Buying Organic Meat on a Budget

Trying to eat all natural and organic on a small budget is tough. But not impossible. It takes some planning, discipline and getting to know your options. If you read my grocery lists or Weekly Shopping Wrap Ups regularly, you'll see very little meat on them. That's because I try to limit our meat consumption to once or twice a week. The meat that we do eat, is usually all natural, organic and hopefully free-range. Same for our eggs and dairy (as much as possible). Here are the ways I get our organic meat for cheap(er).

1.) Look for Manager Markdowns at the Grocery. This is the easiest way I've found so far. Get to know your butcher at your grocery store. After speaking with my butcher, I learned their markdown schedule. He also told me how much it would be marked down. In the case of one of my stores, I know to look at the sell by date and I know that organic free range chicken that normally sells for $14 a pack, will go on markdown the day BEFORE the sell by date. The butcher also clued me in on what time of day they do the markdowns. He told me everything must be marked down by 4:00pm, but I've found that most of the time, the markdowns are done before noon. Also, another helpful tip: If you have a grumpy butcher that doesn't want to share this information, look for another one. I had this happen to me. I simply kept asking until I found a friendly, chatty butcher.

Whenever I run upon a great markdown deal on organic meats, I buy as much as my budget will allow and then freeze the meat for later.

2.) Check out the farmer's market. Often you can get some good deals from small family farmer's on their organic/free range and LOCAL meat. Some farms will offer a sample pack that will contain a variety of cuts of meat. The sample pack price often works out to be much less per pound than if you bought the cuts of meat separately. I recommend bringing your calculator (unless you're a math genius) and shop around the farmer's market before making a purchase. The prices on the same cut of meat can vary widely from farmer to farmer.

3.) Warehouse Clubs. I can't say I have any real experience with purchasing organic meat from a warehouse club because we let our membership expire a long time ago when I discovered the joy of couponing! But I've read others' blogs and heard from friends that Costco, in particular, has some good deals on organics. If you're a member, you should definitely compare prices.

Have you found a good way to get organic meat or other products for less? Please let me know! I'm always on the lookout for a good organic deal.




Linked to Works for Me Wednesday at We are That Family.
and The Coupon Teacher's Thrifty Thursday

Is that movie okay for your child to see?

I am constantly challenged with "is that movie okay for my child to see?" or "What about that video game? is it appropriate?"

I've started using Commonsense.org as a guide to selecting movies, websites, video games, music and TV shows for my family.

It breaks everything down, language, violence, sex, alcohol & drug use, consumerism. It even tells you what kind of message it sends to children, for instance in their review of Despicable Me tells you that there may be a concern particularly for adoptive families because of the way orphans and orphanages are portrayed. This is a concern for my family and I will be better prepared to talk to her about the portrayal should we decide to even see the movie.

It's a free service website, Click Here to see a review a movie, TV, video game etc. for your family.

Free Couponing Class in White House TN

Ronica over at Keeping Our Cash will be giving a free couponing workshop at White House Baptist Church on July 17, at 12 noon.

This is part of a series of free workshops given by the church. Others include gardening and self-defense.

Go here for all the details.

Saving Money on Dance Class

My 5-year old just completed her second year of dance and her first recital. It's been a great experience for her. I'm convinced she was born to be on stage, which is quite a shock for her father and I who were born to be anywhere but the stage!

Dance class can be very expensive, the classes themselves, dance apparel, shoes, recital fees, recital costumes, the list goes on and on. And this past year has been a particular hard financial year for us. We simply could not have even afforded the dance class had it not been for the generous gift from the grandparents.

Here are some ways that I saved on the classes and other items that go along with it.

Shop around for different dance studios. We live in a metropolitan area, so there are many dance studios. I discovered that by just crossing the county line to a surburan area, that the tuition costs were much less.

Ask about a discount for siblings. If you have more than one child interested in dance, ask the studio if they will give you a break on the second child's class fees.

Purchase attire and shoes at consignment shops. Ask your studio if they require you to purchase their dance attire and shoes. Many do not. I shopped consignment shops and seasonal sales and found leotards and tap shoes for a quarter of the price that the dance studio sold theirs for.

Take your own pictures. The professional pictures were very expensive. We chose to take our own pictures of our daughter in her costumes at home. These pictures were just as good, and with all the photo deals that are available from Walgreens, Target, Snapfish and other online photo sites, I can get as many copies and sizes as I want for zero or little money.
Another option for pictures is keep an eye out for promotional deals at some of the in-house picture studios at Wal-Mart, Target, JCPenney, etc. Often you can get a small promotional package of professional pictures for just a few dollars.

Make your own video. We were not allowed to video the actual recital (because they wanted you to purchase the $50 dvd). But, we could video the dress rehearsal that was held on the same stage. My husband videoed the rehearsal, and edited it using windows movie maker, and we have a very good video record of the event for free!

