Shopping, Shopping, Shopping, and SAVING

Lately, I've been asking myself all the time, "Why are prices for everything going up?" and (usually when I get to the checkout counter) "How am I supposed to afford this?!?"

Whether we work or stay home, Moms have the glorious task of purchasing nearly everything that makes our families run smoothly -- food, clothing, school supplies, sports supplies -- from sneakers to popsicles to band-aids. When we travel, I decide where we should stay, how expensive a restaurant we can afford to eat in, what activities fit into the travel budget. I have shopped for insurance, homes, cars, credit cards with a good interest rate. I shop for and purchase every single gift and card for every occasion on our family calendar. (And you're welcome! He signed the card, but that gift was, in fact, from me.)

It's funny... men always joke about women shopping. But, where would humanity be if we didn't? I firmly believe that, if I didn't shop, my children would be running around nearly naked, my husband would be wearing the last set of undergarments his mother bought him when he was 17, and our household would own 3 jet skis, a pool table, and a small video arcade -- but no eggs.

So, I thought I would write a few of my tips for saving money. Today's topic: Saving Money on Groceries.

There are a few stores in our local area that I love for bargain hunting on groceries. One is Aldi. It is great for canned goods and basics. You can find low price toiletries, paper goods, frozen foods. Since I started shopping there for my basics, I have shaved about $250 per month from my grocery budget. And, I have to say, it's a nice feeling to get a cart full of groceries for less than $100. I am usually surprised when the clerk says my total -- pleasantly surprised. The downside, you need to provide 25 cents for a grocery cart (you get it back at the end of the trip) and your own bags (reduce, reuse, recycle).

And, although I am no great fan of Walmart, they have something called price-match. That means you can go over the sale ads in your Sunday paper to find the lowest prices on groceries or household goods, make a note of which store has the lowest sale price, and the cashier at Walmart will charge you that price. I heard about this from a dear friend who shops a lot at Walmart. She estimates a savings of about $50 per shopping trip.

A few hints about using price-match:

It is best to make a list of the items you want to buy. Price-match works on store-brand and name-brand items, but it has to be the same item, the same size. For example, this week, Aldi advertised a gallon of 2% milk for $2.49. I had other shopping to do at Walmart, so I was able to buy store-brand 2% milk at the same price.

Occasionally, the cashier will ask you for the advertisement. So, you should also keep a small folder with the ads you want Walmart to match.

Because some extra effort is needed for the cashier to type in the new prices, keep your price-matched items separate from the regularly priced ones. The cashier will appreciate it.

Some final grocery savings notes: it pays to be careful and plan ahead when you're shopping. Do your best to look at your food-buying habits and grocery receipts and be realistic about what is a necessary purchase and what is not. In many ways, home-made items are not only healthier, but more cost-effective.

And, be sure to look at the "Going Green" series on Midwest Moms to see how to use your garden to save money on fresh fruits and vegetables, too.

Good luck with the shopping!

Midwest Mom

Going Green, Part 2

"Going Green" is a chronicle of my adventures in gardening...

So far, this Spring has been awfully wet. We live in corn country, and farmers are having to re-plant their crops because of all the rain.

Their loss is my gain. My lettuce and spinach continue to do great. The rain is holding the temperature down enough to prevent them from bolting. 'Bolting' is when leafy plants lose their compact shape and start to form a flower spike to set seed. When lettuce and spinach bolt, their leaves can get tougher. Mine are still tender and delicious.

I am worrying a bit about mildew issues and will have to investigate safe fungicides to keep the vines on the melons from withering. If you have suggestions, please write them in the comment section. I'll let you know what I find out in my next "Going Green" column.

We're just starting (even though it is already June!) to feel the heat here in Illinos. When it's not stormy, it's starting to feel steamy. My tomatoes, peppers and green beans will love the heat. This is the time when they will really start shooting up. I can't wait. Maybe that will help the mold issue to resolve? I don't know.

In the flower garden, I can report that I have begun to see HONEYBEES! This year is the second year for our wildflowers out back. (And for those of you who think we must have a huge amount of land, we don't!) Last year, the city brought in earth-movers and replaced sewer line along a defunct alley behind our property. Most of the neighbors re-seeded with grass. We are trying a wildflower garden instead, and loving it! We have lillies of the valley, a redbud, and tiger lillies from before. But we seeded with a Midwest Wildflower mix from American Meadows. [http://www.americanmeadows.com] Now, we have a beautiful border of wallflower, dianthus, bluebells, and dame's rocket. There is plenty of cosmos and sunflowers on the way, along with a few plants I haven't identified yet. It promises to be a colorful summer!

