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One Hundred Dollars a Month

I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.


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Foodsaver Bundle, Grocery Deals, Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mix and More

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lucy-the-puggle-dog

Hello Wednesday!

I think Lucy is planning on staying in bed today. 😉 What are your plans? Do you have anything special going on? I’d love to hear about it.

♥ Mavis

*This deal post will be updated throughout the morning so be sure and check back for deals. * Amazon prices can change without notice. Please verify price before ordering. Amazon offers Free Shipping with a $49 purchase or Amazon Prime. {Sign up for a free Amazon Prime 30 day trial!}

food-saverAmazon Deal of the Day for 9/28/16 – FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System w/ Bonus Handheld Sealer and Starter Kit $90.99 shipped

ebooksAvailable Kindle Books I think look interesting…

The prices on Kindle Books can change quickly, so grab them while you can. Don’t have a Kindle? Download the kindle app on your other devices. It’s easy! 🙂

How-to-Improve-Your-Time-Management-SkillsHow to do you organize your days? Are you terrible at time management? Check out these tips on How to Improve Your Time Management Skills or Pin it for later.

subscribe-and-save-dealsSubscribe and Save Deals

Subscribe and Save prices reflect a 15% discount for ordering 5 or more items in 1 month.

cabelas

Cabela’s has lot’s of great clearance deal right now. Here are just a few I found:

Get $10 off and free shipping with code 16BONUS10 at checkout.

mermaid-tailsZulily has oodles of Mermaid Tail Blankets on sale today for $16.99 and I LOVE the colors that are available!!!

twinHome and Kitchen Deals

Broccoli and Cheddar SoupBroccoli and Cheddar Soup – Secretly, the thing I totally love most about soup is that I can make it for my lunch and then serve it again for dinner.  It satisfies me both times and my family never knows. Get the recipe HERE or {Pin it for Later}. Find more recipes on my Soup Recipe Pinterest Board.

rei jacketREI Garage Deal of the Day –Canari Flurry Bike Jersey – Women’s $34.73

slim-jimsAdd on Items

*These are all Amazon Add-on Items and they will ship with qualifying orders over $25 and are eligible for free shipping on $25 orders with Amazon Prime {or will ship FREE on $35 orders without Prime}. 

prime-pantry-dealsPrime Pantry Deals

prime pantry

If you are an Amazon Prime Member, you can get FREE Prime Pantry shipping {a $5.99 value} when you buy five qualifying items. Shop Prime Pantry.

horse-puzzleKid’s Stuff

planting-garlic

Yes, sometimes I wear plaid. 😉 Pop on over to Dig for Your Dinner and see what Lucy and I planted in the garden yesterday.

emerald-nuts-couponsCheck out these New Printable Coupons:

Find More Printable Coupons

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Hand-Picked Apple Harvest

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transparent yellow apples

Living in Washington means that right now is in-your-face apple season.  In all of these years, it has never once occurred to me to think about HOW the apples ended up in the grocery store or road side stands that I typically pick them up from.  Did you know that every.single.apple that we eat is hand-picked?  Of course, when you stop to think about it, it totally makes sense, but since I have never stopped to think about it, it kind of blew my mind.

According to an NPR article, I found, most apples are picked by seasonal employees {largely immigrants}, who come each year to pick their daily six tons of apples {that’s if you are an experienced picker}!  Holy buckets that is a lot of apples for one person to have picked!  There is no way on earth that I could pick that many apples–or scurry up and down a ladder with what added up to 6 tons on my shoulders over the course of a day.

case of fuji apples

The mostly immigrants that head to “Washington, western Michigan, the shores of Lake Ontario…and Pennsylvania” kind of chase the harvests, moving from one location to another, depending on what is in season.  They pick apples in the fall, then strawberries in the winter, and blueberries in the summer.  They go with the harvests–all hand-picked.  On a good day, good-pickers make $250 a day.

I spend all day long gardening, talking about gardening or recipes, etc., and yet it has never really occurred to me to think about the harvesting process in depth.  Does this blow your mind too?

