Yes, You Can Save Money at Whole Foods

A little over a year ago, Denise wrote a great post about saving money at Whole Foods. I love that post. You would not believe how much money I have saved buying the frozen wild caught salmon over fresh. And don't even get me started on the bulk.

Anyway, I'd like to share some of my own tips on this Thrifty Thursday.

1. Shop in the perimeter of the store--the produce, the dairy, the meats, the bread. The processed foods in the center should be visited quickly and toward the end. They cost more and aren't as good for you!

2. Allow one special prepared treat for each visit. The prepared stuff is really yummy but also very pricey. To keep from binging on tons of it, allow yourself one 'treat' a visit. It could be as simple as a death by chocolate brownie or as filling a hatch chili quesadilla. Allowing yourself one treat lets you sample and not feel deprived...because we all know what happens when you are deprived for too long!

3. Discover frozen fruits. Frozen fruits are frozen right after being picked so they are actually more in season than the strawberries shipped 500 miles away! I like to use frozen fruit in smoothies, muffins and pancakes. And you can get a bag of organic frozen fruit for $2-$3!

4. Speaking of produce, stick with items in season. Fresher and cheaper. Right now, that would be apples, tomatoes (for a wee bit longer), grapes, squash and potatoes (today I got some organic yukon gold new potatoes for 70 cents a pound!).

5. Bring your own bags. You get 10 cents off your bill for each bag you bring!

6. Eat before you go and stick to your list.

7. Pay cash and leave all cards and checks at home. When you reach the amount of money you have, that's it!

Lots of these tips will work in any grocery store too--esp. #6 and #7. A list is key when you want to stay in budget!

OK So How Do You Do It?

I can't seem to find time for anything any more. I see bloggers with kids (some more than me) and bloggers with jobs and tiny babies. And y'all seem to be able to post pics, add links some witty prose and keep the home spotless.

So I need to know what you're doing.

Because I cannot get a handle on doing it all.

Is it extra coffee? A secret time machine?

How do you manage? Please share your tips!

I have so much to share but never the time. And the ironic thing is even without the blogging, my house is still a mess, my kids still need my time and I am lucky to get in a shower.

HELP!

The $4.98 Boot Camp Revisited

About two months ago, I described my own two app work out I was going to do at home in lieu of the gym or a pricy boot camp. I bought iFitness and C25K and set out to work.

At first I was really good at using iFitness, setting up routines and doing different exercises based on their advice. However, I did not count reps. Instead, I used a timer instead and did exercises for 3 one minute spurts. It was a great work out but I have to admit, it was hard. This was primarily my own fault; Spanky was always up and grabbing an arm or a leg while I was trying to lunge or do some chest presses. I do like the app and feel it was worth the $1.99 though. It is full of great ideas. I could see it coming in handy at a gym weight room or anywhere there is not a toddler running around around ;)

C25K was different. I set up my walk/run time with some playlists that could get me pumped up. The first three weeks were super enjoyable, almost too easy. I was not a runner but was quickly going in 3-minute bursts without problem. Things started to get tricky in week 4--a 13 minute run. It was hard but I huffed and puffed my way through. The following weeks were challenging but I kept it up. As of today, I am on Week 8, day 3, starting with a 5 minute warm-up, a 28 minute run and 5 minute cool down. I am in shock that I am actually running for that long. I would have never thought this would happen but I almost feel like a runner (if my marathon-running sister is reading this, I am sure she is laughing ;) ). There are bells and a voice that tells you what to do during the run so you don't have to check your timer or anything. And it never stops the music. It just quickly plays over it. For $3.99, I declare, this one of the very, very best things you can buy to get into shape. (*Note, in my first post on this I said C25K was $2.99, I am not sure if it went up by a dollar since or if I misquoted. Consider this a $5.98 workout of I was wrong!)

But the real question. Am I losing weight? Well, for the pricey boot camp I got as a gift in the spring I lost a little over 2 pounds. With my running (which is only three days a week as compared to five day a week boot camp), I have lost SIX pounds. Woo-hoo! My clothes are also looser and again I can run 28 minutes solid.

So in closing, I would highly suggest iFitness for the routines and I would say C25K is a must for anyone who wants to exercise!

