Freshly Frugal

This week, I stopped at Sunflower Farmers Market to pick up a few fresh groceries for the busy week that was ahead of me. Eggs, bananas, yogurt, and plenty of in-season Utah peaches along with a few other necessities (yummeramma). My tab rang up to $17.94 including tax. Not too bad, right?

Later that night, I was flipping through the evening local newscasts and my interest was peaked by a teaser by ABC15 promising to show viewers a way to feed a family on only $30 a week. There had to be a catch. Did you tune in?

After seeing the video and reading the online story, I was still left with many questions. So, like any good investigator, I went to the source. The Treasure Box Web site explains how to place an order for your family and explains how they are able to sell a week of food for so cheap.

“The Treasure Box has relationships with more than 500 major food manufacturers across America, including Heinz, USA, Nestle, Jenny O and ConAgra, Kraft, Sara Lee and Harvest Farms. When these manufacturers overproduce for grocery stores and/or restaurants, we are able to purchase that surplus food at a lower cost. Our food is high quality, since it the same food purchased by restaurants and grocery stores. As an “off-price” distributor of food, we deliver value similar to what TJ Maxx and Marshalls offers consumers for apparel.”–via FAQ at TreasureBox.org

Serious Food... Silly Prices--So True!

Call me a natural foodie snob, but I would opt to keep shopping at the likes of Sunflower or Trader Joe’s to support local farmers and more environmentally friendly practices while keeping the amount of processed foods I eat at a bare minimum. The brands that Treasure Box supplies families with are household names in our American culture, but that does not make them the healthiest options available.

Treasure Box is a good option for families really struggling to make ends meet, don’t get me wrong. I think it’s very progressive of them to not make any incoming qualifications for families to apply for a box (thereby removing any stigmas says Central Phoenix Calvary Chapel site coordinator David Charlesworth to ABC15).

As of right now I am not struggling that bad to go turn my back on my current grocery habits. Today I am very grateful to my mom for instilling the importance of buying fresh–after all, we are what we eat, even when we’re on a budget. It’s just second nature now. My plan is to continue looking for those sales at my favorite local grocery stores and save money while there and be understanding that not all families choose the same option.

In other news, I stumbled upon this interesting discussion board which is pretty engaging and relevant to the topics of Freshly Frugal. What do you use regularly that’s expensive but totally worth it? My vote would have to be natural beauty products like my Mineral Fusion makeup (may be a little pricey, but is good for me, good for the environment, is cruelty free, and last forever anyways!).

Best to all your Fresh and Frugal ambitions!

My experiment in Photoshop

Don’t forget to see my original photos from my “Frugal Finds” page!

Papago Park is Picturesque (via Greater Phoenix CVB)

It’s officially Fall. And while it is already cold and snowy in my beloved home of Colorado, in Phoenix we are still greeted by 100-plus degree temps. Well, at least I won’t need to put aside money for new winter clothes anytime soon!

Have you ever thought about all the benefits to living in Phoenix in a quest to be frugal? Besides not ever having to invest in a heavy duty winter coat, the heat, location, and age of the metro area add up to a lot of savings.

For example, the warm weather means less respiratory illness and joint issues. Also, the sunny climate means ample opportunity for outdoor recreation. Tempe Town Lake, Papago Park, and the mountains in all directions leave residents with no excuse but to get out, be active, and lead a healthy lifestyle. These factors ultimately result in less doctor visits and less health bills. Can’t argue with that.

New York in Downtown Phoenix (via NY&C)

Right now is the perfect time to get over to those retailers and head to the sales rack, where all the summer trends have been moved to. Not only will you be able to find some great deals, but here in Phoenix, we’ll all still be wearing summer wear until mid October–at that point it’ll get down to a frigid 80 degrees.

The Arizona Center has New York & Company which is pretty economical to begin with, but after a quick glance at Red Line merchandise, you’ll see what I mean–don’t miss the bargains! Plus, they have both petite and tall sizes for those of us who don’t always find what we need otherwise. And it just keeps getting better: Use promo code “1947″ to save $30 on a purchase of $75 or more.

