Finding the Bargains: Where Do Your Favorite Stores Offer Savings?

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Frugal shoppers often do marketplace recognizance to discover the best bargain when shopping for high-ticket items. We make larger purchases less frequently so we often consider them more carefully than purchases we make every day. When we put as much research into routine purchases as we do when we make larger purchases, however, we save even more. It comes down to seeking out the best prices, savings opportunities and stores.

I try to use the same shopping strategies whether I’m making a major purchase or small routine purchase. I generally have a plan as to where I’m going to purchase something before I shop for it. I have a handful of “regular stores” where I shop frequently and know well. Keeping my list of regular retail destinations short makes it more likely that I’ll actually follow through on my shopping strategy and avoid impulse buying.

This strategy puts you in control of your shopping dollars. Becoming overwhelmed by the sheer number of stores and products available results in overspending for what we need and want.

These are some of the stores I shop and what I’ve learned about them that helps me save money:

Food 4 Less – This is my go-to grocery store. Even though I subscribe to a weekly email sales flyer, there’s often a $10 off $50 coupon in their newspaper ad.
Aldi – They sell private-label groceries and a variety of special-purchase items. I wouldn’t shop anywhere else for eggs, milk, yogurt and bread because their everyday prices on these items can only be beaten by an exceptional sale. A number of their private-label items are as good or better than name brands with much lower prices. A monthly trip to stock up on these staples is part of my shopping routine.
CVS – As a “preferred customer” I receive coupons via email on a regular basis, usually for 20% – 30% off non-sale items or a flat $5 off a $25 purchase. Several important things about this store are: First, their regular prices tend to be high so it’s a poor choice for running in for something I may have forgotten elsewhere. Second, I can save big by shopping carefully and combining their sale prices with their $5 off deal or using their percentage off coupons for stocking up on their store brand products. Third, shoppers can earn “extra bucks” which are $1 – $5 savings certificates, redeemable on future purchases. When organized with care, a trip to CVS can yield significant savings.
Target – We asked our doctors to prescribe generic medications from their list of low-priced generics. That way, we can purchase a 90-day supply of our medications for $10. Since we find ourselves picking up a prescription or so at least once a month, I keep a running list of items to purchase at Target, which has generally decent everyday pricing on most items.
Old Navy.com – Having created an account with them, I regularly receive 20% -30% off offers from them. Once my purchase qualifies me for free shipping, my percentage discount is deducted so it’s like a double savings.
Amazon.com – With an enormous selection of merchandise at excellent prices, we check here whenever we’re considering an out-of-the-ordinary purchase. Whether it’s printer ink, kitchenware, clothing, towels and linens, a faucet, jewelry, electronics and accessories… you name it, Amazon probably has it. Also, many of the items they offer qualify for free shipping, saving you money, time and gasoline.

Greater savings can be yours when you make the effort to discover where the good prices are and how to get the best deals on the things you buy whenever you can.

What are your specific saving strategies?

How Financially Literate are You?

by Miranda Marquit · 0 comments

It is Financial Literacy Month, which is a great time to reflect on your own financial literacy skills. Your ability to manage money, in a lot ways, depends on how educated you are about how money works, and the concepts behind your finances.

One of the truths about money management is that understanding how money works is vital. There are people who understand money to the point that if they only had a dollar, they could eventually work their way out of financial trouble with the help of good money management. Others receive huge windfalls, and in a couple of years have blown through all of that money and are left with nothing because they don’t understand how money works.

The Importance of Knowing How Money Works

Before you spend money, or decide what to do with your money, it’s a good idea to know how money works. Some of the things to know about money — and how it works — include:

Understand the difference between earning interest and paying interest.
Learn what things are worth borrowing for, and what things aren’t.
Know how to take calculated risks, whether it involves investing for retirement, or for something else.
Distinguish between needs and wants.
Look for ways to reduce expenses.
Use your skills to earn more money.
Find ways to use money to make money.
Enhance your skills and abilities so that you are considered more valuable.

Part of successful finances is learning how to more effectively interact with money, and realize that you should be the one in control of your money. If you are in a tough financial situation, your difficulties in digging out can be compounded by a lack of understanding about how money works. Taking the time to understand how to use money to your advantage, and how to use money as a means to an end, can help you make the most of what you have — and possibly even earn more money.