These tricks helped us to afford an activity for our daughter that otherwise would not have been possible right now. What do you do to save on extra-curricular activites for the kids? I would love to know.


This is part of of Works For Me Wednesday at We are That Family.

Favorite Links: Frugal Billionaires and more!

Ran across this article about 5 Billionaires that live below their means and how they do it. According to the article, Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world still lives in a home he purchased for $31,000 many years ago in Omaha Nebraska. Something to aspire to!

If you're constantly broke and don't know why, the answer may be sitting in your driveway. Check out this article about why our obsession with cars is burying us in debt.

Buy Some Stamps, Save an Animal!

The US Postal Service has some great new stamps! Right now you can purchase stamps that have pictures of shelter animals.

Every year millions of dogs and cats are euthanized because of overcrowding at animal shelters. Most of these animals would have made wonderful pets if only given the chance.

Also, as part of the campaign launch Halo Pet Foods are giving a million pet meals to animal shelters around the country.

Go here to order your pet stamps.

Find Grocery Deals in Your Area

I've had a few people email me or leave comments on my Weekly Shopping Wrap ups and say that they wish they could save money on their groceries but they don't have a Publix or Kroger in their area.

Well, Kroger and Publix is not the only stores with great deals. There is a great site called becentsable that has compiled a list of great blogs/websites in every state that posts sale and coupon matchups. You can search for a particular store or you can search by state.

Check it out and start saving money!

Tips on Getting Your Rebates

I found this interesting article in USA Weekend about getting the product rebates you are eligible. I think all these tips are good, especially about applying quickly, I've noticed that more and more rebates offers are being capped to a certain number of applicants.

1. Apply Quickly Rebates often expire within a month of purchase.

2. Print online forms immediately if you think you're going to buy the product because they may disappear from the site.

3. Follow instructions. Make sure you've included everything they require (proof of purchase, receipt, form, etc)

4. Keep Copies. If a rebate is denied you can prove you followed the rules.

5. Check your mail (sometimes rebates look like junk mail)

6. Spend it quickly (often the check or giftcard expires after 90 days)

7. Keep Tabs. If the rebate has not been received within 3 months, track it online or through the manufacturer's toll free number.

Go here for the full article.

100 Good Wishes - Financial Assistance For Adoptive Families

Many of you know that our daughter is adopted. And she is the best thing we ever did! But, it was not an easy process and certainly not an inexpensive process. We were very lucky and blessed to have been in good paying jobs with benefits that assisted us in the financial area. But, it was still a struggle. I cashed out all my company stock, we used alot of our savings, and even used some of the proceeds from a condo sale.

There are alot of good parents out there that may not have all the financial resources that we had. But that should not prohibit them from adopting a child that needs a family

I recently became aware of 100 good Wishes.

One Hundred Good Wishes is where community supports adoptive families. It is a free fundraising web-based tool for adoptive families seeking to raise partial or full support for their adoptions. One Hundred Good Wishes website was inspired by the Northern Chinese tradition called Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes" quilt - a tradition which engages others in the celebration of a new life. Like the tradition, adoptive families can use this site to not only share their adoption journey and gather good wishes as a keepsake, but also to use as a resource to raise support for their adoption endeavor.

How does it work? If you are in the process of adopting and are homestudy-approved, then you can set up a FREE One Hundred Good Wishes page to raise financial support for your adoption! Create a One Hundred Good Wishes page with a bio, explaining your adoption endeavor and your fundraising goal. Invite friends, family, and others to visit your page and give a good wish. Those who visit your page can leave a good wish message, upload a picture, and give a monetary donation. Donations are made directly to your PayPal account and there are no fees to use the One Hundred Good Wishes service.

Even if you are not currently in process of adopting, please help spread the word to other families that may be interested in fundraising for their adoption. Visit the website and join One Hundred Good Wishes on Facebook!

Recall of McCormick Sauce & Dip mixes

McCormick has recalled several of their dip and gravy mixes and cornbread stuffing mix. Go here for the complete list and details.

Free Couponing Class in Springfield TN

Ronica, from Keeping Our Cash is putting on a FREE Couponing Workshop in Springfield TN on Wednesday, March 26. Go here for all the details.

Happy Couponing!

Shell Stations to honor Kroger Gas discount

Starting this week, most Shell stations will be honoring your Kroger Plus card gas discount. You must have accumulated enough points on your Kroger card to get the .10 cents off. Based upon the press release, they are not honoring the .03 cents off right now.

Go here for the complete details including the cities that are currently participating.

Kid Friendly Play at Belcourt Theatre

Olde World Theatre Company Presents "Robin Hood". This is a kid friendly production that will actually entertain the whole family. My daughter went to the fall production of Hansel and Gretal and talked about it for days. It's very interactive, so the children feel a part of the show. Last time, the children are allowed to meet the actors in costume, which was a big thrill for my little budding starlet.

