Using Time Wisely

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Archives for 2011

Grocery Shopping: Savings with and without Coupons

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Kim Smith-Miller)

As I entered the checkout station, I was warmly greeted by one of my favorite cashiers, Miss Daisy. We chatted about the weather, the weekend activities, and upcoming excitements. While conversing, the girls and I unloaded our cart’s contents onto the conveyor belt.

My Conversation

Miss Daisy scanned my two Publix cards (school proceeds and UPromise) and our items. I then handed her my stack of coupons. On this occasion, Miss Daisy paused a moment, then asked, “Are these all your coupons today?”

With a “Yes, that’s all for today,” I rechecked my Publix envelope to be sure I had used all my coupons.

Miss Daisy responded, “This is a short stack for you.”

I agreed and informed her that most of my coupons required the purchase of 2 items and that the sales were excellent without needing coupons. As Miss Daisy deducted the coupons, I watched my savings increase and my total decrease. I love that Publix displays your savings at checkout on a big monitor in front of you.

At the end of the transaction, my total came to $37.51 and my savings rose to $58.01. When Miss Daisy saw my 61% savings and the small amount of coupons used, she was amazed!

My Saving Tips

Hopefully, through this series you are discovering that you do not need coupons to save at the grocery store. Coupons increase your savings, but you can save by shopping the sales. If you are in a season of life where coupons do not fit into your using time wisely schedule, then choose to save in other ways:

  • Purchase enough Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF) items to last your family for the next 3-6 weeks. Everything I bought at Publix was a BOGOF item.
  • Do not purchase more than one of a sale item – unless that item is never offered as a BOGOF option, e.g., lasagna noodles. If you need an item and it is on sale, then purchase one. Keep an eye on the sales. When that item is BOGOF, then stock up.
  • Whenever possible, shop after a meal. Refrain from adding items to your cart because they look tasty. You will tend to purchase more if you shop hungry, so try to schedule your shopping exploits after a meal.
  • Use a grocery list. Having prepared your list, stick to it. Gather your items and go to checkout. Do not pass the bakery, do not spend $200! 🙂
  • Know your budget. By using more money on weeks with great sales and saving money on weeks with little to no great sales, I can adjust my spending from week to week. Keep your goal obtainable, but challenge yourself with your food budget. Saving money becomes a game. Are you ready to play?

With these strategic tips and tricks, you are on your way to saving a bundle on your food budget. You don’t need to clip every coupon or spend hours preparing for your shopping trip. Utilizing these five keys to saving more than you pay can have your cashier amazed as well. Happy savings!

Question: What was your largest savings this week? Please add your answer to the comments.

Summer Goal 2011 Update

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Photograph Credit: Flickr

With the arrival of the last week of summer, I am taking a moment to reflect, review, and re-evaluate my goals. Towards the beginning of the summer, I shared my summer goal to get to know my children.

As I have worked to spend time alone with each of them daily, I have grown to love them more. Though I still get frustrated with them, I tend to understand them better and their way of “helping” me.

I am grateful for their help, but it is not always helpful. By showing them what would be helpful, I am teaching them and spending more time with them.

Using time wisely depends on my priority. If getting the load of laundry finished must be done and my daughter wants to put together a puzzle (at the same time), then I have learned some options I can take:

1. Decline my daughter’s request

In declining to put the puzzle together, I usually have a reason. For example, if we are about to eat, then I may decline because puzzles on the table will need to wait until after the meal. Sometimes she will need to put away her other toys before getting out a new toy, like a puzzle. While she is working on another task, I can complete the load of laundry. Then, maybe we can find another place to work on the puzzle.

2. Accept my daughter’s request

Leave the load of laundry and put together the puzzle. I could then return to the laundry when we finish. This option has not been very successful because my daughter never wants to finish one puzzle. The request of “Mommy, can you help with a puzzle” really means, “Mommy, will you work on puzzles with me for the next half hour.”

If I left the laundry that long, then the clothes would be wrinkled. I would then be using my time ironing clothes. Of all my household duties, ironing is my least favorite. Though I know how to iron, I am not proficient. The articles of clothing are less wrinkled when I am done, but still wrinkled. Knowing this fact, I really need to get the laundry folded.

3. Compromise my daughter’s request

Having chosen option 1 and 2 with mixed results, my favorite choice is to compromise. This option works consistently for my oldest daughter. Since she CAN put the puzzle together on her own, she really wants Mommy’s attention. Here’s how I accomplish both tasks:

    • Go to the table (since little sister does not stay out of the puzzle pieces) and ask my daughter to lay out all the pieces right side up. While she is working on this task, I return to the couch to begin folding the laundry.
    • When she gets pieces right side up, then I help her sort the pieces into two piles: outside pieces and inside pieces. After she is underway, then I return to the clothes. I usually have all the hanging clothes laid out by the time she finishes this step.
    • Return to the table and assist in assembling the puzzle. I usually remain until the puzzle is finished. Then she wants to work on the next puzzle. I will again have her lay out all the pieces right side up. I will then return to the couch and continue folding the clothes. The process continues until the load is complete, and then I work on the puzzles.

