#CentsAbility Check-in

As part of the Manulife 30-Day #CentsAbility Challenge, I’ve been snapping photos of my daily efforts to save money and cut splurges for the month of October. Along with my fellow #CentsAbility challengers, I post my pictures along with a money saving tip to Instagram and Twitter (are we following each other?). Here are some of the ways I’ve saved money and lived a more “CentsAble” lifestyle since October 1st ….

Saved $25 on luggage fee when flying with Porter by packing empty bag in my suitcase for conference swag

Saved $80 on cab fare by taking advantage of conference perks #ChevyBliss

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved $100 by wearing the same dress as last year to Blissdom Canada Social Media Conference 

Saved $40 on Thrift Store #ThrowbackThursday party costume

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved $25 with DIY manicure

Saved $75 on cab fare by taking Go Bus to Union Station

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Will save $23 on next Via Rail trip thanks to late train claim

Saved money by biking to swimming lessons at the Y!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved $7 parking fee by validating stub with grocery purchase

Saved money on baths & laundry by taking showers & using towel service after swimming lessons; included in our YMCA membership

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved $6 with healthier DIY lunchables

Saved $2 by using jar of applesauce instead of single serve cups for daycare crew

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved marriage by unplugging phone for Thanksgiving weekend with family!

Saved $6 by price-matching fruit at Walmart with Flipp app

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved $4 on this battery powered toothbrush by stacking coupon with clearance price #stockingstuffer

Saved time & money by carving this watermelon into 11 servings for daycare crew & lunchboxes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved $10K this year by not not sending our kids to daycare

Saved $45 by serving DIY bugs ‘n cheese from Bulk Barn when the kids requested a trip to Boston Pizza

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saved time & money by pouring leftover tea kettle over eggs for next day lunchboxes #HarnessTheHeat

If I add up all these savings …. (ok, ok, Oct 17 post is a bit extreme. but it IS the biggest part of my Save-at-Home-Mom story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are still 11 days to go in the challenge and so far I’ve done well with resisting the little splurges that can really add up over the course of time. Our Hallowe’en costumes aren’t complete, and we’ll be attending a couple of Hallowe’en parties – let’s see if I can get through it all without blowing the budget! All in all, #CentsAbility has been a fun way to keep track of all the little ways we can save money, and I’ve been inspired to trim our budget even further with the creativity and savvy of the other #CentsAbility posts on Instagram and Twitter.

How do you save?

Drop a line in the comments below, or better yet, snap a photo and join in the Manulife 30-Day CentsAbility Challenge by posting your picture to Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the hashtag #CentsAbility!

 

Be a Hostess with the Mostest While Spending the Leastest! #CDNmoney Twitter Chat October 21st 7-8pmET

Join co-hosts @CommonCentsMom and @ChristaClips for this week’s #CDNmoney Twitter Chat on How to Be The Hostess with the Mostest While Spending the Leastest!

(yes, those are words!  Maybe.)

Join the frugal minded tweeps of #CDNmoney as we share tips and tricks for saving money while hosting dinner parties over the holidays.

• #CDNmoney Twitter Chat
• Tuesday, October 21, 2014
• 7-8pmET
• Hosts @ChristaClips and @CommonCentsMom

Make your own Healthier Lunchables – Today’s #CentsAbility Tip!

Christa Clips compares the cost of pre-made lunchable kits to a healthier DIY version. It’s all part of the 30 Day #CentsAbility Challenge!

I’ve packed a homemade version of lunchables once a week in our childrens’ lunchboxes for the past 5 years. I know without a doubt that it’s a healthier option, and I’ve always wondered how it compared price-wise.  As part of the  Manulife 30 Day #CentsAbility Challenge, I’m tracking how much money I’m “saving” each day and finally took the time to calculate what it costs to make a healthier DIY lunchable.

Here’s what it cost me to make a DIY lunchable for our school lunchboxes today:

• $1 worth of ham (1/8 of a whole ham on sale for $7.99)
• $.05 worth of carrots (half of a carrot from a 2 lbg bag on sale for $1)
• $.17 worth of Wheat Thins crackers (1/10 of a box on sale for $1.77)
• $.55 worth of marble cheese (1/8 of a bar on sale for $4.44)

Total cost: $2.22

I’ve never seen the pre-fab lunch kits on sale for that low. In fact, I’ve seen them full priced as high as $3.99 for a much smaller portion.  The #CentsAbility challenge has reminded me that eating healthier doesn’t always have to cost more!

How have you saved money today?