As I mentioned last month, summertime is a difficult time for our family to save money, as I am sure it is for most families with children. We had all our kids home which was absolutely amazing but it does increase our grocery bill, and with all of them working, it requires a lot of time and money to transport 2 of them back and forth to work. In addition, we are all seeing higher prices not only in the grocery stores but also at the pump making life a bit more expensive for all of us.
Again, this month, I made sure that every time I left the house I ran any errand that happened to be on the way. I also let the kids that were home know each time I left the house and where I was going in case they needed something or wanted to go so they could save their gas by sharing a ride. Once a kid has to pay for their own gas, it’s amazing how quickly they will take you up on a ride. 🙂
Since I have been driving so much this summer, I cleaned out the back of our van and pulled out all unnecessary items, which embarrassingly enough, was a lot. I figured less weight in the vehicle should help with gas mileage, even if it is just a little bit.
In July I cashed out my IBotta* and FETCH** rewards which resulted in $40 of Amazon gift cards. I used this money to purchase food items that are a bit more expensive and do not usually fit into our budget. On a side note, of the two apps that I use consistently, FETCH is my absolute favorite due to its ease of use. You just snap a photo of your receipt — any receipt — and that is it. I have yet to snap a photo of a receipt and not receive at least 25 points.
In July I also cashed out my reward dollars from Walgreen’s, which allowed me to buy personal items that are otherwise too expensive to purchase. Another great reason to participate in loyalty rewards programs.
This month we also worked very hard to stay under budget in all areas with the extra money, no matter how small the amount, going towards paying down the mortgage. I have been amazed how even the smallest payments, when added together, make an impact.
This summer two of my daughters and I participated in our library’s summer’s reading program where we earned free new books along with other prizes. We were able to choose free books from a huge selection of new Scholastic books; the three of us now have enough to keep us busy for a while.
We always love to read and celebrate the ways that you save money! So if you had a recent win, please do share!
*Sign up for Fetch with referral code “FTW9J” for and get 2,000 points when you snap your first receipt.
**Sign up for Ibotta with referral code “rhorbip” to start earning rewards.