~Mavis

Oh, and here’s a few more little factoids to take with you today:

  1. The largest apple ever picked was 3 pounds 2 ounces.
  2. The average apple tree produces 42 boxes of apples that weigh about 42 lbs each.
  3. A peck of apples weight 10.5 lbs.
  4. A bushel of apples weighs 42 lbs.
  5. There are over 8000 varieties of apples
  6. Crabapples are the only native apple to North America.
  7. Apples are a member of the rose family.
  8. Apple trees can live to over 100 years old.
  9. Apple trees take 5 years before they start producing apples.
  10. The average person eats 65 apples per year.

~Mavis

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

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52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Stop Paying Interest {Week 39 of 52}

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52 Ways to Save $100 a MonthWelcome to my 52 Ways to Save $100 a Month series. We’re serious about saving money in 2016. Sometimes it’s the little things and sometimes it’s the big things. I’m here to walk you through some little things that can add up to BIG savings. 52 little things to be exact. Every week, join me back here for another small money saving tip or idea that might not seem like significant savings until you see the overall yearly savings. It might just blow your mind. So pop in each Tuesday and read a new tip that will help you on your way to save $100 a month!

credit card caseI can’t stand paying interest on ANYTHING. I know it’s a necessary evil for some, but it makes me crazy knowing my hard earned money is being pocketed by banks and corporations. It all seems so unnecessary.  Okay, let me backtrack. I know that while I super support the “if you can’t pay cash, don’t buy it” model of living, I get that that is often impossible when it comes to houses, cars, college. But I do think that working towards paying down those balances as quickly as possible will help free you from the waste of money interest is!

The average American spends almost 6% of their income on interest each year. I read that recently and it made me cringe. That’s just wasted money that vanishes into thin air and you are left with nothing to show for it. So frustrating! Here’s how you can help avoid it:

freeze your credit cardsPay Down Revolving Interest Balances First: Consider any accounts or loans where you pay interest; the goal is to eventually eliminate as much of these as possible. But because this won’t happen overnight, make a plan of attack. Attack revolving credit first, as those interest rates are typically much higher. Some financial gurus recommend paying down the smaller credit card balances first, rather than cards with higher balances. You not only feel accomplished which encourages additional saving, but it free up additional monthly payments so you can work to whittle down high balances.

Make Extra Payments: This is what we’ve been focused on all year. Our goal is of course in regards to our mortgage, but you could do this with vehicle or student loans as well. If you set the goal to use every last cent of monthly savings to pay down those balances, you might discover what we have: we buy so much frivolous stuff. It was unnecessary spending because we could. We had relatively low interest rates on our loans and the payments were set and doable. We weren’t overextending ourselves, so making the monthly mortgage payment only made it easy to splurge in other areas. Since we’ve shifted that thinking this year and are working to really knock down our mortgage balance, that frivolous spending seems so, well, frivolous.

Don’t Buy It: The easiest way to cut down on those interest payments is to not buy it in the first place. We want shiny new things and shopping bags filled with new purchases. But examine your wants vs. needs. Do you really need a new car, or do you want it. Do you really need that new glass TV {HH!} or do you want it. You can use one easy tip I love: Freeze Your Credit Cards. Really helps curb impulse buying!

It’s HARD to cut back, but so worth it. Especially when you see the potential savings below…

one hundred dollars $100

How Much Can You Save:  $280,000. WHAT? Seriously. The typical American consumer will fork over an average of $279,002 in interest payments during the course of his or her lifetime {based on a new report from Credit.com, which analyzed the lifetime cost of debt in all 50 states, based on average mortgage balances, credit card debt, and credit scores}.

More Ways to Save:

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clean Out Your Closet {Week 1 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Break Up with Cable {Week 2 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Barter Better {Week 3 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Change Your Own Oil {Week 4 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Adjust Your Thermostat {Week 5 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Take Advantage of Your Perks {Week 6 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Pack Your Lunch {Week 7 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make It Yourself {Week 8 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Preserve Your Bounty {Week 9 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Keep the Change {Week 10 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | The Art of Borrowing {Week 11 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Ditch the Gym {Week 12 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Clip a Coupon {Week 13 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Start Your Garden From Seed {Week 14 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Learn to Cut Hair {Week 15 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Become a 1 Car Family {Week 16 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Phone Call {Week 17 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Shop Christmas in July {Week 18 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Grow a Garden {Week 19 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Just Say No {Week 20 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Go Generic {Week 21 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Make a Budget {Week 22 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Use the Library {Week 23 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Kick the Soda Habit {Week 24 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Improve Your Credit Score {Week 25 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Shop Online {Week 26 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save on Lodging {Week 27 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Play for Free {Week 28 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save Big on Birthday Parties {Week 29 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Back to School Clothes on the Cheap {Week 30 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Inexpensively Entertaining {Week 31 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Buy Used College Textbooks {Week 32 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Buy Used {Week 33 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Buy In Bulk {Week 34 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Skip a Meal {Week 35 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save on Medical Expenses {Week 36 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Save on Christmas Spending {Week 37 of 52}

