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Couponing While RVing

If you are like many full time RVers out there (and everyone else) you are trying to save a buck while exploring the country. One of the best ways that I’ve found to save money is to use coupons on not only grocery items but clothing, restaurants, auto repair stores, pet grooming, and the list goes on and on.  The best way to ensure that you will use these coupons is to keep them organized and available right at your fingertips.

coupon-binderpmFor me I have found that a coupon binder is the best way to keep everything straight.  I separate the grocery coupons as well as have extra pages for restaurants and other businesses.  I also have found that taking advantage of technology can certainly help you save money on the road.  For example there are mobile coupons for many stores such as Target, Meijer, and Kroger.  Plus there are many wonderful coupon blogs that help to illuminate the best deals in your area using certain coupons.

The best way to find a coupon blog is to simply google coupon blogs and then the name of the city you are in.  You will be surprised to see how many great sites there are out there dedicated to helping you save money.  The greatest advantage that I have found to couponing is not only saving money but being able to splurge on other things such as dinners out or amusement park passes because we had saved so much at the grocery store.

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Saving Money to Reach your RV Goal

Owning an RV is a goal of many people but so often people feel as if they cannot afford it. The truth of it is that you can own an RV for often times less money a month than your car payment! But there are also other ways you can save money in order cougarto reach your goal and here are a few of them:

  • cut coupons! I know it seems outdated but you can save a great deal of money at the grocery every week. Those $.50 here and a $1.00 there really add up.
  • on that same note eat at home as often as possible. Bring your lunch to work and make dinners at home. Not only will this save $100’s if not $1,000’s a year but you will notice your waistline shrinking too!
  • cancel your landline phone. Let’s face it everyone now-a-days seems to have a cell phone so why have the extra expense of a home phone as well. The average home phone bill is $32.00 a month that is $384 a year you could be saving
  • Go to the library! The library offers movies, cd’s, and books all at your fingertips and all free!! So cancel your netflix subscription and save up to $240 a year!
  • Buy used! Especially when you are buying for children it only makes sense to buy gently used clothing. If you are lucky they will wear it a few times before they are on to the next size. You will slash your clothing budget in half if you simply buy at garage sales, thrift stores, and consignment shops. The average American spends $1,550 a year on clothes so this could save $775 a year per person in your family!

By simply following these simple and practical money saving tips you will be relaxing fireside in your new RV in no time!

 

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Vacation Home vs. RV

I’m sure for many of us having a place to escape to is one of our dreams. Just somewhere that you can run off to and not worry house with logoabout the dramas of day to day life. For some of the luckier ones of us we invest in a 2nd home, a vacation home if you will. But then comes the question as to where you want your vacation home located. Your husband loves Maine and everything that the northeast has to offer while you prefer the down home feel in the hills of Tennessee. Then comes the issue of cost. Even if you can afford the monthly mortgage payments the cost of upkeep can become astronomical. Not only will you have to pay the normal bills that we all have to pay but you will also have to fork over some big money to make sure your investment is cared for while you are not there. Now all the sudden your “dream” home away from home has become a nightmare.

Thankfully there’s a better solution that will make everyone happy about location, save you money, eliminate the stress and hassle and that is investing in an RV instead. Think about it? Whats the goal of a vacation home? To get away? To see new things? To relax? To reconnect with family? What better way than having your “home” movable. You can go and see whatever and whomever you want. Not only does it offer the flexibility and convenience but it eliminates a majority of the upkeep and monthly bills. So instead of investing in the ever finicky real estate market invest in an RV that is guaranteed to give you all the luxuries of a vacation home just with a sense of adventure thrown in!

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Free Soup: A Perfect Family Meal

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had half an onion, a couple carrots, or a handful of peas left over from dinner and not quite known what to do with them. I hate the idea of throwing out and wasting good produce (especially when it certainly doesn’t come cheap) but I also didn’t want it rotting away in my refrigerator. Well I recently stumbled upon the best solution to this problem and it will not only save you money and waste but will make a great meal as well. I simply leave a sealable tupperware container in my freezer. Anytime there is some left over diced tomatoes from taco night or a couple sticks of soupbowlpinterestcarrots getting a little flimsy in the refrigerator I cut them up and place them in my freezer container. Once I have a full container of assorted veggies in my freezer I easily dump them into our crockpot with some tomato sauce, chicken stock, and a small amounted of assorted spices. Within hours you have a homemade vegetable soup your family is sure to enjoy.

