Friday Finances: Five Tips to Save on Grocery Bills

Being a stay at home mom requires us to pinch pennies wherever we can, and most veteran CSAHM’s will tell you the easiest place to cut down on your budget is in the grocery bill.

Below are 5 tips to save on your grocery bill:

1. Buy in bulk. If you do not belong to Costco, Sam’s Club or BJs, now may be the time to join. You can save quite a bit of money on bulk groceries and over-the-counter drugs.

2. Check the Sunday newspapers for grocery pull-out ads with coupons. The circular denotes sales for that week, and you can buy in bulk by taking advantage of sale items.

3. Check online grocery coupons frequently. There are many websites where you can print out coupons for a variety of items.

4. Refrain from impulse buying. Make a grocery list and stick to it. Before you shop, have breakfast or lunch (grocery shopping on an empty stomach promotes excessive purchasing). Check your supermarket website to determine what’s on sale, and for paper goods, either buy generic brands or take a trip to the dollar store.

5. Purchase store brands where applicable. You can save money while not sacrificing taste. Pick up the store circular upon entering the supermarket. There may be in-store sales that were not advertised in the Sunday newspaper.

Finally, here are some additional tips:

Buy a freezer. Even a small one will help you make the most of great sales on meats and other perishables.

Stock up after Thanksgiving. There are more food coupons issued in November and December than in any other month. Combined with pre- and post-holiday sales, the end of the year is tops for food savings.

While shopping, scan the shelves above and below eye level. That’s where you’ll find the cheaper items. If it’s looking right at you, it’s more expensive.

Join frequent-shopper programs. Store-incentive programs can slice up to 10 percent off your total bill. Join them all!

Mix it yourself. You can pay up to 50 percent more for foods that come with sugar, spices, or sauces already mixed in. Pre-mixed juice costs a hefty 60 percent more than frozen concentrate.

Bigger isn’t always cheaper. Sometimes the unit price is the same whether you buy regular size or jumbo.

Pick up large bags of frozen vegetables instead of the boxes, which generally cost more per serving.

Don’t buy toiletries at the grocery store unless you a have coupon. The price can be 25 percent higher than what you’d pay at the drugstore.

Go with paper plates. Plastic usually costs twice as much.

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Tips for Raising a Christian Teenager

As a parent that is committed to raising your teenager with strong Christian values, you know that there are many obstacles set in front of you. From a world that rarely shares your values, to the unique teenager standing before you in defiance, it is little wonder why most parents throw their hands up in frustration. However, it is possible to raise vibrant, God-knowing teenagers who exist as beacons of hope and light in this world.

Tip # 1: Talk with Your Teenager

Believe it or not, one of the most important tools that you have in raising a Christian teenager is the art of conversation. As you remember, the teenage years are a time of discovery, of finding out who and exactly what the teenager wishes to be. Phrases such as “Because I said so!” or “I am the parent, and what I say goes,” aren’t as effective as they once were. Your teenager will have the intelligence to understand the reasoning behind your decrees. If presented with a valid argument, chances are they’ll be more likely to listen, and ultimately obey.

Tip # 2: Be Consistent with the Consequences

Part of being a teenager is about testing boundaries. Teenagers need to discover for themselves exactly what is allowable, and what is not. As such, a parent needs to be consistent with how they enforce the rules, and be careful to make the consequences of an action known. If you tell your teenager that he must be home by 10:30pm on Friday night, or he will be grounded for the next day, that is what you should do.

While it is important to be consistent with your punishment, there is also an opportunity to show examples of God’s mercy and grace. For example, if your teenager calls ahead and tells you that he might be a few minutes late, consider acting in good faith and forgiving him when he is late. Or, when your teenage daughter scratches the back bumper of your car because she accidentally ran into the neighbor’s fence, try and put yourself in her place. Forgiveness isn’t always about the big ideas or complicated actions. Sometimes it is as simple as forgiving something small.

Tip # 3: Share Your Faith

Going regularly to church or worship is a wonderful way to reinforce faith in your teenager’s life. It isn’t the only one. The act of discussing your personal faith with your teenager is a powerful way to help them create their own special bond with their Lord and Savior. It is important to make your faith a part of the everyday discussions, either directly or indirectly. Discuss your doubts, your questions, as well as your faithful certainties. By presenting your faith as a growing and changes with your experience, your teenager might very well grow in faith as well.

