "vivid" frostings and, thus, do not need a lot of intense colors cluttering up my cabinet. But, really, food coloring is NOT going to get you a grass green.

During our big monthly trek to Aldi, I happened to glance at a shelf of random stuff on my way to the check-out. Right in the middle of it?

For 69 cents.

People, I cannot MAKE frosting for that cheap. Did it taste as good as my homemade buttercream? Um, no. Did it mimic turf green and delight the kids? Yes, ma'am.

Keep your eyes open for holiday leftovers that can meet other needs! I'm kicking myself for not picking up a can of the red for Valentine's treats...

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This post is linked to Frugal Friday, hosted at Life As MOM.

Also linked up to FishMama's Birthday Cake Round-Up!

Cheese- The Stronger, The Better

This is going to seem like an odd frugal tip to many, but bear with me...

If you want to save some money, use strong cheese.
Aged swiss, extra sharp cheddar, gorgonzola, bleu, feta... these all pack enough flavor so that a little goes a long way. Ditto for herbed/spiced cheeses like havarti dill and pepperjack.

Choosing a strong or herbed cheese means you can use less-- in an omelet, sprinkled on a salad, or melted over a dish. It would take a whole lot more mozzarella, colby, or American to fulfill a "cheesy craving".

If you happen to need to watch your fat intake for health reasons, this is also good news! Less cheese means less fat.

Me? I've said it before- I've never met a cheese I didn't like (well, except maybe head cheese- but that's not really cheese, after all...). Using smaller amounts of stronger cheeses adds variety to my menu and pennies to my wallet. And that's something to smile about.

Say cheese.

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This post is linked to Frugal Friday, hosted by Jessica at Life as MOM.

Photo Collages

Have you ever seen those photo collages that they put together at Sears? The ones with all the different close-up shots of the baby parts? Well, I love them. I love everything about the idea. After all, baby parts are just so darn cute and precious. Okay, so there's one thing I don't love- the price tag. Those specialty prints can really add up. Especially when you consider that not only would we want a copy, but both sets of grandparents would likely appreciate one too.

One day I mused to my husband, "I wonder if I could create one of my own..."

"Bet we could," came his reply.

And that was that.

Let me just make it very clear that neither my husband nor I is a great photographer. Worse, we're both horrible about even REMEMBERING to take pictures. My whole family is like this. My brother and sister wisely married people who are great about taking pictures. But me? I picked a man just like me. And so... well, we have to really work to commemorate major events.

Anyway, despite my lack of photography skills, I think they turned out pretty cute. I purchased 8 1/2" x 11" photo paper and some pretty $5 frames at Target. I cropped and magnified until I had the shots I wanted and my husband formatted them to fit evenly in an 8" x 10" space so they would look good in the frame. We printed two in sepia and framed them in cherry and two in black and white and framed those in black.

My son, A, at 12-14 months

For well under $10 a piece, we created our own photo collages- a much thriftier option than the $29.99 each for the unframed version.

My daughter, C, at 2-4 months

Pretty soon, we'll have to do another set of them showcasing all of G's cute little baby parts. Knowing I can do three of them, framed, for under $20? That works for me!

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This post is linked to:
Works For Me Wednesday, hosted by We Are THAT Family.
Frugal Friday, hosted by Life as MOM.

Buy Single Function Appliances

I saw this nifty doo-dad advertised the other day. It would brew your coffee, fry your egg, and toast your muffin all in one handy-dandy little appliance. The counter-space craving lady inside me swooned. Much like most of the men I know get downright giddy (yes, they would deny being giddy vehemently, but giddy they are...) about combo electronics that will play and record both DVD's and VHS's while also playing CD's and doubling as a surround sound system. What's not to like? These gadgets do everything for you!

Well I'm here to tell you- don't buy them. That is, if you want to save money in the long run- don't buy them.

Even if you get a great deal and the multi-function unit costs you less than the sum of its parts, just remember that, as soon as ONE component fails, you have to replace it. Our DVD player and VCR are separate. If either one goes, it's a cheap fix. And we're not left with a half-broken player that we have to hold onto in order to use the other part.

