The month of August kicks off some great shopping and deals! Part of learning how to save the most money is knowing when the best time of year is to purchase items at their rock bottom prices.

Back to School: It is a given that August is the month to stock up on all of your back to school supplies. The sales at office supply stores (Staples, Office Depot, Office Max), national chain stores (Target, Wal-Mart, Kmart) and drug stores (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid) are where the best deal are at. Grab your kids’ school supplies list and look for the best deals. Don’t just buy for the first day of school though, think about what you will need year round as replacements (pencils, glue, crayons, paper, etc) and purchase enough to last the year round. Don’t forget about supplies you may need at home for homework too. Many of the office supply stores have great 1 cent, 5 cent and other super cheap deals with a limit of one deal per person. So take the kids in with you, give them each a buck and teach them some math skills by letting them buy their own back to school supplies!

Tip! – No kids at home that’s ok August is also a great time to fill your home office supply drawer or closet with pencils, pens, glue, staples, paper clips and paper too. I buy not just for my kids but also for my home office too!

Back to school office supply deals to be watching for:

• Backpacks
• Book Covers
• Calculators
• Colored Pencils
• Crayons
• Erasers
• Folders
• Glue
• Lunch boxes & lunch bags
• Markers
• Notebooks
• Page Dividers
• Paper (both note book paper and copy paper)
• Paper Clips
• Pencil Sharpeners
• Pencils
• Pens
• Rubber Bands
• Rulers
• Staples & Staplers

Back to school grocery deals to be watching for: School supply shopping does not end in the office supplies section of the store. Deals are to be had on some great grocery items. Think “School lunches” when you think about the grocery sales as well as convenience foods for breakfast. August also kicks off promotions like the Kellogg’s Fuel for School (watch for coupons and rebates).

• Bread
• Cheese slices
• Cold Cereal
• Condiments such as mustard and mayonnaise
• Deli meat
• Disinfecting wipes (Clorox & Lysol)
• Drink pouches & juice boxes
• Facial Tissue (Kleenex & Puffs)
• Fresh Fish
• Frozen waffles
• Fruit and apple sauce cups
• Hand sanitizer (Purell)
• Jelly
• Juice
• Peanut Butter
• Pudding cups
• Raisins in snack pack mini boxes
• Snacks like cookies, crackers and chips
• Toaster pastries
• Tortillas (think sandwich wraps)

August produce: It is now the peak of the summer produce season and now is the time to get in on some great deals on summer favorites in the produce department, farmers markets or road side produce stands. Stock up now and fill your freezer or if you do home canning take advantage of great deals on the following during the peak of season.

• Apricots
• Basil
• Bell Peppers
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Grapes (red & green)
• Gravenstein Apples
• Green beans
• Hass Avocados
• Hot peppers
• Limes
• Melons (watermelon, cantaloupe, honey dew)
• Nectarines
• Okra
• Onion
• Peaches
• Pears (Asian & Bartlett)
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Shelling beans
• Summer squash
• Tomatillo
• Tomatoes
• Valencia Oranges

Other Sales & Clearance Deals:

August is a good time to pick up some items for the house too. Buy now when these items are at their lowest price points or on clearance.

Barbecue & Patio Equipment – As stores get ready for the autumn and winter seasonal items they will be marking down the prices on outdoor gear. This is the time of year to purchase a new grill or stock up on charcoal and lighter fluid for next season.

Bathing Suits & Beach Towels – Again watch for these to go on clearance and buy now for next summer. Look for markdowns in the 70-75% range.

Consumer Electronics - To along with the back to school supplies like crayons and glue it is also a good time to pick up a new computer (laptops more than desk tops as sales are geared towards the college kids). So if you are in the market now is the time to buy. Also look for sales on paper shredders, hand held calculators, keyboards and USB devices.