In giving her attention with instructions one at a time, I am accomplishing both tasks. Having tried numerous ways to work with my middle child, I am finding out the source of her requests – getting Mommy’s attention. As I spend time with my children, I am learning more about them and how to best nurture and “train [them] in the way in which [they] should go (Proverbs 22:6).”

My summer goal is perpetual, but I am off to a great start. In addition to knowing my children, I was able to get my home de-cluttered, reorganized, and deep cleaned (only once). In reflecting on this summer, I have grown in my understanding and am ready to take on more goals for the fall.

Question: What are your goals for the fall? If you feel comfortable doing so, please leave a comment with your goals.

Event Planning: Cutting your Losses

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Photograph CrediT: Flickr

After a busy spring and bustling summer, I thought fall would be smooth sailing now that the school routine is in place. Once again, I was wrong. I am coming to the conclusion that the slower pace with preschool-age children and toddlers is behind me.

Each season is different with the activities and responsibilities. By preparing myself for this season of busyness, I am learning to declutter my activity schedule to keep it manageable and organized by cutting my losses.

Planned Activities

As activity leaders for our Sunday school class, Paul and I are quickly learning that we are not the only ones in a busy stage. The lower attendance at our planned events indicates busy schedules for all. In an effort to assist our members with great family adventures that meet their needs, we find it necessary to periodically cancel an activity.

Canceling Activities

Having 3-4 gatherings a month can be too frequent. Though it would be nice to have more, Paul and I spend a lot of time preparing, scheduling, and running these activities. Knowing our limitations, we sometimes choose to cut our losses and cancel good events that may work better in a slower month. Again, the slower months are few and far between, but the start of the school year has proved to be filled with plenty activity.

Rescheduling Activities

Whether you are attempting to schedule a dinner party, play group, or afternoon at the park, don’t be discouraged if your request gets declined. Try not to take it personally. You are not being rejected. The offer is getting rejected. If schedules do not permit gathering now, then try again in the winter or spring. All families have busy seasons and by cutting your losses on some events will free up time and energy for other activities.

By cutting our losses when an activity does not materialize, I am using time wisely on my other responsibilities and priorities. In your season of busyness, take heart, declutter your activities, cut your losses, and use your time wisely while focusing on your priorities. Happy planning!

Breaking Out of my Organizational Funk

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Anne Stauf)

Fluctuating between high energy and low energy days this week, I struggled! My motivation was non-existent, and I was in a funk.

I wanted to get things done, but I really did not feel like cleaning, organizing, or making progress on any of my To Do list items. Coming off a sick week, I really needed to get motivated, but my energy level was not there.

My Problem

After operating in survival mode while I was recovering from my cold, I needed to change my thinking. As I began to envision a clean, organized household, my motivation slowing recovered. In “seeing” where the clothes needed to go and wanting that space clean, I found myself wanting to pick up the clothing and put it away.

My Current Solution

As I walked to the cleanest room first, I tidied it up – just needed to add pajamas to the hamper and pick up two toys. Now I had one room picked up. Momentum was beginning.

Then I walked to the next room, I picked up a book, made a bed, and fixed a rug. Two rooms down, and then I just kept going. Before I knew it, the entire upstairs was uncluttered. After running the vacuum, I felt so much better. By now my momentum was in full swing.

With the added motivation, I picked up the downstairs, and my energy level did not drop. I was thankful to have the mess under control, and my house back together. With my surroundings organized, my thoughts became organized. I finished a menu plan for the week based on what I had at home, created my grocery and drugstore lists, paid bills, and filed insurance paperwork.

My Evaluation

Though my week was full of ups and downs, I was thrilled with my week’s progress. Most of the progress took place on the weekend, but I did not feel behind starting a new week.

If you find you are in a funk with your household items piling up, then try cleaning or organizing a small task. Once that task is complete, work on another small to medium task. As you gain motivation, you will be tackling that monster project with gusto.

Keep using time wisely to accomplish the goals you have set for today. Think about the final project, envision a nice clean space, and work to that end. You may not master success today, but moving forward is better than standing still. Happy organizing!

Question: How do you get out of an organizing funk? Please add your answer to the comments.

Vehicles: Car #1 – DMV Records

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Last week I shared eight insurance-related documents kept in the tenth file slot of Box 1 of my important documents. In addition to the insurance documents, I also keep the DMV (Division of Motor Vehicles) records for car #1 in this file opening.

Our DMV records consist of two documents:

Registration

After paying our vehicle property taxes, I receive our registration in the mail. Before separating this document from the instructions, I make a copy. Once the registration has been removed from the paperwork and placed in my glove compartment, I will place the copy in this file opening behind the insurance documents.

License Plate Decal

When I receive our registration, the license plate decal is usually included. Again, I make a copy of the document before removing the decal and placing it on our license plate. The copy will be then be placed in this file slot with the copy of the registration.

These two documents are either stapled or paper clipped together, and placed behind the insurance documents for our vehicle #1. Next week, I will share the last set of documents for car #1 housed in this tenth file opening under the vehicle category.

Question: Does your registration and decal arrive at the same time? To add your answer, please leave a comment.