Help~I'm giving a lecture on frugality....

[IntlMom]

Ok everyone, I need some help here. In two weeks I am giving a talk to a group of about 50 young moms on stretching their family budget. I know that we all know how to do this, and for me, it's a natural thing. So, I need some input on what's an important thing to not miss.....

The leaders of this group knows that I am grocery budgeter, and that I shop sales, and the like. Here is what I am thinking

plan your menu based on what's on sale
stockpiling
couponing
rebating at Walgreens
inexpensive cooking ideas

I plan on talking about how sometimes the brand name in cheaper with coupon vs store brand, figuring out per ounce cost......I feel like I am all over the place and can't quite get my thoughts organized. Any thoughts?

[Libby]

Just a thought - you've named the obvious things but what about substituting or going without or how to reuse something to your advantage (aka trying to make your own) w/o giving in and buying what you want?

Also, price books - the concept seems simple but really when you first start out, its nearly impossible and outright scary. Atleast thats my take on it and probably why I dont have one - yet. I keep trying and getting discouraged.

[justpeachy92]

One thing I would point out is use the scale in the produce department. Those 3 pound bags of apples vary in weight, some 1/2 pound under and I have found some pushing 4 pounds.

[forHISglory]

1. How to be creative and think outside the box
2. How to assess your own family's needs and preferences. It does no good to save a buck on wild rice when no body will eat it.
3. How to cut down utilities
4. How to have more frugal holidays, birthdays, etc.

Just a few thoughts........... You are really doing a great service with this lecture.

[Dutchie]

How about the using up of leftovers.

[TheRootedNomad]

Scratch (or closer to it) cooking versus convenience food. The closer to scratch it is the lower cost (and probably healthier).

Useing less - I include my cleaners, hygiene, paper products (when I do buy them) in my grocery budget. On most of these products people (especially children) overuse what is needed. A bottle of shampoo may last 4 times as long (saving you the cost of 3 bottles) simply by watching how much gets dolloped out.

Hope your lecture goes well!

[suki]

First, congratulations!

Of course, this is a vast topic! How long do you have for your lecture?

I think you've been given some good tips. Most folks that ask me about frugal living want to know cooking tips. The food budget seems to be one of the biggest and where folks see that they can cut back. Maybe they can't sew, but they can stop eating out so much and learn to cook!

You said your audience is 50 young moms. So, after hitting the food budget topics; I'd move on to some things regarding kids and young families.

Try to keep everything do-able and don't overwhelm them. If most of them thought this was easy or that they were capable of doing it without tips and support... they probably wouldn't attend your lecture.

Good Luck!

[Laurie in Bradenton]

WOW! What an honor!

Since this is for young moms I would also focus on the kitchen. Meal planning and organizing their rountine planning, purchasing, and preparing. I know from experince most of todays young woman know very little about cooking much less cooking from scratch. If you can either print out or post on a caulkboard or large piece of paper a few very basic and easy recipes it will be a big help.
Touch on saving money. If its only a few dollars a week. Alot of young adults don't know how to do this. Take your change jar and use it as an example. Alot of folks learn by seeing, the t.v. video agers. Post a list of the popular budget books and frugal recipe books. Something they can write down and explore later. And by all means post this site!
The education you can get here is on going as is the support.

Perhaps you could work this into a part thing where you do food one time and saving another and snowballing a third.

LAurie in Bradenton

[PrairieRose]

I print up and hand out a couple of recipies for homemade laundry soap. Most people (young ones) have no idea you can make it and how much it can save you .

[Dancing Lotus]

I would also talk about saving money by using bleach, vinegar, and baking soda for cleaning. Talk about cutting the amount of laundry soap in half and about tearing dryer sheets in half. Simple thing to us but honestly these are things that people don't think about.

Here is a way to get the conversation started.

Ways to start saving money today
Cut dryer sheets in half.
Use half the recommended amount of laundry soap. Or start making your own.
Make your own window cleaner.
Fill a spray bottle half with Alcohol and top off with water add two tablespoons of ammonia. Not only will your class be streak free but it will also help prevent the mirrors from fogging up. It's also I good general purpose cleaner.


Hope that helps , and good luck!

[fuzzybunny]

I have been thinking about doing this at my church and a couple of things I thought might be useful as handouts would be.

1. A reading list of good books about frugality and budgeting (all available at the library of course)

2. A copy of my price book. As someone else mentioned this can seem very intimidating. My projected class sized would be much smaller so I thought that handing it out as an excel file on a CD would be good. Since they are all local it would save them the trouble of start up. You could also give out an email address (set up a generic account at google) and then email them the book as a file to everyone who signs up for it. You might also want to have a few printed copies for those who don't have computers.

3. Talking about Amy D's system of "wage per activity" i.e. figuring out how much money you can save by doing a certain repair, project or chore yourself rather than pay someone.

[julieb]

How about making it interactive and have the participants make a menu for the week? Alot of people don't menu plan or plan ahead making going out to eat an expensive alternative. (I learned my lesson on this one)

You could even have sale ads to help the menu planning, centering on loss leaders and seasonal items. Teaching as you go.

Your gonna be great at this no matter what you do!! It's obvious you care alot about what you are teaching and who you are teaching it too. Good luck!!

[coup]

How about making it interactive and have the participants make a menu for the week? Alot of people don't menu plan or plan ahead making going out to eat an expensive alternative. (I learned my lesson on this one)

This is an excellent idea! Take the weekly sales flyer from your local stores and a list of coupons that are currently available!

My idea was to make a list of frugal websites for them. This one, couponmom.com to match coupon to sales flyers, etc.

Also maybe take some of your stockpile items or walgreens' freebies. Use them as a demo (I got this for free by doing the Walgreen's rebates) and then raffle them off!

Good luck and have fun!

[IntlMom]

Thanks everyone. These are all great ideas, I had thought of most of them already.....it's just such a wide topic, I am still having a hard time getting it organized. I was already planning on bringing the ads, my coupons, some current freebies, and what I have gotten from WAG for free. I am praying for a good sale week so that I can show them current good deals that they can go out and do.....
I have a VERY SIMPLE price that I will make available for them to see. I am going to have to brush up on Amy Ds "wage per activity" cause that's really a good idea. I will have about an hour, which seems overwhelming, but I have done this several years ago, and the time goes by really fast once you start talking about something that you are passionate about. I am already working on a book list and website list for them to take......

Thanks for your great suggestions~keep 'em coming and I'll let you all know how it goes!

[frugalfriend]

You'll be great!! Wish I could attend and cheer you on!