Home & Garden Centers - As summer projects winding down stores like Home Depot and Lowes Home Improvement will start trying to clear out lumber, home remodeling supplies and other project items.  Garden supplies will start to see the trend on markdowns as well. Look for discounts on hand tools, pots, potting soil, and watering cans. Air conditioners, dehumidifiers, lawn mowers and outdoor furniture are good bets as well. August is also the time of year to buy carpet. While not always the lowest price deals, if you are a gardener, August is the time to begin planning and ordering online or by mail your bulbs (tulips, daffodils, crocus, etc.) for autumn planting.

Linens & Towels – Older kids going off to college means sales on twin and full sized bedding as well as linens in bright colors geared towards the younger age group.

Summer Clothing – Check the clearance racks for great markdowns on shorts, tank tops, sundresses and other summer clothing. Don’t forget to check the clearance racks for sunglasses, summer hats and sandals and flip flops as well.

Sunscreen & Insect repellent – You are supposed to wear sunscreen year round however in some parts of the country sunscreen can be hard to find in the winter and when you can find it, it is at full price. So watch for sunscreen to go on clearance as well at this time of year and stock up to last till next season. Watch the expiration dates however, although, most sunscreen has a 1 year expiration date so you should be OK.

Toys – Summer toys such as water guns, bubbles, kiddie pools, pool inflatable’s and other outdoor toys that have not been sold yet will be marked down heavily. Watch for 50-70% off sale prices as retailers try to move stock.

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While there are some items that are hard to find coupons for that does not mean that you should pay full price for them. The same strategy for shopping with coupons can apply. Watch the sales and learn how to prepare and process these foods for the freezer and you won’t have to pay full retail price for them.

Bread: Whenever there is a good sale on bread, bagels, English muffins or other baked goods, stock up and freeze. To freeze simply wrap the bread in an extra layer of plastic wrap and place in the freezer. I have found that it is best to store frozen bread in the center of your freezer and not next to the sides if you can avoid it as this helps prevent freezer burn. Now mind you that bread can get stale in the freezer if it is stored long term. But I find that I can easily store 2-3 weeks of bread in my freezer without compromising flavor or texture. Longer storage can leave your bread not as tasty, but if you find that you have some frozen bread that was stored too long you, don’t throw it out, but instead use it for French toast, bread pudding, bread crumbs or extender in meatloaf or meatballs.

Cheese: Cheese is an expensive item at the grocery store, often retailing at $4.00 a pound or more. However when you can find a good deal on it go ahead and stock up and freeze it. Hard cheeses freeze the best but if frozen in blocks many will thaw with a crumbly texture so it is best to use these cheeses for cooking (think lasagna, enchiladas, macaroni & cheese). Cheese that is already shredded is easily frozen. Just toss the bags directly into the freezer or if you buy cheese in bulk or by the block you can shred the cheese at home (a food processor with a shredding attachment makes the job easier) and package in 1 or 2 cup sizes in freezer bags. Sliced American cheese (think Kraft Singles) can also be frozen, just watch for freezer burn. Just about all types of cheese can be frozen, but some will change texture when thawed. Most cheeses can be frozen for about 6 months however if you package them in air tight bags (Foodsaver) cheese can last a year or longer in the freezer.

Deli Meat: Lunch meat is another expensive food item that can be frozen for use later. Meat sliced fresh from the deli as well as pre-packaged deli meat can be frozen for up to 6 months. Look for sales and if you can combine with manufactures coupons for additional savings. Pre-packaged lunch meat can be frozen right in the package but sliced deli meat from the deli counter should be packaged in air tight bags. Once thawed most deli meats will be expel some of the water and be a little juicy. However all you need to do is drain off or pat the lunch meat on a paper towel to dry the meat. I have not found any significant change in texture once thawed. One money saving tip for deli meat is to look for deli ends from the deli counter. These ends of ham, turkey and roast beef can be had sometimes for $1.00 a pound and can be sliced or diced for additions to meals.