Great Resources to Help You Learn about Money

As you learn about money, and how it works, there are number of resources that you can use. Here are some of my favorite book resources for learning about money, and how to improve your relationship with it:

Your Money or Your Life: I love this book because it’s all about priorities. It’s about learning how to identify your own priorities in life, and to match up your finances with those priorities.
Debt is Slavery: A very simple book that takes a look at debt, and other aspects of money. A straightforward approach to money, and how it works, that can help you learn to better manage your financial resources.
The Millionaire Next Door: Sometimes we think that there are a lot of tricks related to managing money. However, you might surprised at some of the commonsense actions you take to improve your financial situation.
The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing: Learn a little bit about investing, and ways to take calculated risks, as well as how to put your money to work for you in index funds.
The Intelligent Investor: A great guide to value investing, and using your money, as an investor.
The Millionaire Fastlane: Crack the Code to Wealth and Live Rich for a Lifetime: While I don’t think that you need to be a millionaire to be successful in life, this book is great for challenging assumptions about money, and helping you learn how to use money.

Vacation Basics: Save Money on Food and Lodging

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

It’s spring – a great time to plan your upcoming summer family vacation. Vacations, whether short or long, are a vital part of a balanced life, providing welcome relief from the stress and monotony of the daily grind. On the other hand, vacations themselves have the potential to be stressful as you plan and calculate the expenses, or fail to plan at all and end up paying for it months later.

You may have already ruled out a family vacation this year because you don’t think you can afford it. Maybe you can’t, and in that case, there are great ways to relax and ‘get away’ right at home. But the chances are you can actually afford a fun vacation without going over-budget or maxing out your credit just by finding ways to save money on necessary expenses like food and lodging. Here are a few ideas:

Take advantage of Reward Membership cards from hotels. One of the biggest expenses during any vacation is lodging, and if you don’t plan ahead, you can end up spending several hundred dollars a night or having another bad experience with a ‘cheap’ motel. Many hotel chains offer rewards for frequent customers, ranging from discounts to accumulated points towards free hotel rooms. Choose a hotel chain you already know and like so you can be sure your stay is predictable and enjoyable every time.

Shop online for discounted rooms. Also check out sites such as priceline.com which list extremely discounted rooms in unnamed hotel chains near your destination. Hotel chains use these sites to fill rooms that would otherwise remain empty. Using such a site comes with some risk since you won’t know the name of the chain until after your pay, but rating systems and feedback on these sites can help you determine if the hotel is reputable. Sometimes rooms are available for as low as $50 a night!

Bring snacks for traveling and for down-time in the hotel. You can spend a lot of money at gas stations, vending machines, and hotel mini-bars if you fail to hit the grocery store ahead of time for snacks. If you will be doing a lot of walking, pack a backpack with healthy, energizing snacks so you aren’t forced to buy expensive food from malls, venues, and curb-side vendors.

Request a hotel room with a refrigerator and a microwave and save even more money on food. If you aren’t staying somewhere with a free continental breakfast included, it’s a smart idea to pick up some milk and cereal and avoid the expensive hotel food. Be even more frugal and pick up some lunch meat and bread so you can make sandwiches to take with you on the go. By saving money on most of your meals, you can afford to enjoy a few special dinners at favorite restaurants.

Regardless of your lifestyle, affording a vacation is still within your reach if you are careful to plan ahead and save on your basic expenses. Without the stress of overspending, you will enjoy your vacation that much more as you relax and make lifetime memories.

You may also want to learn more tips from this comprehensive list of 50 budget traveling tips by MoneyNing.com.

Without These Tips, Free Samples Are Expensive

by Vincent King · 1 comment

When you are struggling for every penny, and you’re trying to keep free of debt or live within your budget, FREE is a magic word.

Your eyes glaze as you hear it because you would jump through hoops to get it.

And you do.

But your inbox is suddenly flooded with unexpected paperwork. Like any raging torrent, it becomes easy to drown.

You soon discover that you’ve laid the welcome mat for every spammer on the Net, and sold your mailbox to every catalog in print – just by trying to save a few dollars.