Belcourt Theatre
2102 Belcourt Avenue, Nashville, TN 37212

Saturday, January 30th @ 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 6th @ 10 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.

GENERAL ADMISSION $6.00
Tickets may be purchased in advance online at www.belcourt.org
or the day of the show at the Box Office.

Cheap Thrills for the weekend!

It's supposed to be as high as 60 degrees this weekend in Nashville. What a nice change! It will be a good weekend to get out and do something. Here are a few cheap ideas:





Cheekwood -- It's .50 cent admission all month (thanks Leslie for the reminder!)

Nashville Flea Market - It's free admission, $4.00 to park on Sat & Sun Free parking on Fridays

The Singing Tortoise - Sunday , January 24 at 2pm. Presented by the Nashville Ballet at Belmont's Massey Hall. The production is free, but you are encouraged to bring a new children's book to donate to the book'em program. Doors open at 1:30, first come first serve.


Book Sale - Brentwood Public Library , Friday & Saturday 10 -5pm Books starting at .30 cents! Library is located at 8109 Concord Rd. Phone: 371-0090

When is a Good Time to Buy Appliances?

I ran across an article today about when is the best time to purchase appliances. They gave some interesting tips that I thought I'd pass along:

1.) If your state has tax-free holidays, check to see if Energy Star appliances are included (sadly my state, Tennessee, does not include them in it's annual tax free weekend). Go here to see when tax-free shopping weeks are planned for your state and a general description of items that are non-taxable.

2.) Go to Energystar.gov and check out the Rebate Finder for a list of rebates in your area. As part of the stimulus package, the government enacted an appliance rebate program for purchasing Energy-Star efficient appliances. Every state has been allocated money for rebates. But apparently every state gets to decide what will and will not be rebate eligible. Check your state to see what appliances are eligible.

3.) Of course the best scenario is to take advantage of a tax-free holiday and also a rebate. You could come out with a REALLY good deal.

4.) And, if you're like me and live in a state that is behind the times on energy efficiency and does not offer tax-free incentives on energy efficient appliances and very limited rebates, the best time to purchas a new appliance is probably during during the holiday sales blasts.

Johnson & Johnson Rebate

FYI.. for anyone who planned to score some great deals on Aveeno, Lubriderm, Clean & Clear and the other J&J products that were part of the $10 rebate. Southern Savers reported today that J&J confirmed that they will only honor rebates when the total for the products are $30 AFTER coupons. Go here for all the specifics and a scenario that she has come up with to get some deals with the rebate at Publix.

There is quite a bit of controversy about this decision because of the wording on the actual rebate. But in the end, it's their promotion so they can do what they want.

I'm disappointed because I had devised a great plan to get some great products for free at CVS and the rebate would be a money maker. But, alas now, I will not do it. Just not as much fun.

$1.50 Movie Theatre

The Carmike Theatre on Bell Road in the Hickory Hollow area has become a second run movie theatre. The admission is $1.50 per person all the time. Currently, some of the movies being offered are: Pirate Radio, The Box, Where the Wild Things Are, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

I must admit I don't visit the Hickory Hollow area very often anymore, it's changed alot. But I think it still safe to visit during the day time. To make this an even more tempting deal , all Carmike theatres have a special on Tuesdays: Popcorn and drinks are only a dollar. Go here for more info on that offer.

Thanks to Keeping Our Cash for the tip on the cheap popcorn deal.

Do you know of other good movie deals? Let me know.

Ways to Spot a Fake Coupon

I ran across this interesting slide show on the Tenesseean's website. Some good tips for all couponers, especially if you're new to the game.

Home Depot - FREE Do It Herself Workshops

Home Depot is holding it's next class in it's series of Free "Do It Herself" workshops. This class focuses on Bathroom repair. They're interesting and valuable classes. Even if you're not planning to become your own handyman, it's nice to know the language when you have to talk with a contractor or repairman.

The class will be Thursday, January 14. Click the Home Depot graphic above to sign up and find out all the detail of the class in your area.

Thrifty Alternatives to Black Friday

If you are not into standing outside a store at 3 am with hundreds of other people in hopes of getting a doorbuster item that the store only has 4 in stock, you may want to check out some alternatives to black Friday shopping.

Tennessee Fairground Flea Market
Open: Friday (free parking), Saturday & Sunday
Parking is $4.00 on Sat. & Sunday

ThriftSmart
The whole store will be 50% off, and grab bags will be given out to the first 150 customers

Goodwill Stores
They are opened special hours, 8a - 8p for Black Friday and special deals are promised.

Music City Thrift
There's always a good deal to be had.

Southern Thrift Store
I usually can find some good, clean stuff here, and they have coupons on their website.

And, my personal favorite....
Stay home and decorate for Christmas.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!