Looking for Free Samples? Here's Where to Start

Looking for Free Samples? Here’s Where to Start

by Miranda Marquit · 0 comments

One of the best ways to get what you need is to get it for free! Frugal living is all about stretching your dollars, and taking advantage of free samples can provide you with a good way to do that. From beauty samples to baby food samples, it’s possible to find a number of quality products for free. You just have to know where to go.

Here are some great sites that provide free samples that you can use:

FreeMakeupSamples.com: Just what the name says, this web site connects you with companies offering free samples and providing coupons for free products.
Free Beauty Tips: Includes a free samples link that takes you to where you can get samples of a variety of products and services. And the site includes free tips on how to wear makeup.
Lavera: If you are interested in organic and natural beauty products, head here. Free samples of beauty products that haven’t been tested on animals.
Free Sample Forager: Get help finding some of the best free samples with this web site. A variety of health and beauty products is available.
Now Smell This: You can get access to perfume reviews and free samples. Includes information on the latest scents, as well as coupons and discounts.
YeahBaby.com: You can get free samples of baby food and other products for your new addition. Sometimes, there are even free maternity clothes!
Earth’s Best: This organic baby food company offers free samples of, and coupons for, some of its products.
Baby Cheapskate: You can find free samples on this web site, as well as deeply discounted products and services associated with babies.
Coffee Fair: If you like a good cup of coffee, you can get it at this web site, offering free coffee samples from a variety of sources. Overcome the latte effect with free coffee.
Free Coffee Samples and Free Coffee: Fill out the coffee sample request form, and get free coffee delivered to your door. A great way to try new brews — for free!
TalkToTheVet.com: If you are looking for pet care freebies, you can head to this web site for a handy list of free products.
America the Beautiful Fund: You can get free seeds from this web site. If you are into planting a garden, you can save even more money on food when you get free seeds.
Garden.org: If you have extra seeds from your garden, you can swap them for seeds that you need. Figure out what you have too much of, and what you want. Then, head on over to the seed swap for what you need.

It’s possible to find any number of things for free if you look for them. You can also ask for free samples at department stores, doctor’s offices and other places of business. If you have a favorite brand, visit the official web site and look for special freebies and offers. With a little hunting around, it is possible to find free samples of many of the products you use most.

This post was included in the Festival of Frugality

Wedding Favors to Make Yourself

by Coupon Shoebox · 0 comments

There are several reasons you might want to make your wedding favors on your own. Financial pressures, a desire to add a personal touch, or a crafty nature are all perfectly valid reasons to take on this DIY project.

Step by Step

Your first objective is to determine just how much you can afford to spend on your favors. This will have a big impact on the ideas you can consider. Then think about things that you feel specifically define you and your fiancée. That will provide some direction for your favors.

Take into consideration how many people will be attending. Making an involved favor for 250 people will take a lot of time, but if you are having a small wedding you can get fancier without the project taking over your life for weeks before the big day.

An Inexpensive Idea

You can make a personalized soap as a wedding favor easily and at very little expense. Purchase a soap base, colorant, fragrance, rubbing alcohol, a mold and wrapping materials at your local craft store.

Melt the soap base in a double boiler.
When the soap is liquid add both the colorant and the fragrance, and mix well until both are completely incorporated.
Pour the liquid into the mold that you chose, spray it with rubbing alcohol to eliminate the bubbles, and let it cool completely.
Wrap the soaps up and print off a nice tag on your printer.
Attach your tag and you are ready to go.

Something a Bit Pricier

If you would like to present your guests with something that involves a bit more cost, consider making some special bath salts just for this occasion. Bath salts are very easy to make, the real expense will come from the jars you use for storage.

Find the jars

Do a search for ‘favor jars’ online and select the style of jar you like best.
Try to get something that will hold at least a cup or two of the mix you make.

Ingredients for the salts:

To make your bath salts purchase Epsom salts in bulk.
Pick a colorant that matches your wedding colors and either a premade fragrance or essential oils.

Making the salts:

In a large tub, mix the salts and colorant.
a. To do this, drop little bits of the colorant all over the salt and mix, and mix, and mix. You get the picture.
b. When you have achieved a uniform color, you are ready to add the scent.
If you picked a premixed scent, add it just as you did the colorant.
If you chose essential oils remember that they can be pretty intense, so go slowly.
When you reach the level of scent you want, stop.

