UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed.
Even as a very small child, some of my favorite play-time activities were playing store {I was the cashier} and writing numbers in my “bank book” {see picture below}.
When I was six, my parents helped me open my first savings account and then make small deposits on a regular basis. You can probably imagine how excited I was to balance a REAL bank register after each deposit!
I opened a checking account when I was 18, and was extremely hesitant to spend even one penny more than I absolutely had to! I used coupons to buy groceries all through college, and worked as many hours as I could to quickly pay off my student loans.
Now that I’m “all grown up” I’m still frugal, I still use coupons, I still don’t spend money if I don’t have to, and I still balance my bank register after every transaction {yes, I do online banking too!}
Basically, I’ve been frugal for as long as I can remember — thanks in large parts to my parents who have always encouraged me and my sisters to save, save, save!
Because of my love for frugal living, I am simply ecstatic about today’s giveaway — The Money Saving Mom’s Budget. It’s a brand new book written by one of my blogging friends, Crystal Paine of MoneySavingMom.com.
Crystal’s book is not only packed FULL of hundreds of tips and tricks to save more, spend less, and pay off debt; it also contains a wealth of information on how to simplify and organize your entire life… which I’m all in favor of 🙂
Plus the entire book is written from a “normal” person’s perspective on finances; so you won’t have to weed through financial jargon or constantly wonder if you’re understanding it correctly.
As I was reading her book, I kept thinking “I could have written this” because I honestly agree with pretty much everything she says. You can read more about her book here, but then come back and enter to win one of 5 copies!
The Giveaway:
Today, five lucky readers will win a copy of Crystal’s new book, The Money Saving Mom’s Budget!
How to Enter:
1. Leave a comment. How are you trying to save more and spend less this year?
2. Like Simple Organized Living and/or Money Saving Mom on Facebook, and then leave a separate comment letting me know you did {or that you do already}.
If you are reading this in your email or feed reader, please visit the actual blog post to enter. Email entries, Facebook comments, and Twitter messages will NOT be counted.
Prizes:
(5) copies of The Money Saving Mom’s Budget as described above.
This giveaway ends at 10:00 pm on Tuesday, 1/17/2012 and is open to all U.S. and Canadian residents 18 years or older. I will use And the Winner Is to select the winning comments at random. Winners will be notified by email and noted at the top of this post. Winners must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize or I will choose a new winner. Please see my full disclosure policy and contact me with any questions you have. Good luck!
Angie S says
I already am a fan of Money Saving Mom on facebook
Kim says
I’m going to make my own detergent this year to save money
Jennifer says
I “like” money saving mom on facebook!
Becca says
And I like you on FB!
Jan A says
We are building a house and doing most everything by ourselves to avoid having debt and living it at the same time.
Stacy says
Like Money Saving Mom on FB
Becca says
We are trying to do better meal planning which of course means fewer trips to the store (& a less frazzled mama!).
janelle says
We are making meals from scratch and trying to use the envelope system!
Cassie Shrigley says
My husband and I have signed up for E-Mealz and we have vowed to shop at Aldi’s for nearly all food. We have already saved so much money on food!!! Cutting down on food expenses helps us work on our debt so much faster!
Stacy says
To eat out less and only go to the store when we need something.
Jennifer says
One thing we are doing is switching cable services and bundle our phone, cable and internet. We are now saving over $100 per month for a 3 year period!
Eva says
Just liked SOL on Facebook and already following MSM
Rebecca says
As a family of 7, living frugal is a necessity in today’s world. I use coupons and only buy the loss leaders at the grocery store. I watch the clearance displays at Target like a hawk, you can really get some great bargains if you pair them with coupons. I also am an avid garage saler and have done really well over the years.
Angie G. says
I would love to read this book as I share a lot of the same ideas as well. This year my husband and I are trying to stick to a budget that we created based on last year’s tracked expenses. We will also be trying our best to pay off our student loans once and for all!
Lara says
I am really trying to use coupons more. I am still not very good at it, but I am trying! Also, I have started tallying what I spend, and am trying to stick to a budget. It would be great to see the tips in this book!
Jessica says
I rarely purchase food products without a coupon anymore. Feeding growing teenagers is expensive, so I do most of my shopping at Save A Lot. My husband weekly paycheck gets direct deposited into our checking account, that way we are not tempted to keep cash out. I first pay all my bills, then I try to “hoard” whats left. My kids have all they need, but not all they want. I try to explain to them that money is tight for everyone and they should be VERY thankful for what they have, becasue it is alot more than others. I also try to walk instead of drive if its only a few blocks away, saving gas.
Lina says
I like Money Saving Mom on facebook, that’s how I came across your site. 🙂
Megan Teachout says
We are just trying to be aware of where our money is going. We have made the most we have every made and can’t figure out where all the money went to.!
jennifer says
We are tracking our cash allowances each month to see where it goes. Hoping to be able to put what we have been wasting on unnecessary purchases into savings. Baby steps to bigger things.
Lina says
To stay out of the stores and only buy when I need something. I have been pretty frugal over the past few years but have noticed that if ‘m in the store and see something that’s 75% off that I could use, I think I “need it.” Now I want to buy something when I REALLY NEED it, not because it’s an awesome deal.
Katherine says
I like money saving mom on facebook.
Carol Jackson says
Am working at getting bills paid off and using cash for purchaes this year.
Carol Jackson says
Already like Money Saving Mom
Katherine says
We’re trying to eat out less and make more at home. It’s definitely a work in progress though.
Marsha Scott says
We have been trying to use up every food scrap we have left over. I’ve used baked chicken to make homemade chicken noodle soup the next day. I also have started freezing leftovers that I don’t reuse immediately. We have also eliminated cable TV and have gone strictly to streaming web TV since we have internet anyway. It’s getting tight here in the great US.
Jennifer Madigan says
I ‘Like’ Simple Organized Living & Money Saving Mom on Facebook.
Cassie says
I just “liked” Simple Organized Living on Facebook!
Eileen Ramos says
I also “like” both MSM and SO on Facebook!
cmaze says
Trying to learn how to use coupons better. Already a friend of both sites.
Julie Baskette says
I already “liked” Money Saving Mom on FB & now I “like” Simple Organized Living on FB.
kristen says
I liked you on facebook!
Becky says
I like Money Saving Mom on FB.
Jennifer Madigan says
We try to use coupons for everything. We are also trying to cut back on our spending so that we can pay down debt and become debt free. Unfortunately every time we seem to be taking a step forward something happens and we take a step back again.
Julie Baskette says
I will try ANYTHING to save money this year, including potty training my twin boys. 🙂
Caitlyn says
We have cut back on dining out. Come up with a written budget and are determined to stick to it. Cancelled credit cards and are working on paying them off as well as paying off vehicle loans.
Mandie says
Love MSM, but “like” her on Facebook
Eileen Ramos says
To save money, I plan my family’s meals, shop store ads and ALWAYS go to the grocery store with a list. I also use coupons, just not to the “extreme” level. 🙂
I would love to win a copy of this book!!
kristen says
we are only keeping what we need in our checking account for two weeks and putting the rest in our savings account. By doing this we plan on saving $12,000 this year.
tammy328 says
i like SOL on fb
Renee C. says
I like both you, and Money Saving Mom on Facebook.
Tammy says
Like ya on facebook