This week’s Buzz A Mom is Shynea Hunter of Penny Pinching Diva fame.
Shynea is a SAHM of 4 boys–yep ALL boys! She and her family live on one income, as many families do. Her blog started out as a place to chronicle her family life but has taken on a life of its own as she has shared her techniques for stretching her family dollars as far as they can go.
She is a masterful at CVS’ing, coupon clipping and saving money any way that she can so that her family can feel and look like they “live large”! You’d never know it’s on a budget. Cee Tindall and Edie McRae, two FAB interns at FF, dug deep this week for you so that we ALL can learn to pinch a penny…’till it screams!
We’ve heard a lot about CVS’ing. What exactly IS that? Where do you start?
CVS’ing is so much fun. But besides that, it has saved my family SO much money on our daily hygiene products. I no longer have to pay for toothpaste, shampoo, deordorant, razors, diapers, and so much more.
What CVS’ing is playing the drugstore game at CVS; combining your coupons with CVS’s sales and ECB (Extra Care Bucks) to get the most savings possible. I do it because my family lives on one income right now, and a big portion of our budget went to our daily hygiene products. We have two babies in diapers, so if you’re a mom, you know that that isn’t cheap.
It doesn’t take much to get started CVS’ing. I have an entire tutorial series.
On average, how much money do you save your family on groceries each month/week by utilizing coupons?
I have cut our budget by over 60% a month since “couponing”. I use to spend $750 a month on groceries alone. That didn’t include diapers, diaper wipes, shampoo, etc… Now with “couponing”, I spend about $350 – $400 a month on groceries and hygiene products. This also includes the occassional treat of eating out. (Which I use coupons for as well, and usually go on the nights where children eat free.)
You talk about budgeting in your blog and how it helps to plan your saving strategy. How did you start budgeting effectively to avoid adding Ramen Noodles as a food group?
Budgeting was very hard for me at first. I went from never making a written account of how I spent my money, to writing down everything my entire family spent. It was hard. It was also an eye opening moment as well. I saw that we spent a lot of money every month on frivolous items.
I would say the easiest way to start is by writing down every penny your family spends for an entire month. Even if you just buy a candy bar, write it down. After the month is over, look at your list. You are going to be shocked. I can guarantee it. You will see right from the beginning things you can cut back on.
Using coupons and budgeting doesn’t mean that Ramen Noodles will become your main food group. I have to say that my family and I eat more name brand food items now then before. It’s just a matter of catching sales and combining them with coupons.
What role does menu planning play in your home and how has it given you more quality time with your family? And how do you keep it all organized?
Menu planning has played a big role in my home. It has allowed me to not spend thirty extra minutes every night wondering what I’m going to cook for dinner. I sit down on Sunday and write down my menu for the following week. I post it on the refrigerator, that way each morning if I can start preparing for dinner.
I don’t like staying in the kitchen. So EVERY meal that I prepare for my family takes approximately 30-35 minutes from start to finish. There are the few execeptions, like when I make quiche, but it is only 15 minutes of prep time for me and then 35-40 minutes of baking time. I no longer get frustrated in the evening.
We too LOVE quick meals. How do you incorporate your favorite quick meals into your “couponing” strategy?
It has been so easy for me to incorporate my favorite meals into “couponing”. My family loves hamburger meat. I make tacos, hamburger steaks, shepherds pie all with hamburger meat. I use my strategy of knowing when items will usually go on sale, or are marked down, and I will stock up on it. It allows me to get the items that my family loves for cheap. That way I can prepare our favorite meals more often.
For a mom who is overwhelmed with the thought of adding ONE MORE THING to her “To Do” list, how would you explain to her that it is worth her time to help save money for her family with some of these tips? Where would you suggest she start?
Who wouldn’t love adding more money into their family’s savings account? That alone would be motivation to start couponing. I’m not saying that when you first start “couponing” you will notice a HUGE difference in your savings. But once you get the hang of it, and you start catching on, your savings will start piling up. Use the money that you save and put it into a family vacation account. That is my motivation. I would suggest that you start by doing a budget. Allot a certain amount of money towards groceries and use coupons to help you meet those goals.
How has your frugality rubbed off your children? Do you feel they value a dollar more than other children do?
My two oldest sons are still learning the value of a dollar. There are some days where they understand the meaning of saving money and doing things frugally, and then there are other days where they still want that Happy Meal.
So, we’re hearing that motivation is key for ALL of you to keep making the effort? What is your goal for this year’s savings?
I use that money that I save and put it away for a rainy day. Also, we want to go to Disneyland this year to meet Mickey Mouse 
You know what Shynea? We’re CERTAIN you’ll reach that goal…and that you’ll do it UNDER budget! Thanks for sharing your time and talents with us.