Eggs: Whenever eggs go on sale for $0.99 a dozen or less I try to purchase a few dozen to help stretch my budget. Eggs can last 2-3 weeks in their carton in your refrigerator, but if you don’t think you will use them before they expire then freezing can extend the use of your bargain eggs. The easiest way to freeze eggs is to crack them into a container and beat them until the white and yolk are combined. Put the beaten egg into small containers and freeze. I like to make small containers that hold 2 eggs each and since many recipes call for 2 eggs and 2 eggs is usually a serving for omelets or scrambled eggs. However you can also freeze in larger containers of 4 to 6 eggs as well for larger recipes or meals. I just simply thaw the frozen eggs in the refrigerator overnight and use the next day. You can cook scrambled eggs right from the frozen state if you start your pan on a low temperature. I use frozen eggs in cakes, cookies, quiche, pancakes, and all sorts of dishes. Additionally you can freeze the yolks and whites separately. To freeze egg yolks, place the egg yolks into a container and gently stir. Add 1 ½ tablespoons sugar, 1 1/1 tablespoons corn syrup or ½ teaspoon salt per cup of egg yolk depending on the intended use (sugar and corn syrup for sweet baked goods or salt for savory dishes). Package into containers allowing ½ inch headspace. Seal and freeze. One tablespoon egg yolk mixture equals on egg yolk. To freeze egg whites, place the egg whites into a container and gently mix (do not whip). Package in containers leaving ½ inch headspace. Seal and freeze containers. Two tablespoons of the egg-white mixture equal one egg white.

Fruits and vegetables: While the list of fruits and vegetables that can be frozen is too extensive to list out here. You can and should freeze produce when it is in season and at the cheapest price possible. Gardening and growing your own produce can further reduce the cost on nutritious fruits and vegetables. To get a feel about what fruits and vegetables can be frozen take a walk down the frozen food section of your store. Everything from berries, melons, corn, green beans, peas, tomatoes, potatoes and more can be frozen. I like to buy in bulk and prepare for freezing things that I consider staples for cooking. When potatoes, onions, garlic, carrots, and citrus are in season I take a few hours to do some prep work. Some items need no preparation before freezing. Berries for example should just be picked through to make sure there are no moldy ones and then just need to be flash frozen on a cookie sheet. Once frozen berries can be packed into freezer bags or containers for long term storage in your freezer. Other produce items need a little bit of prep work before they can be frozen. Corn, carrots, peas and green beans for example need to be blanched before being frozen. Potatoes on the other hand really need to be cooked before they can be frozen as the starch in potatoes turns into sugar and can effect the taste and texture of the final product.

Herbs: Fresh herbs are a wonderful thing to have on hand for cooking a tasty dish however they are expensive at the grocery store. I prefer to grow my own (herbs are easy to grow, give them a try). However weather you purchase them at the store or farmers market or grow your own you usually will have more fresh herbs than you will need for a dish so freezing the extra allows you to prevent waste and have that same fresh herb taste. To freeze herbs you have a couple of options. The easiest way is to combine your fresh herbs with a little water and process them in a blender or food processor. Freeze the mixture in ice cube trays. Once frozen place your herb cubes into freezer bags and seal. Use the frozen herb cubes in soups and stews and other cooked dishes. Another method is to flash freeze your herbs by placing dry sprigs of herbs on a wax paper or parchment lined cookie sheet and placing the entire sheet in the freezer. Once the herbs are frozen you can then place the herbs into plastic bags for use later. Frozen herbs will retain their flavor however will become limp once thawed, but are perfect to use in cooked dishes. This past summer I grew an abundance of basil and prepared 20 pints of homemade pesto and froze in small plastic freezer safe containers. I figured the cost of ingredients and containers ended up being about 1.50 a pint which is cheap compared to the almost $4.00 price of premade refrigerated pesto found at the grocery stores.