52 Ways to Save $100 a Month | Reduce Convenience Foods {Week 38 of 52}

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Samsonite Luggage, Ebooks, Fresh Pear Recipes, Free Tea and More

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lucy-puggle-dog

Hello tuesday! The temps are supposed to be in the mid 60’s today {wahooo!} and the leaves are starting to change colors and drop. I LOVE fall! And Lucy Puggle? She loves hiding under the kitchen table. 😉

Have a great day everyone,

♥ Mavis

*This deal post will be updated throughout the morning so be sure and check back for deals. * Amazon prices can change without notice. Please verify price before ordering. Amazon offers Free Shipping with a $49 purchase or Amazon Prime. {Sign up for a free Amazon Prime 30 day trial!}

luggage-setsAmazon Deal of the Day for 9/27/16 – Up to 60% Off Samsonite Two-Piece Spinner Sets. Sets featured above are $129.99 shipped.

oreckMore Amazon Daily Deals for 9/27/16

sully-bookAvailable Kindle Books I think look interesting…

The prices on Kindle Books can change quickly, so grab them while you can. Don’t have a Kindle? Download the kindle app on your other devices. It’s easy! 🙂

10 Ways to Use Up and Preserve Fresh PearsGot pears? Check out my post on 10 ways to use up and preserve fresh pears.

subscribe-and-save-dealsSubscribe and Save Deals

Subscribe and Save prices reflect a 15% discount for ordering 5 or more items in 1 month.

toms

Zulily has TOMS Shoes on Sale today with savings up to 40% off! Shop early for the best selection.

free twinings tea samplesGet 3 Free Samples of Twinings Tea Bags {there over 30 flavors to choose from!}.

dr-earthHome and Kitchen Deals

mountain-gear-backpackREI Garage Deal of the Day –Granite Gear Leopard V.C. 46 Pack – Men’s $114.73 shipped

stacking-wood-holder-carrierCheck out these great deals:

Brussels-Sprouts-with-Balsamic-Vinegar1I can eat an entire pot of these Brussels Sprouts w/ Balsamic Vinegar all on my own. They are freakin delish.  Get the recipe HERE or Pin it for Later. Find more recipes on my Vegetables Pinterest Board.

roll-the-diceAdd on Items

*These are all Amazon Add-on Items and they will ship with qualifying orders over $25 and are eligible for free shipping on $25 orders with Amazon Prime {or will ship FREE on $35 orders without Prime}. 

mavis-butterfield

I caught up on a few chores yesterday in the garden. Pop on over to Dig for Your Dinner for all the pictures.

mavis butterfield ebookYour garden harvest should still be rolling in quite steadily this month.  There’s also still plenty of time to sow that fall garden, because let’s face it, garden fresh veggies on your Thanksgiving table would be pretty awesome.  In September’s gardening eBook I’ll walk you through everything from fall gardening to chicken coop clean-outs to growing your own mushrooms.  It’s gonna get crazy, I tell ya!

mummy-shirt

Today only Cents of Style is offering Halloween Women’s tees for $15.95 & Kid’s Tees for $11.95 + FREE SHIPPING w/code TSHIRT27 at checkout.

prime pantry

If you are an Amazon Prime Member, you can get FREE Prime Pantry shipping {a $5.99 value} when you buy five qualifying items. Shop Prime Pantry.

carseatKid’s Stuff

kids-booksAmazon has 30 Kids eBooks on sale for $1.00 each. Go HERE to see the titles available.

Find New Printable Coupons

This post may contain affiliate links. These affiliate links help support this site. For more information, please see my disclosure policy. Thank you for supporting One Hundred Dollars a Month.

Mavis Butterfield Etsy