I recently read that the crisis in honeybee populations [called CCD, or Colony Collapse Disorder] is partially because high levels of pollution prevent the bees from "smelling" the fragrance of flowers to pollinate. One sniff of a garden full of wallflower and dame's rocket will let you know that will not be a problem out at our place! We also buck a trend by letting clover grow in our lawn. It is so soft on the feet, and the flowers really help the bees. Healthy bees mean better pollinated vegetables in the new veggie garden!

It's all connected. Here's to going green!

Midwest Mom

Deep Breath -- say AHHHH...

Okay, okay... so maybe after my last post, I am the one who seems like she needs a time-out.

There's nothing like a good dose of reality to bring you back from the brink when you're angry. Two things happened today to make me re-think my words.

One: The Clinton camp began to signal that they will end their campaign on Tuesday. [see the link for MSNBC First Read on the right for the latest] There is even talk that some of the superdelegates will get off the fence. Hallelujah. The rest of us have been expected to knuckle down and vote already -- they should too.

Two: My middle child has been sick with a virus all day. Fever of 103 and associated ejector-stomach. It's a new term I'm coining. Maybe someday it'll make it into the medical literature. There's something about a child in such misery that gives you a chance to remember what is important. I just wanted him to feel better, and tonight it seems he finally does.

And so, regarding Hillary Clinton, I still wonder whether to trust her that she will exit gracefully and do as she has promised: tirelessly support the nominee. But, I also realize that as a Mom, there are times when all the big news in the world seems to fall away. When your child is sick, none of that is important anymore.

Life brings you perspective when you least expect it.

Here's to that,

Midwest Mom

Hillary in a Corner

Does anyone get the feeling that Hillary Clinton and her angry supporters just need a "time out"?

If she were my child, I would have taught her something about grace. I think losing gracefully is the hardest thing to convey to my own children. This is what I tell them in those "teachable moments".

- No one says you have to like to lose. It's not something to enjoy.

- Everyone loses now and then. So, being graceful when you lose is a skill you will need and use.

- The key to being a graceful loser is to acknowledge the loss and to congratulate the winner.


So, did Sen. Clinton not have parents who taught her about grace and sportsmanship? Or has she just "fallen in" with a bad crowd (i.e. Bill and James Carville)? After hearing Harold Ickes at the close of the DNC rules committee meeting Saturday, I came to the understanding that she and her camp do not intend to exit quietly. If they do, you could knock me over with a feather.

One thing is certain: the way Hillary Clinton has run her campaign, with the lies she told about Bosnia in Pennsylvania, the "shame on you" in Ohio, pretending she is a proponent of Native American rights in South Dakota, race-baiting in South Carolina, and gas tax pandering in Indiana, she sends the message that her campaign is mostly about her. When she says, "I'll never stop fighting for you." I hear, "I'll never stop fighting for ME."

Now we have the rules committee showdown where the other candidate and his representatives decided to forgo a 50-50 division of Michigan delegates, even though they had the votes. An equitable solution was forged in which Clinton got the majority of the delegates from that contest. Even though many of her supporters on the committee voted for the compromise, she unleashed an attack dog at the end.

To Senator Clinton, I have this to say. I am a mother raising children, and I hope they never act the way you have in this campaign. I am an independent "swing" voter, and you will never get my vote. I am a woman, and I am sorely disappointed that you are the sole representative of my gender on the national political stage.

Now, stop your kicking and screaming. Tell your friends to go home. Because you are going in the corner, young lady. It's time for a little time-out!

How to beat high gas prices.

$3.99 a gallon!

I just filled up my car, and it cost upwards of 50 dollars! This is unbelievable.

I know this is a big step, but I think I am going to stop using my car. My kids are off school starting Wednesday, and I am going to see how long I can keep my car just parked and run errands by bicycle.

Did I just say that? I guess I did.

My boys are old enough to ride safely. We take family bike rides. I have a trailer for the littlest one, and the trailer will fit groceries if we need it to...

So, there it is. Please hold me accountable. I'll keep a running tab of how long it takes for me to knuckle under and use my car.

Wish me luck,

Midwest Mom