In addition to the delicious meal and eliminating unnecessary waste this little tip will save you a lot of money on a fulfilling family dinner. In my most recent trip to Target I noted that the vegetable soup I usually buy runs nearly $2.00 a can. I’m confident I spent less than that on my entire crock pot of soup if you figure the vegetables were going to be thrown away so they are essentially free. I was also shocked to see some of the ingredients in this “wholesome” veggie soup. Ingredients such as potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and others.

The best way I have found to enjoy this delicious meal is to put the soup into large freezer bags once it’s cooked. I lay them flat in the freezer so that once they are frozen they are stackable. This is a perfect freezer meal to throw in our RV freezer for a home cooked meal on the road. So I think I’ll stick to my homemade, “free” soup and leave the chemicals out!

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Creating Your Own RV Spice Rack

spicerackWhile the concept of finding a new, compact, and easy way to store your spices is not new…. the fact that I actually made something handy is. This new take on a spice rack is ideal for any RV or camper and makes cooking a breeze. No longer do you have to tote all of your spice jars and take up valuable kitchen space. This handy and simple to make spice rack requires few supplies and fits neatly on your wall. All you need is test tubes with corks, a piece of stainless steel, two screws, some small magnets, and a glue gun.

Simply glue a small magnet to the back of each test tube. Find where you want to mount the metal strip and put two screws into the metal and wall. Fill your test tubes with spices and voila they stick to the strip. In addition to being useful it is also adds a bit of flair and modern design to your kitchen!

 

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Don’t Think you can afford an RV? Read This.

I remember it like it was yesterday my sister and I begging my parents for a CD player when they first came out. Despite our incessant pleas they insisted that if we wanted one we would have to pay for one ourselves. With our $5.00 a week allowance it would take me what seemed like at age 12 an eternity. Thankfully my sister and I devised an ingenious and yet obvious plan, we would only have to save up half that much and go in on one together. We simply highlighted days on the calendar timetosharethat were hers and ones that were mine. For two sisters that usually fought like cats and dogs I will have to say that the plan was flawless. We got what we wanted, didn’t have to save up forever to buy it, and got to enjoy it!

As we got older, got jobs, had families, and stopped fighting over clothes and boys we decided that we could use the same tactic when buying an RV. We agreed on the floor plan and style, mapped out on a calendar the weeks we each get it and were off. Independently we would have waited longer until we could save up the money for an RV but looking back now I realize all of the great opportunities and experiences my family would have missed out on. We share maintenance costs down the middle, clean it thoroughly at the end of our week and enjoy the luxury of our new RV at half the cost.

So if you catch yourself pining after the RV experience, the family fun, and the sense of adventure you can only get hitting the open road then find a friend, family member, co-worker, etc that has the same desire. You can have double the fun in half the time so why wait?

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Weekly Deals for Dec.14th

It’s that time of the week for our daily deals and with Christmas just around the corner it’s the perfect time to avoid the malls and shop from the computer for all your gift giving needs!

The first deal that I found that would be ideal for the camper or hiker in your life is the Powerbag Gadget-Charging Bag found on Groupon. This bag has a built-in battery system that can charge up to four USB or idevices at a time. This bag usually costs $130 but you can get it now for $45.00. This is perfect for the constant traveler or gadget guru friend.

headmassagerThe next deal I found was on groupon as well and absolutely ideal for anyone who is under any stress (so that includes pretty much everyone). It is the Pure Therapy Head and Eye Massager originally priced at $300 now marked down to $109. This little gadget mimics the movements of a professional massage to relieve tension headaches. This is the perfect pampering gift for those who spend time on the road!

The last gift that I found is perfect for those who like to work while on the road. On Livingsocial they are offering a Doxie Go Portable Scanner for only $162. This gizmo scans anywhere and anything from papers, receipts, and photos plus has a built-in memory! With its small sleek design this is perfect for the avid RVer.

And as always remember these deals don’t last long so hurry and take advantage!