Time is money. Even samples that don’t cost any money, can certainly cost you a premium in time.

Why?

Products are free for a reason. Marketers want your information so they can sell you additional products. When you agree to take their free sample, you agree to let them continue to send you updates, sales pitches, and more.

Yes, they advertise that you can save money by sending away for these products and you can – at least a dollar or two (maybe more in extreme cases). But, then you spend months trying to free yourself from the prison of the lists.

So how can you score free without selling the soul of your inbox or mailbox?

Use a separate email address – Sign up for a separate email address for your email offers. Simply go in once a week and clear it out with a push of a button, and you don’t have to worry about the junk getting mixed with your aunt’s “We missed you” email.

Know what you’re signing up for – Keep your info safe. If you can’t find or don’t understand the terms and conditions of the offer, stay away. If the company i above board, you’ll be able to find the terms and understand them quickly and easily.

Know how to cancel – Be aware of any charges incurred when you cancel. Some offers are only valid if you actually sign up to buy a product or agree to a recurring charge afterward. If you must buy something after the offer, the sample isn’t free. Stay away. But if you can cancel free and clear, it’s fair game.

Make sure there are no pre-checked boxes ticked – Many times, you’ll sign up for a product and they’ll have boxes pre-checked so that you sign you up for their email marketing or special “club.” Beware. Read the page carefully and untick any boxes you wouldn’t check on your own before clicking “OK.”

Use a PO box for offers only – This is only for the heavy duty Samplers. If you get enough free samples in the mail to counter the fee of a post office box and still save money, it’s worth saving your home address for the important things such as bills, bank, and credit card statements, then investing in a PO box.

Using these tips can help you make getting free samples worth the headache they could otherwise cause.

What are your tips for saving money and headaches with free samples?

Re-purpose Your Way to Garden Decor

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Now that it’s April, you’re probably doing some Spring cleaning around your home. That may include cleaning out closets, the basement, attic or garage. While you may be tempted to throw away a lot of items, donate them or hold a garage sale (all of which are good ideas) before you do, try to see them through new eyes. Some of those items may have new life in them, if only you can see it.

Consider re-purposing items you may be tempted to give the heave-ho. They may no longer serve the function for which they were built but with a little creative thought, you may be able to use them for something else around your home or yard.

Especially now that Spring has sprung, you may be giving some thought to your yard decor. Every store we go to this time of year seems to be selling things to decorate the yard, from wind chimes to garden gnomes. But are knick-knacks for the garden really the best use of your money? You’d probably rather spend more on plants themselves than flower pots and trellises. Maybe you don’t have to buy anything new this year. Maybe there are a few items lurking around that – when cleverly used – could spruce up your yard and garden without costing you a cent?

Of course I’m not suggesting that you drag all your surplus stuff into your yard and make it look like you’re having a constant garage sale. Just a few creatively repurposed things might really freshen up your yard in a different-than-the-neighbors-decor way.

I’ve brainstormed several ideas from some of the stuff around my home that needs to do more to earn its keep than take up space. Maybe you have some of the same types of items that you no longer want or need that could make a great addition to your great outdoors:

Indoor shutters – These were hanging in our bedroom when we moved into our house. They were a bit too 1970’s for my taste so into the garage they went. These could make a nice garden backdrop or a short fence.
Children’s plastic chairs – These are perfect little flower pot stands – colorful and weatherproof.
A 12’ length of flexible 6” pipe – This too could serve as a garden backdrop, separator or, curved into a circle and filled with soil, a garden all its own.
Bowling ball – I’ve seen them placed in gardens, like a gazing ball, as a focal point.
Broken fan – How about placing it among the plants to catch the wind? The movement of the blades will chase away garden pests.
Old pots and pans – You may have to knock a few holes in the bottom for drainage, but these could make clever planters – especially if a cook lives in the house. Larger ones could be used to catch rain for watering plants.
Broken file cabinet – This could be decoratively painted (or camouflaged) and used as a sturdy plant stand. If the drawers still pull out, you could put flower pots in them for a multi-level display.
Old desk – Think ultimate potting bench!
Old flatware – With some fishing line and a few hooks you may have around the house, voilà! new windchimes!
Old dishes – These could be used for bird baths, small planters or, if they’re colorful glass, attractive, reflective highlights in gardens.
Large picture frame – Propped up in your flowerbed, it could appear that you’ve framed a lovely live garden scene.

