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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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June 3, 2016 – National Donut Day

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the holy donut maine

Eeeeee!!  It’s finally here.  National Donut Day.  It’s time to drop everything, run yourself to  your nearest donut shop and order up.

National Donut Day actually came about in a pretty cool way.  A military doctor wanted to brighten the day of wounded soldiers {during World War I}, so he purchased several dozen donuts to bring to work on his first day.  He happened to pass a sweet-deep-fried donut onto a Lt. General who thought it was such a great idea, he organized a fundraiser that would allow the good doctor to continue providing donuts.  Eventually, the Salvation Army jumped on board, and began creating social centers {located throughout France} that would allow wounded soldiers to recoup.  The social centers, of course, came stocked with plenty of donuts and coffee–a HUGE luxury.  The Salvation Army volunteers were even nicknamed “Doughnut Dollies.”

I think it would be pretty rad to drop a dozen donuts off to a member of the Armed Forces today, don’t you?

Now what are you waiting for?  Get out there and celebrate!

~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.

June – What’s on Sale and What’s in Season

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January-Monthly-Savings-GuideSale-in-Season
Being frugal doesn’t mean that you have to hole yourself up in a bunker somewhere and cut the outside world off, using only sticks and mud to meet your basic needs.  It really is about getting your money to stretch as far as possible.  I mean, when it really comes down to it, your money is a representation of your time–time you might have rather spent with your kids, or traveling, or {insert favorite past time here}, so just giving it away is like not respecting your own time.

Shopping smart is one way to get the almighty dollar to stretch far enough to help you live within your means…hopefully with a little extra jingle in your pocket.  Timing your purchases around yearly sales is one of the ways I try to shop smart.  Sometimes, that means going without until the price is the best, other times, it means stocking up early, so when I do need it, I paid a reasonable price.  Either way, shelling out extra cash in an impulsive moment for something you can get at a fraction of the cost is just crazy talk.

Knowing what’s on sale, what’s in season, and what you should be able to find on clearance each month really helps you plan.  How do you know?  That’s why you have me…

bbqPromotions and Holidays in June

June hosts Father’s Day, so expect sales on grooming kits, power tools and all things “Dad.”  June is also National Dairy Month, which means promotions on ice cream, yogurt, cheese and other dairy items.  Toward the end of the month, 4th of July sales will start to pop up with everything BBQ–hamburger, buns, condiments, chips, paper products, etc.

zucchini squash

Seasonal Fruit and Vegetable You Will Typically Find on Sale in June

The produce section will start to overflow with goodness this month.  You will probably lowered prices on apricots, asparagus, basil, beans, beets, carrots, cherries, corn, cucumbers, figs, grapes, mangoes, melons, peas, peaches, plums, spinach, summer squash, tomatoes and watermelon.

racerback brasAnnual Sales and Deals You Can Expect in June

For some reason, June is the month to stock up on bras and undies–most stores run their annual sales for them during June.  There are usually deals on laundry detergent too.  You should continue to see sales on BBQ’s, pool supplies, and other outdoor items.

ASUS T100TA-C1-GR Transformer Book 10.1-Inch Detachable 2-in-1 Touchscreen Laptop 64GB SSD with DockClearance Items to Be On the Lookout For in June

Towards the end of the month, you’ll likely find ties on clearance leftover from Father’s Day.  You should see clearance on indoor furniture–as they make room for their fall line-up.  Other small electronics, like laptops/computers should be clearanced too, to make room for Back-to-School newbies.

Now go forth and save.

~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.

How to Price Things for a Garage Sale

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How to Price Things for a Garage SaleThe worst part about having a garage sale is knowing how to price things.  I mean, yes, you want to sell them, but you also want to get some cold hard cash and make the whole affair worth it.  I always err on the side of practically giving things away—mostly because I look at as peeps saving me a trip to the local thrift store, but also because I know people love a bargain.

As a general rule, you can price items at about 10%-25% of their current retail value.  I know that seems low—and it is, but let’s face it, garage sales are the last true place to score a bargain.

On bigger items, give yourself a little wiggle room—like a price tag buffer.  That way, people can haggle {the funnest part about garage sales}, and you can still get your rock bottom price.  So, that rocking chair you want to get $20 for—price it at $25 or $30 with the full intention to come down.  You get your desired price, people get their “deal.”  Keep in mind, though, that this only works if your rock bottom price is fair in the first place.

Remember sentimental value is different than monetary value.  No one cares if your great-great grandmother brought the figurines you’re selling over from Spain, if they are ugly figurines.  You might have a story behind them that makes you think they are worth more—but to shoppers, they hold no memories.  Sad, but true.  So, bottom line:  don’t price things based on the memories they hold.  They’ll be a tough sell.