And let’s sign this post off with a quick Frugal Funny that hits close to home.

Remember, laughter is always free.

This little piggy is craving cash savings! (Image via Flickr)

So, in my attempt to save money and not live outside my meager means, I decided to do some research in hopes of finding some inspiration from other young people who have succeeded at the same goal and lived to tell the tale.

With that, have you met Alan Corey? His story is that he decided in his 20s that he was going to be a millionaire by age 30. Not only has he published a book on it, he’s already retired at age 28. Yeah, you read that right. RETIRED. And here’s the best part, he’s not a rocket scientist, he didn’t win the lottery, and he doesn’t have fabulously wealthy parents. BUT he did eat Ramen noodles for every meal for three months. Chew on that thought for a second. That means sitting down to Ramen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

This got me thinking, what kind of sacrifices am I able to make in order to save a few dollars every week? I’ve said goodbye to Starbucks and brew a pot of coffee at home before I leave for school every morning. I now pack my lunch daily instead of dropping an easy ten bucks on going out to eat. Plus, I haven’t bought a new pair of jeans since last year. But is that enough?

Apparently, Alan Corey has loads of suggestions to save money. He put aside 61% of his income in savings. That is not really possible for me right now as I am working at an unpaid internship, but his success makes me rethink about the dollars I could be hanging onto longer. What kind of things could you cut out of your routine to help grow your own nest egg?

My searching also brought be to the book Secrets of a Stingy Scoundrel by Phil Villareal. Being the sucker I am for alliteration, I couldn’t help but check it out on Amazon. From how to get parking validated even if you don’t deserve it, to why you should never buy a watch, this book looks like a fun, easy read. I hope it’s at the library!

Plus, I’ve stumbled across a great resource for finding local and free events in the Valley. Showup.com lists free and discounted movie screenings, art shows, and even concerts. Perfect for the penny pinching pupil.

If those have Franklin on them, they're mine! (image via Flickr)

Today marks the day I write myself a sizable check. Unfortunately, it’s not the kind of check I would prefer (you know the ones that produce cash or boost in that dwindling bank account?).

No, this time, it’s the season for a reality check.

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been forced to leave my well-paying full-time job at a top-20 market television news station where I’ve spent the past couple of summers in order to continue my journey of higher education in Sun Devil territory. I had a job while at school for the past two years writing for a website, but due to a change in the project direction, I suddenly find myself without an extra income. That was unexpected. Meanwhile, classes have started, I’m living away from home again, and my commute is more than 20 miles one way everyday. So, of course, the bills are starting to pile up–and fast! The best part is, I have just accepted a position at a non-profit working as an unpaid intern. Either I’ve lost my mind, or I’m somehow finding more advantages to working for free than cons.

Which brings me to a place where I realize the necessity to stick to a budget and be extra frugal in my expenses is now. I need to actually stick to my budget and not just let it collect virtual dust bunnies in My Documents while my debit card is practically hot from continuous use. Time for change–both in the sense of transforming how I manage my money and in filling that piggy bank with plenty of it.

Just call me Freshly Frugal.

And how timely is it that MSNBC just posted an article about how to avoid going broke in college? It’s exactly what I have been telling myself for some time now. Now it’s time for a check and some change for this college student.

First things first, says MSNBC, is to set a budget and stick to it. Logical and something that cannot be procrastinated any longer. Another useful tip was to seek out those student discounts. You better believe I am gonna start whipping out my student ID pretty much everywhere I go. Retailers, restaurants, and many services near or on campus have student specials. It usually isn’t a sizable discount, but hey, it’s better than nothing! Might as well use that ID for all it’s worth while I’m paying for school–plus, with this list of downtown discounts, I just may find myself branching out to new Valley finds. First stop? Urban Cookies. That is, if I can spare a few bucks from my Food Budget.

Great way to start making ‘cents’ of this whole money management challenge.