Tag Archives: saving money

My first early morning hours Black Friday experience…

November 24, 2012

Back in the early 1990′s the day after Thanksgiving was simply called what it was: the day after Thanksgiving. It was a big shopping day. I remember my mom braving the late fall snow showers and hitting the mall at 7 AM and returning in the late afternoon. She put dinner on the table, loaded the dishwasher, cleaned the kitchen and went back out shopping again. She accomplished nearly all her Christmas shopping in one single day. I thought she was crazy.

Never did I think twenty years later I would be braving the cold (and thankfully November in Oregon is usually 15-20 degrees warmer than in Michigan) standing in a long winding line at 11:55 PM at the end of a Thanksgiving day in a parking garage counting the minutes until Kohls opened their front doors. No, I am not a crazy person. But I do love a good deal.

We have a Thanksgiving tradition of scoping out the ads, circling gift possibilities, making a schedule of store runs, and strategizing where to go first. Four years ago it meant sleeping in, having a relaxing morning, and trying hit the stores before noon. Now it’s a little bit more intense. Again I love a good deal.

And Kohls was our hot spot this year. My kids had toys on their list that we would not be able to afford at full price. It was beyond our budget.

Honestly we don’t go all out with Christmas gifts and we never have. Our kids get three gifts from us plus a few stocking stuffers. They are using their own spending money now to buy gifts for one another. They also buy and make gifts for teachers, coaches, cousins etc. We try to emphasize giving as much as possible–not lusting after “stuff.”

Black Friday gets a bad rap and I see why it does–pushy crowds, materialism, people cutting in line, cutting Thanksgiving Day too short. The truth is I saved approximately $110.00 buying the doorbuster items at Kohl’s at midnight on Black Friday and using a coupon. I can’t think of any other day of the year where that would be possible. Plus I had a great conversation with another lady in line–she gave me the 15% coupon. I got to go shopping by myself which hardly ever happens. Even though we kept commenting about the strange people that early morning Black Friday brings in (and I guess now I am one of them), everyone was generally upbeat including the employees.

Call me crazy, but I would do it again next year.

By the way I was running off adrenaline after I left Kohl’s and went to Wal-Mart where I scored a few deals (but most of the better deal occurred a few hours earlier). I went to bed at 2 AM. Then my family went shopping from 10 AM – noon. And the best part of it was fun, a bonding experience, and we’re almost done with our Christmas shopping.

Posted by artoornstra in Financial Freedom & Saving Money Tags: creating memories, kid's activities, preschoolers, saving money

I learned to swim!

October 23, 2012

A little less than one year ago I shared about three things I wanted to try. My three things were sewing, speaking (as in public speaking), and swimming. I tackled two out of three. Sewing is currently on hold.

Swimming is the one I am the most proud. I struggled with swimming lessons as a kid. I do not know if it was poor teachers, lack of interest, not enough motivation, or fear of the water. Maybe a mix of all those things. I learned the survival float, could tread water, and float on my back. I never learned any of the strokes or how to breathe properly.

I had established myself as a runner and was planning on running my second marathon. I discovered Team Winter started by a young girl named Winter Vinecki that supports the Prostate Cancer Foundation. I chose to run for this charity in memory of my grandpa. At that point in time, many of Team Winter atheletes were triathletes. I remember talking to Winter’s mom about swimming. “I can run and I can bike, but I just can’t swim,” I said, “so a triathlon is out for me.”

Running for Team Winter in 2010

I began to think about that. Why not swimming? Why can’t I swim? And why should I not be able to swim? It is not too late. I read the average first time triathlete is in their early 40′s. I am not quite there yet. Why not try something new? I may love it. Even if I don’t, the journey of learning it will be worth it.

When I put my oldest in swimming two years ago, I had the goal to eventually put myself in swim lessons too. It just took me two more years until I had the extra time and money.

My oldest has loved swim lessons from Day 1.

For the past seven Saturdays, I have been taking adult swim lessons at another gym. My teacher is probably in his in teens or at least early 20′s, but he has taught me so much in a short amount of time. I can now swim freestyle. I can actually do laps! Now I’m learning breaststroke. I love it!

My oldest took this picture of me swimming freestyle.

My teacher thinks I will be able to do a sprint triathlon in the spring if I continue to swim a couple times of week throughout the winter. I never thought I’d even consider a triathlon. It has truly been a joy to share this with my kids and practice swimming WITH them. Not just sitting alongside the pool and watching them.