PUT A PRICE TAG ON EVERY ITEM.  There is nothing more annoying than waiting in line just to ask the owner how much something is.  Price each item individually.  It’s extra work, but it allows you to think about pricing ahead of time, AND is a courtesy to your shoppers.

dvdFor items that have lost popularity, like CD’s, DVD’s, or *gasp* VHS, consider pricing in bulk deals to really encourage a major off-loading.  For example 10 CD’s for $5 {assuming they are worth that}.  If you have VHS tapes AND a VCR—consider selling them as a package deal.

The final tip I personally have is to slash prices right on the price tag.  Do this while traffic is still heavy.  Cross out the first number and write a lower number {still not your rock bottom number—that’s for later in the game} on the price tag.  People will feel like they are getting a reduced reduced price {yes, that was a double reduction :)}.

Have you tried any of these tips?  If not, how do you price your items at garage sales?

~Mavis

photo credit

 

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.

Straw Bale Gardening, Teapigs, Canon EOS Rebel T5 Deal, Bacon Wrapped Corn and More

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quotes -everything has beauty

Quote of the Day “Everything has beauty but not everyone sees it.”

lucy puggle

Have a wonderful day everyone,

♥ Mavis & Lucy the Snuggle Puggle

*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!}

caterpillar work bootsAmazon Deal of the Day for 6/2/16 – Up to 40% Off Caterpillar Work Boots

eas protein powderMore Amazon Daily Deals for 6/2/16

still aliceAvailable 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! 🙂free audible

Don’t forget, Amazon Prime Members can get a 3-month FREE trial for Audible! Listen to audiobooks while you work around the house or in the car.

teapigs tea bagsSubscribe and Save Deals

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

Frozen Tee Shirt Game

End of school parties and summer playdates aren’t complete without The Frozen Tee Shirt Game.  Find more cool ideas on my Pinterest Board

all american canner

Home and Kitchen Deals

canon-rebel

Looking for a sweet deal on an AWESOME camera? {This is the one I use!} Amazon has the Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm IS II + EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Bundle on sale for $449 shipped. 

Bacon-Wrapped-Corn-on-the-Cob

Nothing says “let’s kick off summer” like corn on the cob.  You can crank it up a notch by making this Bacon Wrapped Corn on the Cob.  Let’s face it, everything’s better with bacon.  Pin it for Later.

real simple

Get a 1 Year Subscription to Real Simple Magazine for just $5!!!

regal-summer-movies

Regal Cinemas {that includes United Artists and Edwards Cinemas} is once again hosting the Summer Movie Express on Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 10am for nine weeks. Admission is $1 and a portion of the proceeds will benefit the Will Rogers Institute. GoHERE to see movies listings in your area.

rei top

REI Outlet Deal of the Day – SportHill SwiftPro Zip Top – Women’s $39.73 {was $100}

cabelas vestCabela’s has their Cabela’s Men’s Baldridge Insulated Vest on sale for $39.99 and their Cabela’s Men’s Lightweight Pullover for $21.99 {Great for golfling!}.

minnie mouse wooden beadsAdd 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}. 

free prime pantry june

If you are an Amazon Prime Member, you can get FREE Prime Pantry shipping {a $5.99 value} when you buy five qualifying items and use promo code PANTRYJUN at checkout. Shop Prime Pantry.

graduation cards

Save 30% off Graduation Cards from Tiny Prints with code JUNEGRAD30 at checkout.

poncho

Amazon also has NOVAWO Women’s Double Layer Tassel Poncho/Cape/Shawls on sale for $10.99 and there are 6 colors to choose from. 

toy dealsKid’s Stuff

How-Can-I-Tell-If-My-Chicken-Eggs-Are-Fertilized-Without-Cracking-Them

If you’re relatively new to chicken ownership {or really even if you’re not}, sometimes it’s hard to tell if their eggs have been fertilized. This post on How Can I Tell If My Chicken Eggs Are Fertilized Without Cracking Them can help! Find out everything you ever wanted to know about chickens and more on my Chickens Pinterest Board. 

june ebook

Across the country, gardeners everywhere are pouring from their houses to place their own little piece of independence in their garden–or at least that’s the way I like to picture it in my head.  If you are only a gardener in your head, it’s time to grab up my June Gardening eBook.  It will walk you through simple gardening projects–and even provide a ton of ideas for the seasoned gardener.  Grab July and August while you are at it.  You can read ’em now and reap the literal rewards in a month or two.  So, what are you waiting for?  Go get your garden on!

cherrios

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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