$91.24 for $1.16

I LOVE RITE AID!  This was my last minute trip last night.  The total is after all the coupons and Ups' that printed for my next visit.  My total out of pocket was $17.16.  That's still pretty good in my book since 2 of the items I bought I barter for my daughters piano lessons.  So check out my deals and if anyone local wants some help couponing message me and if I get enough people interested I will hold a class.

Money Jar Update

Well its been 4 months since we started the money jar.  I thought we would give you an update.  It is going great.  Every time I get change and one of my darlings is with me you can bet I will hear something like "great mom, more money for the jar".  The children are very excited.  Most of the time the older children let the baby put the money in the jar.  She loves it!  Every time we see a commercial of a Disney cruise on the sin box, aka television, they jump up and start looking for money.  We have now included the recycling money to our efforts.  I am also trying to scrape up the nerve to look through trash cans while filling up at the gas stations to look for cans and bottles.  I can't believe I just admitted that!  Ever so often I decide I need to know how much is in the jar.  As of last week we have over $150.  It's not much but its a great start.  If you have any other interesting ways to add to the jar let me know.

Family Money Jar

This is how our money jar came about.  My hubby and I went to Hawaii a few years back and when we got home we promised the kids the next time we go we would take them.  That was a big mistake because I have a family of 7.  That is a lot of cash.  Well last year while I was at AAA I picked up a brochure for the Disney Cruise Line.  They are now sailing out of Los Angeles.  Hubby and I decided to give the kids a choice.  Disney cruise or Hawaii.  There was a catch though,  If they chose Disney and there is an opportunity for hubby and I to go to Hawaii before that we were no longer obligated to take them with.  They chose Disney Cruise!  So then we talked about how we where going to afford this trip since it was going to be more then Hawaii.  I didn't want it to be just mommy and daddy paying for it so we came up with this.

We fill the jars a couple of ways.  Every time the kids speak mean to each other they have to do an extra chore to earn a quarter to put in the jar. The day before pay day the kids search everywhere for change.  I let them dig through my mess of a purse, take the money out of the ashtray in the van and don't forget the couch (best way to get the couch clean by the way).  We do everything in cash so we always have change.  It's kinda like BofA's savings thingy.  Well its working!  I was curious and dumped the whole jar and counted it. In one month we saved $70.  I couldn't believe it!  I thought to myself I'm not budgeting very well, but that is another story I will post later.