I was the kid who quit things and gave in when discouragement came. I am thankful to be the adult who is striving forward. I am ready to “tri!”

If you are at all interested in following my training, you can read my exercise blog, 19 miles and counting. This blog will help answer the question: “How in the world do you have time for this?” I just schedule it in among everything else!

Posted by artoornstra in Mental Health & Self Care Tags: creating memories, family time, girls, running, saving money, staying at home, swimming

2 comments

Happy Anniversary, Dad & Mom!

August 30, 2012

Isn’t it funny (and maybe a little scary) when your kids verbalize something that sounds like you talking? Sometimes I hear myself and I think, “That’s my mom!” or “I sound like my dad.”

My parents are celebrating their 44th anniversary this week! 44 years!! I’m only 1/4 of the way there. Of course there have been challenges and bumps along the road, but my parents have been a living example for me…and so many others.

I was thinking about some of the funny quotes I remember from each parent…

My cool looking dad in his 70′s garb holding me with Grandma sitting next to him.

From my dad:

“If you’re having fun you don’t have to do it.” i.e. if your older sister is telling you that you HAVE to play game SHE wants to play and if you would rather keep playing your game, that is OK!

“Clean it up, bub.” i.e. stop talking about things that are inappropriate.

“Let’s go sports fans!”My dad would say this anytime we were leaving to go somewhere. We really weren’t “a sports” family aside from watching the Chicago Cubs faithfully throughout the 1980′s.

“If you thought of it, someone has probably done it.” My dad would say this if we came up with a really strange story and asked him if he thought it could really happen.

“Time tweet.” How my dad would call us for supper.

My dad always told me I am “female” him. It’s very true. We have similar personalities and see the world through similar lenses. My dad has a tremendous heart for people–all people. My friends often comment how warm and fun loving my dad is.

He was a runner and later a swimmer and still a biker…and now a walker. Never was a marathon runner or triathlete, but he took us swimming, biking, and occassionally running. He took me on bike trips and taught me how to shift gears, follow traffic laws, and push myself when I was feeling tired. This is something I am already passing down to my kids. My oldest already loves swimming and biking with me.

My grandma (same grandma that was in the other picture) and my mom enjoying pizza with me (age thirteen) and my younger brother.

From my mom:

“Well it didn’t grow legs and walk away.” She would say this anytime we could not find something. I always pictured an object growing little legs and jumping out the window.

“Eat this and if you’re still hungry you can have more.”I say this to my kids in the exact same way my mom does! This was my mom’s way of doing “portion control” at meals.

“I’m going to go sit in the brown chair for 15 minutes.” This was my mom’s refuge to take a much needed break. We are officially owners of the “brown chair.” I have plently of brown chair moments although my fifteen minutes somehow gets closer to a half hour…or sometimes longer.

“The food’s not getting any warmer!” This is what my mom would say if she called us to dinner and we didn’t come right away. My mom should have just taken our chairs away and banned us from the dinner table. Disrespectful children not coming when they’re called!

My mom was a master “couponer” before there was Internet and extreme couponing classes. She could write a whole blog on frugal living and saving money. My mom is an amazing seamstress. She made all my girls’ bridesmaid dresses when I got married and has made countless Halloween costumes including ones for my own kids. I am sorry to say I never followed either path as I am not a coupon clipper and I cannot sew anything.

My mom had the gift of hospitality. Many people were welcomed in our house and my mom always went the extra mile. That was a beautiful example to me as I find myself enjoying the art of hospitality and the joys of serving in the church.

Happy anniversary to my mom and dad!

My parents with me and my three kids taken last Christmas.

Posted by artoornstra in Friends & Get togethers, Marriage and Intimacy Tags: creating memories, family time, moms, preschoolers, running, saving money

Saving Money On Kid’s Sports and Activities

July 6, 2012

Now that I graduated from a mom of babies and toddlers to a mom with preschoolers and school age children, I feel the push to put my kids in activities. Soccer to gymnastics to karate to cheerleading–the possibilities are endless.

I was talking to a friend who was signing up her four-year old for tee ball. The team has fourteen four-year old boys signed up and no brave parent interested in coaching. I cannot say I blame them. She said, “The more I thought about it, I questioned why we are doing this. Does it not make more sense to bat a ball around and play catch for an hour each day in the backyard with my son? Is that not better than organized tee ball for a four-year old?”

The childhood obesity epidemic is all over the news. There is a push to put our kids in activities all year-long at a young age. One of my friends pointed out that the year round sports clog up their schedule especially during the dinner hour. They resort to fast food meals. Or they eat the candy, nachos, or hot dogs that are sold at the games. Is this really battling obesity?