These are just some ideas from my garage to your yard. Happy re-purposing!

What potentially decorative or useful treasures are hiding around your home?

Six Ways to Instantly Save Money on Your Water Bill

by Jessica Sommerfield · 3 comments

If you are a city-dweller, a water bill is a non-negotiable utility expense. However, just because you will always have it doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make it lower, just as using less electricity and heating fuel can reduce other utility bills.

Although you don’t want to go to the extreme (taking showers is a good thing, for the sake of others, if not for your own peace of mind), you can drastically reduce your water bill by simply changing a few bad habits. Not only will you be saving yourself money, you’ll be helping the environment. Here are six ways to see a difference in your next water bill:

Only run full loads of laundry. Doing small loads may seem convenient, but the amount of water you are wasting is not (up to 2,130 gallons). If you find you need just one item, consider washing it by hand in the sink. Otherwise, try to keep your loads full, and use the appropriate load-size setting instead of always defaulting to large. Also consider upgrading your washer to a high-efficiency model, preferably a front loader.

Run the dishwasher: it uses less water than hand washing. The same advise applies for dish washing as for clothes washing – run full loads only. Again, if your dishwasher is old, you should consider upgrading to a newer model designed to use less water and electricity. If you have only a few dishes, hand-wash or wait until you have more to wash. When hand-washing dishes, wait until you have finished washing all the dishes to rinse them all at once, instead of rinsing dishes individually.

Change your shower head and take quick showers. A nice long shower is nice every once in a while, but if you change your shower head to a low-flow model and limit your showers to about ten minutes, you can save as much as 50 gallons of water each time. If you feel like enjoying the water, take a bath instead but don’t fill the tub).

Turn the faucet off while you brush your teeth. This may seem trivial, but a lot of water is wasted while we shine our pearly whites. Wait until you are done brushing your teeth to turn the faucet on and rinse your toothbrush. This simple change of habit can save you up to $240 on your water bill each year.

Fix leaks and drippy faucets right away. Slow drips or a constantly-running toilet may not seem significant, but they are to your water bill. Taking care of leaks can save up to 10,000 gallons of water annually. If you are unable to fix the leaks yourself, call a friend or family member. Even if you have to hire a handyman, it will be well worth your savings in the long run.

Refrigerate your drinking water and use the microwave to heat water. Many of us waste water waiting for the tap to turn the desired temperature.

Taking the time to change your habits and consider that conserving resources and money is more important than convenience can make an impact on your expenses, your ability to save more money, and ultimately living a better life.

You’re Not Saving Because You’re Not Negotiating

by Vincent King · 0 comments

Are you struggling to save money every day, and on everything you buy? How much could you save if you knew how to effectively negotiate?

The bottom line isn’t always the price tag on an item. If you’re willing, and know how to do it, you can negotiate prices on everything from big tickets to everyday products.

This doesn’t mean you should stand in the grocery aisle and negotiate the price of a carton of eggs. But, you could haggle with the butcher over his price of meats, if you’re buying in bulk (maybe even if you’re not). Negotiate right and you’ll lower the bottom line on many of the items you use every day –even if you’re a woman.

Haggling, negotiating, dickering, making a deal – whatever you want to call it – works if you have the know-how to do it. Follow these five simple steps before starting your wheeling and dealing to save every dime, every time:

1. Love it, but don’t need it. If you love something so much that you need it, you’ve lost the battle before the first shot was fired. Salespeople can read your need. They know if you’re in love with an item and they’ll use that to get their highest price. Making the sale becomes a fight for survival once they know you don’t need their product.

2. Walk the walk and talk the talk. Be confident when you talk to your salesperson, your strength means they won’t be able to strong-arm you. Speak clearly, and look them in the eye when speaking. Know what you are talking about and what you want to say.