Milk: You can easily freeze milk for 6 months to a year. I usually toss whole gallons of milk right in the freezer with no other prep work needed. However some people like to open the container of milk and pour out a cup to allow for some head-space for freezing. I must admit that there are some folks that swear that there is a difference in the taste and/or texture of thawed frozen milk. But I personally cannot tell the difference. You may wish to freeze a gallon and then thaw it and taste it to see if you notice a change. Either way, you can always use the milk for cooking. Milk in my area sometimes goes on markdown for as low as $1.00 a gallon and as long as I freeze it right away I can extend the shelf life of that milk. Once thawed use the milk as normal.

Nuts: Nuts are outrageously expensive but a great source of fiber and good for you fats. If you can get a deal on them there is no harm in freezing nuts for extended use. I like to look for nuts on clearance after the holidays but I will also buy in bulk at a warehouse store and freeze for long term use. Nuts stored at room temperature run the risk of the oils contained in the nuts going rancid, so even if you don’t have a lot of nuts to store, you should still store nuts in either your refrigerator or freezer. Nuts stored in the freezer can last 6 months to a year. To prepare there is no need to thaw, just pull desired amount from the freezer and chop or eat whole. You can freeze nuts right in the shell or to save space shell or purchase already shelled nuts to add to your freezer.

Rice: While dry rice can be stored a long time at room temperature provided that it is stored in a well sealed container, did you know that you can store cooked rice in your freezer? Whenever I make rice for a meal I like to make extra rice and freeze it for use later. I simply put cooked rice into freezer bags or containers. I add cooked rice to soups or other dishes that call for rice. You can freeze individual portions of rice or larger container for meals. While freezing rice may not save a lot of money it can be a time saver, and time is money when all is said and done. Cooking extra rice takes very little time or effort but when you are in a hurry to put a quick meal on the table having precooked rice on hand is a nice time saver.

Wine: I love a good glass of wine every now and then but often times I will find myself with leftover wine. You can save that wine by freezing in ice cube trays and placing the frozen wine cubes into plastic freezer bags. Then whenever a recipe calls for a little wine you can just toss a wine cube or two (remember one ice cube equals 3 tablespoons) into the dish. Additionally frozen wine cubes can be used as regular ice cubes in drinks like Sangria without watering down your drink. This method can also be applied to tea, coffee and other beverages.

Recently I created a wonderful breakfast quiche from almost all ingredients from my freezer. Eggs, cheese, onion, green peppers, and ham. I even had a homemade frozen pie crust. The only ingredient that I used that I did not have in my freezer was some herbs, and that was simply because I had already used up all my herbs that I froze this past Summer. Which tells me that I need to freeze more this summer! The key to freezing items in order to save money is to buy the items when the price is low and in the case of produce when the item is in season, spend a few minutes on prep work, freeze and then make sure you use what is in your freezer for meal preparation.

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Tags: Bread, Cheese, Deli, Eggs, Freezer, Freezing, Fruits And Vegetables, Herbs, Milk, Nuts, Produce, Rice, Wine
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Sometimes the loaves of the ends of bread won’t get used for toast and sandwiches. But don’t toss them instead here are a few frugal tips to get them used up.

* Bread crumbs – Toss them in a freezer bag and store in the freezer. Once you have a bag full of ends saved up. Spread the slices of bread in a single layer on a baking sheet and dry in a low temperature oven (250 degrees) for an hour or so until the bread is dry and crisp yet not toasted. Whirl the dried bread in a food processor or blender and store bread crumbs in a air tight container. Use in recipes that call for bread crumbs such as meatloaf.
* Feed the birds – Again save your bread loaf ends in a freezer bag in the freezer. Once you have a bag full find a local park or pond and feed the ducks, pigeons, or other local birds. This is a fun frugal activity to do with your children.
* Bread pudding – Bread pudding originated as a frugal recipe to use leftover stale bread. With a few basic ingredients like stale bread, eggs, milk, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg you can make a simply hearty dessert.
* Croutons – Save bread ends in a bag in the freezer till you have a bagful. Then thaw bread, cut into cubes, toss in olive oil or melted butter. Season with your favorite seasonings such as garlic salt, oregano, thyme, or whatever peaks your fancy. Spread cubes of seasoned bread onto a baking sheet and toast in an 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes stirring occasionally to prevent burning and even toasting. Store cooled croutons in a air tight container or bag.