I realize some kids are passionate and driven by sports while others are not. I come from a “non-sports family.” I have been the most athlete driven the past ten years as an adult than as a child. I do realize the importance of activities. They give our kids an outlet for meeting other kids, get us more involved in our communities, teach teamwork, build self-confidence etc.

How do we keep our kids active without draining our budget? Here’s five “frugal sports/activity tips” I came up with.

1) Do not start them in a sport until they show signs of being ready. I was talking to a mom who put her three-year old daughter in swim lessons. She said she wished she would have waited a few years. Her daughter cried all the way to the pool and struggled through a half hour lesson. Not worth the hassle.

2) Utilize parks and pools. Climbing, swinging on the bars, throwing a ball back and forth are all great activities for preschoolers. They do not need constant structure. Some gyms and community pools offer summer only memberships or discounted prices.

3) Buy used sports equipment. If you don’t know if they are going to like dance or karate or soccer, use Craig’s List, eBay, or Facebook to find gently used attire and equipment. You always buy nicer items if they fall inlove with the sport.

4) Shop around. There are about five different places my daughter could take swimming. We intentionally picked a pool right in our neighborhood. It is about the same price as other places, but we don’t spend as much gas money driving there (we can even walk and ride bikes). Nor do I spend mindless time in the car.

5) Take a season off. If you are having a tough month financially or a parent has been recently laid off, take a season off. Kids are young enough that it will not set them back. As parents we need to be intentional about giving our kids breaks and rest time as well.

I’m linking this up with Frugal Friday

Posted by artoornstra in Financial Freedom & Saving Money Tags: boys, girls, kid's activities, outdoors, preschoolers, saving money

1 comment

Frugal Living & Giving

June 21, 2012

Those of us who have chosen to live frugally learn to live within our means. Living simply opens your heart to those who are forced to live frugally due to crisis situations or unforseen circumstances. Your compassion grows for the poor.

With that being said, giving is complicated. Have you ever given food to a homeless person on the street and he turned it away because he wanted something else? Or given money to the single mom of four who has been attending your church and complained about barely making rent. Then you discover she purchased a new ipad and is planning a Florida vacation. I cannot tell you the number of times I hear people make comments when they see poverty-stricken homes with satellite dishes in the backyards.

How do we respond to all this?

First of all anytime you give to anyone, it is a gift. Period. When you give money to someone in need, you cannot assume they are going to use the money the way you want them to. I am not saying that you should never give a friend money or pass out food to a homeless man. Do not give to them with strings attached.

You might want to consider giving to a rescue mission instead. Keep in mind many of these agencies and missions have established strong relationships with those in need and understand the ins and outs of poverty. If you are skeptical–visit a rescue mission, volunteer at one, have lunch with the director, or subscribe to their newsletter.

Second of all realize that some people struggle with money management. Living on a budget is not something they were taught. Debt or frivolous spending is normal. Many rescue missions and churches are teaching people “life skills” such a balancing a checkbook, grocery shopping on a budget, cooking instead of eating out, starting small businesses, writing a resume, applying for a job etc.

Our hearts might be in the right place when it comes to giving. We also need wisdom and integrity that we are using our resources in a positive way.

I’m linking this with Frugal Friday

Posted by artoornstra in Family Outreach Projects, Financial Freedom & Saving Money Tags: moms, relationship with God, saving money, social justice

4 comments

Feels like winning a cash prize everytime

April 26, 2012

I shared many frugal household tips in 50 ways to stretch a dollar last fall. Tip #14 was emptying out your change daily and putting in a jar. Not just emptying out your purse or wallet. I often find change in the couch cushions or the bottom of the washer.

We went awhile without turning in the change. The coins in jar were piling up and spilling over onto the fireplace mantle. My husband brought in all the change while I was away in Michigan. And he walked out of the bank with $125.00.

I know it is not the same winning a cash prize. But it sure feels that way! An extra $125.00 to put towards something. If it’s a tight month that can make a difference.

I love our little change jar!

I am linking this with Life As A Mom Frugal Friday

Posted by artoornstra in Financial Freedom & Saving Money Tags: family time, household chores, moms, saving money

1 comment

Assemble Your Frugal Friends Team

March 30, 2012

Once again I am one day late again. This is my Frugal ~~Friday~~ Saturday post. The older I get, the more I realize frugal living is a team effort.

