The Frugal Monster

Hi. My name is Jessica and I'm the Frugal Monster. At least that's what my kids and my husband call me. Frugality is a way of life for me. A personal challenge. A game, if you will. I like to see how far I can make our family's dollar stretch each month. In these uncertain economic times I've had many people ask me for tips on how to save money on their grocery bill. How to balance the family budget more efficiently and how to squeeze a few more pennies out of their paychecks. Friends that used to roll their eyes at me are now asking for my advice. Grocery clerks that used to grumble when they saw me (with my large stack of coupons) in their lines are now asking me how they may be able to find such great deals.
I'm not perfect. I sometimes have to run to the store and pay full price for bread (gasp!). There are months where its all I can do to keep the family fed & bathed, much less worry about the latest sale. I have my own non frugal indulgences (as evidenced by my other blog ~ dedicated to my not so frugal hobby). But I do my best and honestly believe that every penny counts. Every new habit helps.
I'm blogging my frugal -ness for several reasons. As a family, my husband and I have many goals. Some of which are not attainable until we reach some other, smaller financial goals. This blog will keep me searching for creative ways to stretch those pennies. It will keep me accountable and I hope that along the way I can help you find your inner frugal monster.
There are many many different ways to shave some pennies (or even dollars!) out of your monthly budget. Rather than simply list all of the different ways to do so, I will show you how I live my life. There are plenty of "how to" websites out there in cyberspace. Readings lists of what to do is nothing new to those seeking new frugal habits. However, I hope by showing you how I live my life, some of these frugal tips will seem less intimidating. Maybe not so odd or extreme.
As with all things in life, there will be things here that totally click and make sense to you. There will be other ideas that make you scratch your head and think "this chic has totally lost it." Take what you need and leave the rest. I promise not to send the frugal police after you!
Welcome to my monster blog.
~Jessica
P.S. There is button over in my side bar. Feel free to snag it and post it on your blog!