Find more tips here!

Tags: Bread, Bread Heel, Bread Pudding, Crouton, Feed The Birds, Frugal Activity, Frugal Living, Frugal Tip
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Last week I gave you some ideas to help you keep your finances healthy through the New Year, and this week I’ve got some tips to keep your body humming along and getting fit.

A full 30% of Americans resolve to lose weight in the New Year. If keeping that resolution were easy, we wouldn’t be at the top of the list in worldwide obesity. Let’s throw out those worn out excuses, and find some inexpensive options to help you keep your resolve this year.

I don’t have the money for healthy food. Yep, I know things are tight. And I do know that organic, fresh food can sometimes seem out of reach. But there are some economic alternatives for the frugal consumer.

* Check your local farmer’s market. Not only do you find local harvest there, but they oftentimes have a bumps and bruises section in the market where they keep items that are still consumable, but just not as attractive as the other produce. It might be the apple with a slight bruise or the funny-looking bell pepper, but these items are super deals that allow you to eat frugally and well.

* Be willing to work a little with your produce. Buying your items in the hull or with the peels still on (in the case of carrots) will cost you a little time, but you’ll save big bucks at the checkout. Already prepped produce is a super time-saver, but by putting in a little elbow grease and time yourself, you’ll save money.

* Eat what’s in season. Apples are great right now, oranges too. All kinds of greens can be found for reasonable prices. Winter squash won’t bust your budget either. And don’t be afraid to try something new. There are some great recipes on HotCouponWorld.com for preparing your new find, and if you don’t see something that whets your appetite, ask away! With close to 110,000 members, HotCouponWorld folks are happy to help you prepare those new veggies and fruits.

Ok, so we’ve got the fruits and veggies, but what about meat? No way can I afford $5 a pound for meat! Here is where investing a little time in you comes in again. You are worth it! Put your frugal hat on, and get cracking, checking sale ads. If you don’t get the newspaper or your ads aren’t delivered in your mailbox before the sales start, don’t worry. You can access store ads and good deal alerts on HotCouponWorld.com!

* Boneless skinless chicken is a great meat to eat on your diet. It’s so versatile; you can prepare it a ton of different ways. This time of year, savvy stores will run buy one, get one specials to get you in the store. But here’s where we take it a step further – and these tips apply to all fresh meat products you’ll need.

* Find out what brands of meat your store carries. These companies may put out coupons for their products! Check out the HotCouponWorld Coupon Database. Enter the brand that you’re looking for to see what coupons are available. Combine your coupons with a buy-one-get-one sale, and you’ve got a super meal at a rock-bottom price. When you find the deal, stock up!

* Check to see when your store marks down meats. These meats are still good for consumption, but they are nearing their ‘sell-by’ date. Meat IS still good after that date, but you must eat it immediately or freeze for later use. It’s not uncommon to see packages of meat marked down by $2 or more, making them a super deal!

Hey, these are good ideas! Is there a way to cut prices on bread too? Absolutely, there are coupons out most of the time for whole grain sliced bread, so check the coupon database at HotCouponWorld.com for your favorite brands. If you’re an artisan bread fan, check your local bakeries and the bakeries in the grocery for marked down items. Again, these are still good for consumption; they may have been a leftover package from the day before, or perhaps they were in the oven a bit too long. But they’ll normally be anywhere from 50-75% off the regular price. When you find something you like, stock up on it. Bread freezes wonderfully.

Like I said before, I know times are tough for many of you right now. But that’s no excuse not to treat your body and your family right, feeding them with good healthy food to nourish them, body and soul. On a limited budget, and with a little effort and forethought, you can afford those healthy foods that will help you and your family to keep those weight loss resolutions. Get shopping, and good luck!

Tags: Bread, Chicken, Coupon Database, Farmers Market, Freezing, Fruit, Meat, Produce, Vegetable, Weight Loss
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