3. Be confident, but friendly. Being nice to a salesperson can save you even more in the relationship. This technique can get you free items in a lot of places, too…not just at the negotiating table. Make it a habit to ask people how they are and how their day is going. Forget the freebies…this just makes you feel good, too.

4. Ask what they can do for you. This is part of being confident. By asking them what they can do for you, you assume the power role in the negotiating relationship. They’ll often give you a number that isn’t as low as what you wanted, then…

5. Tell them what you want to pay. When they give you an offer that isn’t what you wanted, tell them what you were looking to pay. If they say no…

Give them your card, tell them to call you if anything changes and walk away. Don’t ever take the salesperson’s card. That’s a shift of power. You want to stay in control from the moment you enter the store or showroom until the second you leave.

Using these tips, you’ll be able to get the items you want at a savings you need.

What are your best haggling tips?

Spend Your Eyeglass Dollars Wisely

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

Having had poor eyesight my whole life, vision care has always been an important issue to me. Because of the extent of correction my eyes needed, my frames needed to be large enough to accommodate the lenses that were required to correct my vision. I was thrilled when I could finally ditch my “coke bottle bottom” glasses and wear contact lenses. Once I graduated to contacts, I no longer had to deal with the weight of them on my face – they were always sliding down my nose. I was eager to show the world my whole face instead of it being obscured behind those thick, unattractive glasses.

Throughout decades of contact-wearing, however, my vision has changed. My new choice for vision correction is glasses – not contacts – for the first time since I was a teenager. Why did I switch back to glasses? Because, just like my vision, the technology of vision correction has changed dramatically. I was thrilled to discover how many options exist to remove my objection to wearing glasses. I learned a lot from my recent visit to the optometrist and thought I’d pass along the knowledge I gained to help you be a more informed consumer of eyeglasses.

Get the right correction for your needs

I flat-out asked my doctor which solution – contacts or glasses – would correct my vision best. He said that since I needed bifocals for the first time, (eek!) that glasses would work best.

Traditional bifocal lenses have a half-circle in the center, which is where you focus to see up-close, like for reading. The half-circle is visible to others, too, so is considered by some to be unattractive.
Progressive lenses are a newer type of “multi-focal” lens. These lenses are made differently, using a gradient of increasing power so that the “sweet spot” for up-close viewing is more spread out, not limited to the center of the lens. This makes the experience of close-to-far sight less choppy and overall vision more natural. They also don’t have the visible bifocal “line” – they look just like single-vision lenses. Progressive lenses are more costly but are considered worth it for both cosmetic and vision reasons.

Get the right type of lenses

Polycarbonate lenses are lighter than glass and shatter-resistant, making them the safe choice for children and those who participate in sports to wear.
Scratch-resistant coating makes your lenses less likely to get scratches which impair your vision through them.
Anti-reflective treatment allows light to pass through, rather than reflect off the lenses, providing clearer vision, less eyestrain when using the computer and under fluorescent light, less nighttime glare, and a clearer view of your eyes when people look at you.
UV protection is critical to the health of your eyes and for preventing the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. A clear UV protection is available, or you can get Transitions lenses (which change according to the amount of available light) or traditional sunglasses.

Get the right frames

Regardless of style, they should fit properly and be an appropriate size for the corrective lens you need.

Metal frames can be flexible, lightweight and less noticeable.
Plastic frames can be sturdier and have more fashionable options but are rigid and heavier.

All these options allowed me to have a pair of glasses that are not only attractive but help me see incredibly well, are lightweight, fit well and are good for my eyes. Remember to choose what’s most important and appropriate for you and you’ll spend your eye care dollars wisely.

When it comes to your vision, what are you willing to spend on?

Insurance Policies that Protect Your Assets

by Miranda Marquit · 0 comments

Many of us grumble about paying insurance premiums. However, when an emergency strikes, or when the unexpected happens, insurance can help you protect the loss of your assets. There are some policies that can help you ensure that the value of your assets remains intact. Here are some of the most vital insurance policies:

Health Insurance

You really are your best asset. On top of that, health issues can be very expensive. When it comes to your health, you don’t want to mess around. Health insurance can prevent you from having serious financial troubles. If you are concerned about your job, and your ability to work if you are injured, another option is disability insurance.

