The Sweet Life On A Budget

  There are cycles in the weather, economy, politics, and general fabrics of life, but I am focused on the sales cycles that are fairly predictable and consistent.  However, caution is best served here because overspending can easily occur in the name of saving money.   Since knowledge is power, here are a few tricks and skills to help you make an informed decision on your cycles.  This month we will focus on the September Sales Cycles and give a monthly tip/trick to maximize your budget.  July has the 4th of July and the start of School sales.  Here are some of the things I look for in July:  Back to School Supplies (pencils, pens, notebooks, notebook paper, crayons, folders, markers, colored pencils, notecards, etc.)  Backpacks Insect Repellent Sunscreen BBQ Items (hot dogs, chips, soda, hamburgers, condiments, charcoal, salad dressings, BBQ sauce)  Ice Cream (National Ice Cream Month)  Technology- Ipads, Computers, iPhones, DVD Players, etc.  In addition to shopping the sales, it is

  So far this year we were able to pick up 147 free items .  High inflation is making finding free items more challenging to find.   However, I have set a goal to beat last year’s number (247). I am working towards finding the most items when I have more time and giving myself grace during the months when my time is limited.    My goal for next year is to find 264 FREE Items. This works out to 22 items per month.  This may be challenging because drug stores and grocery store deals have started to dry up. I rely on digital coupons, printables from the company when available, store coupons and reward programs, samples, and rebate apps such as IBOTTA.      As always, I can secure these items through Kroger incentives, Drug Store (Walgreens/CVS)  Rewards programs, sales, Smart Source, Meijer’s sales/store coupons, sample requests, and Rebates Programs (IBOTTA/SavingStar).    January 2024 (29 Items) February (19 Items)  March (39 items)  April (20 Items)  May ( 32 Items)  June (8 Items)  Ba