Last summer I had to buy a couch for our youth group room. We had two recliners and a handful of folding chairs. We needed a comfy vintage looking couch that is a must have for any youth room. I was hoping my small effort in putting an announcement in the bulletin would bring us a couch. It did not.

I discovered a friend of mine at church has a thing for Craig’s List. He and his wife have bought and sold multiple items using the website. It became a hobby for them. I was a little put off by Craig’s List. I did not like checking it all the time, e-mailing strangers, and worse having to talk to them on the phone. My friend helped me face my fears. He kept e-mailing me about potential couches in the area until we found one. He encouraged me to barter and get a good price. He even picked up the couch for me.

My mom is a master thrift store shopper. She finds all kinds of quality things. My cousin who is a stay at home mom gave her “a challenge list” of items she was looking for. My mom went shopping for her to find all these things. I thought this was a fabulous idea. Even though my mom lives over 2,000 miles away, I have asked her to look for books, clothing, or toys for my kids. She will often ship them with “care packages” or birthday gifts.

Last year I really wanted a road bike, but I did not want to pay $1,000 for one. Especially if I do not like biking as much I think I am going to like it. I have a “biking” friend in my church who repairs bicycles as a side job. He went shopping for me and found my ~~used~~ ”new to me” road bike I am so excited to take out this summer. Looking for road bikes on Craig’s List and other web sites was very time-consuming. I knew I would pay through the roof if I bought one at a bike shop. I did not want a Wal-Mart bike either.

My point with all three examples is to find frugal friends. If you are a stay at home mom and your time is limited, befriend those who can help you. Many people find Craig’s List searching or thrift store shopping as a fun hobby. They would love to help you!

I am linking this up with Life As A Mom Frugal Friday

Posted by artoornstra in Financial Freedom & Saving Money Tags: family time, friendship, preschoolers, saving money

2 comments

Cut your cable and still get your favorite TV shows

March 2, 2012

One of our family’s best money saving decision was to cut our cable down to basic cable (which is very, very basic–we get very few channels) and buy a Roku device. Some people been asking how Roku works. Here it is a nutshell…

The Roku device is a small box that connects to your TV. You do not need a PC to utilize one. It does require an in-home Wi Fi network.

There are no extra monthly bills like you would have with cable. You pay for the device and you are done. You choose what channel subscriptions you want to access such as Netflix, Hulu Plus, Crackle, etc. Some are free. Some like Netflix & Hulu Plus have a small monthly free.

At first when Rob explained Roku to me, I was very confused. I had no idea what he was talking about. Basically you are turning your TV into a computer. You might currently watch TV shows or movies from Netflix or hulu (or other websites) from your computer. Now you can do so from your TV (and you don’t have to pull the recliner from the family room to the computer which is what I was doing).

We use Instant Netflix about ninety percent of the time we watch TV. Our kids always seem to find shows they like whether it is Veggie Tales, Yo Gabba Gabba, or Dora–they are all on Netflix. We still watch “regular TV” for the news and a few programs we watch in the evenings.

The only downsides we have found: You cannot watch some cable shows until after their season is over. For instance shows from TLC and the Food Network. Also I have heard the choice in sports programming is limited. Neither one of us are big sports watchers so this does not affect us. Also we discovered Hulu Plus runs slightly slower (and sometimes freezes the system) than Netflix. This could just be unique to our system.

We were paying $138.00 a month for TV & Internet which included a DVR. Now all we pay is $72.00 a month for basic cable and Internet. We paid $80.00 for two Roku units. It took two months for the savings to pay for the Roku system. In one year, it saved us $528.00.

I’m linking this post with Life As A Mom Frugal Friday

Posted by artoornstra in Financial Freedom & Saving Money Tags: household chores, kid's activities, moms, saving money

7 comments

Frugal Exercise Planning

February 24, 2012

Some of us have believed if we want to enjoy exercise we have to pay for a gym membership complete with child care or buy an expensive in home elliptical machine. Yes, there is some truth to that. I would much rather go to a weight training class than work out to the same video I worked out to the day prior in the comforts of my family room with my toddler and preschooler climbing all over me.

No, I did not choose to be a runner because it is a cheap form of exercise. Because it’s not. I could spend hundreds of dollars on running if I had the money. Good shoes, entries to more races, an iPod, heart monitor, GPS, cool looking track suit–I’m not quite there yet. Maybe never will be.