Ten Things All Five-Year-Olds Should Know About Money

Teaching young children about money can go a long way in preparing them for the future. Children learn and mimic their parents’ behavior. Thus, if you talk to your child about money when they are young, and set an example for them as they grow, they will be that much more aware and fiscally responsible as adults.

Here are some suggestions on what to tell your five-year-old about money:

1. Although it may be a cliché, you can still tell them that “money doesn’t grow on trees.” Explain how mommy and daddy make money.
2. Sit your child down, show them coins and dollars of different denominations and explain what they are.
3. Explain the importance of tithing money.
4. Explain why it’s a good idea to save money.
5. Talk to your child about banks and what they are for.
6. Explain how a budget works and why it is important.
7. Talk about how saving money for something you really want is important.
8. On your next trip to the supermarket, show your child the different prices of items.
9. Tell your child that once you spend money for groceries, you have to save money for the following week so you can buy more groceries.
10. Explain how money is used to purchase different things.

Another important aspect in teaching children about money is to utilize a visual component such as showing the child different coins, taking the child to the supermarket and pointing out different prices, having your child watch you as you balance your checkbook, or figuring out the household budget for the month.

Suggested Activity: Play store. Once your child knows how much a penny, nickel, dime, and quarter is worth try setting up a pretend store around your house. Place different items around the house and put price tags on them. Set up a cashier counter with a table, box, or chair. Create a cardboard cash register and buy some play money and you are all set to go! This is a fun and easy way to teach your kid’s about how to count money.

5 Tips for Studying the Bible

Have you made a deep, heartfelt decision to come closer to the Lord? You are attending a Christ-filled church on a regular basis, you are surrounding yourself with good Christian people and you are reading your Bible every day. Have you wondered though if you are getting the most out of your Bible reading? You pick up the good book each and every day, but maybe you should be getting more from studying the Bible so diligently.

Here are 5 tips to incorporate into your Bible studies to get as much as you can from the Lord’s words.

1. Make sure it is quiet. Remember this is a time for just you and your Lord. The television should not be on, the phone should not be ringing and the children should not be at foot. You will want a place of peace and quiet so you are able to connect with the word of God and hear what he is trying to bring into your heart. Do not confuse this with prayer. Prayer can be done anytime and anywhere. When you are trying to study and interpret God’s word it will be much more beneficial if you are in a quiet location.

2. Have a schedule. If at all possible, try and stick to a Bible reading schedule. Of course there are times when the Lord will draw us to a certain part of the Bible and we must obey His wishes. Other than that, you can stick to a “Read the Bible in a year” schedule or something similar to that. This will allow you to focus all your attention on a certain portion of the Bible, allowing you ample time to interpret and bring it into your heart.

3. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Let’s face it, the Bible would not be considered a “light” read and it takes some getting used to. Don’t try and read the Bible as if it was a novel. Take each passage and meditate and pray over it. If the Lord has a special message that He needs to convey to you and your heart you must allow Him to do just that. If you try and digest a large amount at one time, you will also miss a lot of the true meaning behind what you are reading. Take it slow and truly get everything you can out of the Lord’s words.

4. Choose the right Bible. There are many translations of the Good Book. Some of them are easier to interpret then others. If this is your first time truly trying to come closer to the Lord through His word, a study Bible may be your best solution. A study Bible literally explains everything that you are reading. It explains the passages origin, who is speaking the words, who they are being spoken to or who they are about, and most importantly why. If you are just beginning your Bible studies this will be a great tool in getting all you can from your readings. After you feel more comfortable you can move on to one of the many other translations of the Bible instead.

5. Be committed. Making a promise to the Lord to study His word is a big commitment. Make sure that your heart is truly committed to seeing this promise through. Don’t get discouraged, as sometimes the Bible can seem extremely overwhelming. Take your time, open your heart and keep reading. If your heart is open to the word of the Lord, you will hear the Lord speak to you in many aspects of your life. Stay strong and keep reading. You will never regret your decision to do so.

Reading the Bible and studying the Lord’s word can change your life in more ways than one. Try to implement the tips and strategies mentioned above and hopefully you will begin to see positive changes in your life, as you grow closer to the Lord through His words in the Bible.