Well, she has found her hobby

Like most everyone on the planet, we are cutting back on expenses. Mike and I have been going through the budget, taking out this, trading this service for that service--all to keep us in black rather than red.

I am now looking over the kids' activities. We have trimmed many of the classes, and now the kids get to choose one. This has proven difficult for Sarah. The one ballet class she wants to take with the instructor she wants to work with (the only one she wants to work with because 'she's good') is a two-day a week class; therefore the price of two classes. This is on top of a jazz class.

I have mentioned dropping jazz and she gets upset saying she needs it to balance the ballet. I say OK, how about one of the one day a week ballet class with one of the other very good instructors?

An absolute NO.

I try and explain to my eight-year old we are cutting back and taking a few things out to make sure we have money for the really important things like electricity, insurance and groceries.

Her response--fine, I won't eat as much. Just take it out of the grocery money. Or sell my American Girl dolls (yes, she really said this). Problem solved.

Uh, yeah right.

I am not selling her dolls nor I am going to take away her food.

Sarah is my first child to show me a true love for something. This morning she said 'ballet is better than dessert'.

How can I possibly deny her ballet?

I think we can trim the fat from somewhere else. Right?

Things I am not understanding

I went to wash my hands at a 'spa' haircut type place and there was a pile of rocks in the sink. I asked if they were cleaning stones for hot stone massages but no, they were meant to be there. Why the heck do you put rocks in a sink--it's going to collect dirt, soap and germs. And then get moldy and smelly. I just don't see the point of rocks in a sink.

All everyone seems to talk about right now is how hot it is. Like every August. Ummm, we're in the South, it's August-----I'm thinking if it suddenly started to snow, THAT would be news. Complaining about the heat in Texas in August is like going to Alaska for Christmas and complaining about the icicles hanging off your car. It's HOT. OK. Can we please discuss something other than weather?!

I saw Thanksgiving and yes, Christmas decor at the decorating store last week. I love Christmas quite possibly more than anyone in the entire world and this bothered me. Having 'back to school' supplies right next to Santa seems just unnatural.

But I will admit I listened to a little bit of Nat King Cole's 'Christmas Song' (hey, it was HOT and it made me feel a little cooler ;) ).

I have seen the future and it takes place in a black SUV

I am trying to set up all the extra-curricular activities my kids want for the school year.

Oddly, they all seem to fall on the same days in the same two--three hour time frame.

Sarah has insisted to be in a two day a week ballet class because her favorite instructor, the school director, teaches it. She refuses to even sign up for a second choice. In her words "I will only be in that class and if that class if full, they need to make room for me."

Exactly 30 minutes after that class starts, the music class Dino wants to join begins. And there are no other options here. Music is one of the few things Dino truly loves, enjoys and looks forward to. I just cannot stop this class.

Then there is Miley. The theater we went to over the summer is putting on a fall play. Miley has been bitten by the acting/singing bug and wants to desperately be a part of the fall production. Before they go to every day practice, they have three day a week, two of which take place exactly 45 minutes after Sarah's ballet starts and 15 minutes after Dino's music class.

Oh and did I forget to mention this classes are not near each other, not even close. And the class time is right around evening rush hour?

I am thinking if I drive, drop-off, drive, drop-off, drive, drop-off, pick-up, drive, pick-up, drive and pick-up drive, Spanky and I will be spending exactly three hours in the car two days a week (it won't be so bad both days as Dino's music class is just one day a week).

We may need to buy some books on CD.

August. The weirdest month of the year.

I hate August. No, I love August. I cannot wait for August to just end. I wish it could stay August forever.

August is hot, really hot. It's that last month of summer, and as always summer saves the real heat for the end. I wish the leaves would just start changing.

August is the last month of summer vacation. Soon, I'll be swamped with home schooling stuff, buying books, busy school year activities and driving everywhere. Getting up early, really early, so I can work out. Having to go to bed really early, like the same time as the kids.

August is football camp. This morning, NFL players got back on the field. College teams are gearing up. Pro teams are prepping for pre-season games. The Browns have not lost any games. The Buckeyes could be national champs.

August is weird. I can't decide if I am overjoyed that today is the first day of August or if I am just trembling with fear about what the month is about to bring.