You can still take care of yourself, exercise, and enjoy it on a tight budget. Here’s how I learned to be a frugal runner…

1) Utilize eBay and Craig’s List for shoes and equipment. I happen to prefer eBay for purchasing running shoes. I have bought nice new running shoes for less than $40.00. I ran my second marathon in them. You may have to check it often before you find a deal, but it’s worth it.

2) Everyone seems to want a gym membership so they don’t have to run in the rain and cold, right? Weather is all about perspective. I took up running when we lived in Michigan. I ran in snowstorms when it was in the 20′s…freezing. Now running in Oregon winters is refreshing. 40 degrees feels like a heat wave! You might hate your first few winter runs. But your body learns to adjust. You even start to enjoy fall/winter running more than summer runs.

3) You can spend a lot of money running 5K & 10K races and marathons. If you want to try racing, look for small local races. They are often cheaper. Sometimes you have the option of not purchasing the t-shirt and can save even more cash. Sometimes they are less intimidating and have more of a “small town” feel. Hey–you might even place Most local running stores and running clubs have a list of local races on their website.

4) I’m still not crazy about workout videos and get bored with them quickly. A year ago we switched to basic cable and purchased a Roku device (which is a huge money saver in and of itself) that gives us almost all the same shows we were watching on cable through Netflix and Hulu. Through Instant Netflix I have about 20-30 workout videos I can utilize on a daily basis either on my TV or computer. I could even use them on my lap top if I am traveling. I don’t have to purchase a bunch of videos. And there are always updates and new videos on a regular basis.

So while a gym membership is great, it is not totally necessary. You can still take up running and succeed without one–and save some money until you really can afford one.

I’m linking this up with Life As a Mom Frugal Friday

Posted by artoornstra in Financial Freedom & Saving Money, Running Tags: outdoors, running, saving money, weight loss

6 comments

What’s In Your Budget?

February 17, 2012

Some people have asked me how we budget. What goes on our budget? This is a sample of a monthly budget. We use Microsoft Excel, but there are so many programs we can use. You can even use pen and paper and make your own chart each month.

I am finding similarties between weight loss and budgeting. If you do not pay attention to what you are eating, you overeat and crave fatty food and sugar (at least I do!). If you do not track your spending, you might be tempted to overspend. Then I find I naturally want more “stuff”–most of it I don’t really need. Or at least I don’t need it at the moment. A budget holds you accountable.

I am linking this with Life As a Mom’s Frugal Friday

This is a summary of the month–how much money came in and how much came out. It helps determine if we overspent or stayed within the budget

	Actual	Budgeted	Over/Under	Percentage
Total Income
Total Expenses
Income Less Expenses


This is a list of all the money that comes in each month based on salaries. We typically know how much income we are going to bring in a given month. Neither of us work a sales job so we have a good estimate of how much salary we will bring in.

	Actual	Budgeted	Over/Under	Percentage	Notes
Husband’s Salary
Milage Reimbursement
Other Reimbursements
Wife’s salary
Total:
This is a list of all our expenses that typically occur each month.Expenses

	Actual	Budgeted	Over/Under	Percentage	Notes
Basic Household Expenses
Food
Offering
Household
Recrecation
Allowance i.e Personal Spending Money
Gas
Diapers
Child 1′s Allowance
Child 2′s Allowance
Child 3′s Allowance
Pets
“Other”
Subtotal:
Utility Bills
Comcast (basic cable)
Vonage
Sprint (cell phone)
Utilities
Netflix
Newspaper
Subtotal:
Then each month we put money towards “saving” categories which are the following…Saving & Investing
Christian school tutition
Car Fund
Child 1′s College
Child 2′s College
Travel/Vacations
Child 3′s College
Insurance

Subtotal:
Special Monthly ExpensesThese are special categories. Some occur on a regular basis while others are “one time” events. This is why we have “budget meetings” monthly. Different months have different expenses (especially around the holidays and birthdays)

Christmas
Swimming lessons
Child sponsorship

Husband’s master’s program
Date Night
Karate lessons
Babysitter




Subtotal:
Total:

Posted by artoornstra in Financial Freedom & Saving Money Tags: Christian education, family time, household chores, relationship with God, saving money

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Tag Archives: saving money

My first early morning hours Black Friday experience…

I learned to swim!

Happy Anniversary, Dad & Mom!

Saving Money On Kid’s Sports and Activities

Feels like winning a cash prize everytime

Assemble Your Frugal Friends Team

Cut your cable and still get your favorite TV shows

Frugal Exercise Planning

What’s In Your Budget?

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