What is your first name? Sarah... what a surprise, huh? : )
What are your kids’ names and ages? DS, 18 months. Baby #2 due 1/29/09. I think I've already given away too much info around here, so I'll leave it at that.
How did you find Mommysavers? Have you referred anyone here? Were you referred here?I was surfing the internet trying to find ways to save money on the whole mommy-thing when I was pregnant with DS. I've told lots of my friends about MS but no one has really joined, unfortunately!
What does your user name mean?
It means all the user names I could think of at the time I was trying to register were already taken!
Out of all the things the members here have offered in terms of advice, support, counsel and criticism, what have you personally benefited from? And do you remember specifically who the member was that offered that advice?I can't give any specifics, but the forums have opened up a whole new world of frugal homemaking that I knew nothing about before joining. Oh wait, I learned about drug store rebate programs here, and also some of the joys of using coupons.
How many coupons do you use on a regular basis? 0-5 per week. Mostly for cereal at the grocery store and toiletries at Rite Aid. Honestly, I hate them, and I wouldn't bother if money weren't as much of an issue. I buy mostly store brand things anyway, and I find it very tedious to compare store-brand unit prices to sale+coupon unit prices in order to save $.35.
What was your most recent "bargain"?I don't remember how I ended up with a coupon for a free box of Honey Bunches of Oats (only up to $3.79) in my mailbox, but I know it was thanks to Mommysavers! At Rite Aid they were having a sale on Post cereals, BOGOF. Plus toothpaste was one of the free-after-rebate sales that week. So I got two boxes of cereal and a tube of toothpaste for $0.21. This was a couple of weeks ago.
What have you done to save money this week?Not turned on the oil furnace (I'm wearing a hat, fleece jacket, and drinking hot tea as I type!), used cloth wipes for DS, made bread in the bread machine, turned off lights I would prefer to keep on after dark.
What do you consider a way of life that others think is a crazy way to save?Only turning on the oil furnace for hot water in the evening for dishes and showers. Heating oil is so expensive that we are determined to make this one tank last as long as humanly possible. Also, making a menu for two weeks, and only buying what is necessary to make those meals when I go to the store. Using cloth wipes.
What is your favorite store in which to find bargains?Rite Aid, but I haven't tried Walgreens or CVS yet. I love Goodwill. And I shop in multiple grocery stores each week to take advantage of different sales.
What is the best deal you ever found (even if it wasn’t at your favorite store)? Oh I don't remember. I haven't really bought anything that wasn't food or other necessities for a long time.
What is your best money saving tip? It used to be not to carry cash, because it's a lot easier to justify buying a soda or candy bar when you have a couple bucks in your purse rather than swiping a card for $.99. But now I'm rarely even tempted to buy non-essentials because things are so tight, so probably just don't drive anywhere you don't need to.
What is your favorite frugal meal?Hard to say, since a lot of my favorites from before aren't so appetizing to me now that I'm pregnant. If we're talking super-frugal (aka meatless and cheeseless!), probably banana pancakes.
Do you enter contests? If so, what is the best prize you’ve ever won? In college I entered a little writing contest about Hello Kitty and won a cool first-place prize pack with all kinds of neat Hello Kitty things. Five years ago I won tickets to see the Boston Pops Christmas but we couldn't even go, so I had to give them to some friends. That's about it.
If money were no object, what 3 things would you buy yourself or your family? A Harley, an airplane, and a house waaaay out in the country with property large enough to hunt on AND have a private air strip.
If you had $10 to spend on yourself (you and you alone) what would you buy? Probably a few clothing items at Goodwill.
Are there words you live by? What are they?
Sola scriptura (by Scripture alone)
Sola fide (by faith alone)
Sola gratia (by grace alone)
Solus Christus (Christ alone)
Soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone).
These are basically the slogan of the Protestant Reformation, a heritage that I treasure.
Sum yourself up in 1 word: nerdybikerchickChristianNewHampshirepregnantmommy. ;-) That's the best I can do.