Better to seek out sales on the individual parts you actually need. Because that's the other issue at play here... do I NEED an appliance that will fry my egg? Um... last I checked, they called that a STOVE. ;) And I already have one.

Save yourself a little dough. Buy single function appliances.
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This post is linked to Frugal Friday, hosted by the incomparable FishMama at Life As MOM.

That's SO "Last Season"!

My advice for today? When you're faced with the need to buy a big ticket item and you don't have a lot of time to wait for sales...

say, just for instance, if you go to get out the infant seat/ stroller system a week before you're having a baby only to discover that rodents have built a nest in it...

anyway, if something like that happens to you, look for discontinued colors.

We recently saved well over a hundred dollars on the above Chicco system simply because the color had been discontinued. Will our baby be out of the loop for using last season's colors? I'm not too worried about it. But I'm thrilled to have left that extra cash in our account!

(Oh, and, by the way? The baby who will be using that brand new seat is being delivered TODAY! So be sure to stop by soon to get the details!)
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This post is linked to Frugal Friday.

Having An Old Stand-By...

If there's one thing that I've learned over the past few years, it's that life has seasons. Our family size and situations can change from year-to-year, sometimes from month-to-month. To live frugally and be a good steward of our finances, we must be willing to change and adapt with the times.

For me, one of the most crucial things I've had to adjust to was the fact that there will be times that I simply CAN'T do a thorough "bargain run". While I truly enjoy looking through the sales papers and sites and matching my coupons... and I delight in perusing my "You saved 80%!" receipts... sometimes, well, LIFE interferes. This was certainly the case early in this pregnancy when nausea and fatigue hit me like a ton of bricks. It was definitely true when my daughter arrived so prematurely.

And it's true again.

I'm eight months pregnant and my husband is currently out of state. When I realized that we needed a few items to round out our pantry yesterday, I inwardly cringed at the idea of loading up preschoolers and traipsing through supermarkets. And so I didn't.

I went to Aldi.

For me, Aldi is a great back-up plan. I know I can find my essentials there and that I won't pay through the nose. Can I often score better deals other places by matching sales and coupons? Yep. But was it worth it to get in and out lickety-split with no fuss or long prep? You better believe it.


Every season is unique and special... it pays to remember that.
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This post is linked to Frugal Friday, hosted at Life as MOM.

Sharing Maternity Clothes

(33 weeks and counting!)

I've never been pregnant in the warmer months before. Well, I've been two or three months pregnant during the summer, but that's pretty irrelevant when it comes to needing new clothes. At least in my case. Furthermore, since my last pregnancy ended abruptly during the second trimester, I didn't ever get around to buying anything new. As a result, the maternity clothes that I own are the items I bought to wear during the December and January before my son was born. Oh, and I was also a supervisor at a bank at the time. So... lots of "dressier" things.

Now I'm a stay-at-home mommy to two preschoolers and the temperature keeps climbing. I really don't want to go out and buy more clothes... but my own supply wasn't really meeting my needs. Can I tell you how grateful I am to have two sisters-in-law who have happily passed boxes of clothes among us for the last couple of years? I'm feeling good about making it to the end without having to shell out another dime.

Here are my best tips for making "maternity clothes sharing" work:

• Be courteous. When you pass on (or return) the clothes, make sure they're clean and folded. If a strap breaks or a button falls off, mend it. If something gets stained (and, face it, it happens), let her know so she doesn't discover it after she's already left the house.
• Be organized. Find a system, be it bags, boxes, or what-not, that works for keeping things straight. We used large diaper boxes to keep seasons and sizes sorted. Label them clearly. This makes it much easier for the next person to find what she needs.
• Realize you may still need to buy something. My legs are a good 4 or 5 inches longer than either of my sisters-in-law's. So, when I busted out the knee of my beloved maternity jeans, I made the choice to watch for sales and spring for a new pair. I wear jeans too often to always look like I'm waiting for a flood...
• If in doubt, don't lend it. Do you have an article of clothing that is just too precious to you? The shirt you were wearing when you went into labor the first time? A dress you searched high and low for to wear to your sister's wedding? If the thought of something happening to it makes you want to cry, just don't lend it. Hold onto it and graciously pass on the rest. It's unlikely the next mommy in line will need or miss it, and this way you avoid having it get lost or damaged.
• Don't be picky. It is rare to have friends and relatives who have the exact same taste and wear the exact same size as you. As I mentioned earlier, I'm taller than my hubby's sisters. I'm also on the narrow side (shoulders, ribs, etc.) They're both blessed with more curves. The result? My tops are all smalls and mediums. Theirs are larges and extra-larges. Does that mean we don't share? Not at all. It just means that they got the most use out my maternity shirts earlier in their pregnancies. And the shirts I borrow are a little baggy. They may not be "perfect" fits for us, but we're certainly able to stretch our own wardrobes by filling in with these pieces! My dressy bank clothes? Well, those came in mighty handy for my accountant sister-in-law. My other sister-in-law's casual summer clothes? You can bet I'm grateful to have them now!