Homeowners Insurance

Your home is a huge asset. If something happens to your home, and you don’t have the insurance to repair the damage or replace the home, you can easily go broke. When you have adequate insurance coverage, though, you can cover these costs, and you can avoid losing everything because of an unexpected event.

If you rent, don’t discount the importance of renters insurance. This type of insurance can protect the value of the items in your rental. You might be surprised at how much the stuff in your rental is worth. Renters insurance can help you replace these items if necessary.

Auto Insurance

Not only is auto insurance required by law in just about every state, but it also protects your car. Not only can auto insurance help you replace your car if it is totaled, or repair it if possible, protects you in more ways. If you rely on your car to get to work so you can earn money, and you don’t have the money to repair or replace it insurance can be a real boon.

Liability Insurance

It’s also important to consider various types of liability insurance. Your homeowners and auto policies will come with liability coverage. This coverage protects you from problems that result when others hold you responsible for injury or damage to property. Instead of being subject to a lawsuit, an insurance company can often settle matters and protect your assets.

In some cases, you might need umbrella insurance to further boost your liability. If you have a lot of assets, you do want to be able to protect them from lawsuits, and the right insurance can help.

Life Insurance

While life insurance doesn’t protect you, it does protect your family. If you die, you want to be able to provide for your family. Life insurance goes a long way toward doing this, preserving assets for your survivors. While you won’t ever benefit from the life insurance payout, you still need the policy to help protect your family.

Bottom Line

Even if you are reluctant to get insurance coverage, it shouldn’t be neglected. Insurance helps you pay for big expenses that would otherwise financially devastate you. It’s a good idea to be aware of this fact, and to prepare accordingly by getting adequate insurance coverage to protect your assets.

Stop Burning Your Money (And Your Health)

by Jessica Sommerfield · 0 comments

If you are trying to save money, budgeting is a must. Not only does a budget help you save money by controlling spending and purposefully saving, it also shows you spending categories you need to cut back or eliminate completely. The hard thing to deal with is that these categories usually involve personal hobbies and habits we enjoy and naturally don’t want to give up. Some of these hobbies and habits are harmless and you shouldn’t have to totally eliminate them. However, some particularly bad habits such as smoking are detriments not only to your finances but also to your health. Here are a few of the most common reasons to quit:

It’s obvious that smoking is an expensive habit. Simply do the math or use an online savings calculator, and you’ll be amazed at how much of your money is literally going up in smoke. Cigarettes and tobacco are also heavily-taxed items. State taxes on cigarettes have continued to increase in recent years, with the highest tax rate at more than $4.00 per pack.
Smoking poses a major health risk, which can raise your health care costs and insurance premiums. Over the last few decades health professionals have become very vocal about the link between smoking and a host of serious health problems, particularly lung cancer. More and more businesses and public settings have converted to non-smoking due to the harmful effects of second-hand smoke. Most insurance companies consider the use of tobacco products to be a serious risk factor when calculating premiums and may require a blood test to verify your tobacco-free status.

None of this may be news to you if you are a smoker who has been trying to beat the habit for these very reasons, but it doesn’t make it any easier to break the addiction. The following are a few solutions to kicking the habit for good and saving both your pocketbook and personal health.

Nicotine patches. These can be expensive initially, but not as expensive as continuing to waste money on cigarettes and health care costs. There are different systems based on your level of nicotine addiction, i.e., how many packs you smoke on a daily basis. Name brand patches have been proven to be highly effective in helping many people stop smoking.
E-cigarettes. These are a more recent technological development which are more expensive than the patch but cater to the psychological comfort of smoking. E-cigarettes produce no harmful smoke or tar, but are designed to look like cigarettes and deliver a nicotine dose. Unlike the patches, which are designed to gradually wean smokers off of nicotine dependence, most e-cigarettes are not specifically endorsed as a quitting method. However, by changing from higher doses of nicotine to light and nicotine-free formulas, they can be used to help someone who is having a hard time giving up the act of smoking without other harmful tobacco by-products.

Whatever method you choose, you will be taking steps to improve your personal finances for the long term as well as significantly reducing your health risks, payouts which are more than worth the discomfort of giving up your smoking habit.

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