Sharing maternity clothes works for me. And it definitely works for my budget.
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This post is linked to Works For Me Wednesday, and Frugal Friday.

Sleeping Through the Night... For Five Dollars??

My first-born was one of those babies. You know... the GOOD SLEEPERS. He was big and thriving- a good eater and a good sleeper. The first night we had him home from the hospital, we had to wake him after five hours to eat. By four months old, he would sleep from 8:30 pm until about 8:00 am. (Is it starting to make more sense how it came to pass that I was pregnant with our second child by the time he was five months old? ;)) Did we have occasional sleepless nights? Of course. But, for the most part, he slept well and consistently.

I write all this not to brag, but to provide background. Because, you see, given his history, it came as an utter surprise to me when my beloved son- now a preschooler- became a (gasp!) BAD SLEEPER. It's true.

Sometime within the past year, my darling boy lapsed into the (bad) habit of getting up at least once, often more, during the night and wandering into Mama and Daddy's room. One of us would walk him back into his room, put him back in bed, and sit in a chair in his room until he fell back asleep. Because, if we didn't wait until he was asleep, he'd follow us right back out. Now, just to clarify. he was never crying, he never asked for anything, he would just show up in our room. After awhile, this just became such a standard pattern in our lives that I didn't think much about it. And, if I'm totally honest, I could always find stories of people with MUCH worse bedtime issues going on, so I kind of brushed it off as just "one of those things" or "a phase".

But it had been months. Probably close to a year. And it was still happening. After several sleepless nights in a row- one of which had me up for six hours and sleeping for less than three (and I'm pregnant, in case you didn't know)- my husband and I knew we had to do something. Here's where I tell you that I'm not a "cry-it-out" kind of mama. I'm not judging- it's just not something I feel I can do. I'm also not a "co-sleeping" kind of mama. Sick, feverish child? Okay. That's fine. I don't mind snuggling up for the night. But every single night? Not my thing. I prefer my kiddos in their own beds. So those options were out the window.

"We should buy him a nightstand and a clock," I told my husband. "Then we can just tell him what time he's allowed to come in our room. Maybe he just doesn't know..."

I think he thought I was slightly crazy. And, after all, I was massively sleep-deprived. But, to his credit, he went right along with it. I think he was a little desperate too.

Turns out we couldn't find an affordable nightstand that we liked, so I re-purposed a small shelf from our playroom. We picked up a five dollar alarm clock from Walmart and let him choose the color.



I set it all up while my son ate supper and then we took him in to see it. We made a huge deal over the clock and what it meant-

"When the first number is a six, then you can come into Mama and Daddy's room."

Before we tucked him in, we asked, "What time is it?" "7:31" "What time can you come into Mama and Daddy's room?" "6:00." "What if it's 11:15?" "Nope." "3:30?" "No...." "How about 6:20?" "YES!"
We decided he got it. We kissed him good night and hoped for the best, while not expecting a whole lot...

That was three weeks ago and I am happy to report that our little guy has only come into our room TWICE in the middle of the night... once that first night (and he settled right back down as soon as we reminded him about the clock) and once when he had a bad dream.

Five dollar clock = Everyone sleeping right through the night?

Works for me.

(By the way... see that water bottle on the nightstand? We received that as part of our Yoplait Kids Get Active Prize Pack from My BlogSpark. Want a chance to win one (along with a bunch of other cool stuff)? Just go here!)
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This post is linked to:

Works For Me Wednesday