Making the Favors

Scoop the salts into the containers and seal them.
Now, print up labels on your home computer and label all your jars.
Box them up for easy transfer to the wedding hall.

How to Make Your Own Scents

Here are a couple of suggestions for essential oil blends:

To soothe and relax: One part bergamot oil, one part lavender oil
To feel happy; One part chamomile, three parts sweet orange
To inflame passions: One part sandalwood, one part cardamom, two parts ginger and two parts patchouli

Want more? Check out the DIY Only ebook for free when you subscribe to the Coupon Shoebox Tips newsletter.

The Frugal Family: Instilling Frugallity from an Early Age

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

We are fortunate to live in times when there is an abundance of things to buy which can make our lives easier and more enjoyable. More and more things become available every day that tempt us to open our wallet and fork over some of our hard-earned dollars. It’s all too easy to get swept up in the “I want everything and I want it now” mentality of our culture.

That mentality, however, runs counter to living a truly frugal lifestyle. While frugality needn’t be experienced as a constant state of deprivation, it does require that we closely consider our resources and exercise restraint in the way we handle our money.

Anyone who has made the decision to be frugal soon learns that it encompasses much more than a tight grip on our piggy bank. It’s about adopting an overall mindset of balancing our needs and wants, our available resources and our sense of satisfaction — in a sensible way.

Knowing, in very practical terms, what is “enough” while taking into account our personal circumstances can lead to a greater sense of overall contentment and security. Those are empowering qualities indeed. They are, in fact, vital qualities to instill in children from the start so that they can enjoy the benefits of abundant satisfaction as opposed to abundant over-indulgence.

How can frugality be taught to children? Jennifer Behnke and Jason Jacoby of northern New Jersey are parents of 3 1/2 year old twins Ella and Isaac. They instill the lessons of frugality as a part of day-to-day life in their household. Through this common-sense approach, they are instilling a naturally frugal way of thinking in their children from an early age. Here are some of the methods they employ:

They make a shopping list for the family and one for each of the children so they can participate in gathering what the family needs. Jennifer says, “When we go to the fruit stand, I have been known to draw pictures of the fruit we are shopping for on their own envelopes, and hand them their lists.” Through this activity, the twins learn the concept of “impulse-deferment” or making conscious choices based on predetermined need rather than on spur-of-the-moment impulse to make a purchase.

Jennifer and Jason teach the twins when foods are in season – berries, for instance. This not only makes them aware that Spring is berry season which means that the fruit is cheapest, most abundant and at its peak quality at that time of the year. Being knowledgeable shoppers equips them to be active rather than passive consumers.

Before shopping, Ella and Isaac help “take inventory” of what’s in the house by counting how many bottles of, say, apple juice, are in the cupboard so they can help plan the family shopping accordingly. This exercise helps them learn that certain items are needs and that it’s important to stay stocked up on them.

Perhaps the most important part of teaching the twins frugality is including them in grocery shopping excursions, encouraging them to participate in the purchasing. They help their parents find items and match the numbers of items required to the number of items they place in the cart. This teaches them that shopping is about making sound choices.

Frugality is an overall mindset. By learning the building blocks of frugality – common sense, awareness, want vs need and impulse deferment at an early age, Ella and Isaac are well on their way to becoming frugal adults, in control of their financial lives.

How do you teach frugality to your children?

Eating Out: Frugal Dining

by Miranda Marquit · 10 comments

One of the things I love to do is eat out. There are few things I enjoy more than eating at a restaurant, trying a new dish — and having someone else handle the cooking and the cleanup. However, as is frequently pointed out to me, eating out doesn’t exactly fit with a frugal lifestyle. It’s one of my indulgences, and we can afford it, so I don’t feel too bad about it. But, to keep my conscience from smiting me over the whole thing, there are some things that I do to reduce the amount of money spent on eating out:

Limit Going Out

First of all, it’s not as if we’re going out to eat every day. We try to keep it to once a week. We plan out our menu, and eat most of our meals at home, cooking them ourselves. We have our budget specifically set up to accommodate 5-6 meals out each month. This provides us with a little leeway on going somewhere more expensive, or making an extra effort for someone’s birthday.

Lunch Instead of Dinner

One way to save money on dining out is to go for lunch instead of dinner. Dinner usually costs more than lunch, and you are more tempted to order drinks. Plus, the tip on your bigger check will also be more. Things tend to add up faster when you go out for dinner. Going to lunch can significantly lower your final bill. Plus, for us, it means that we can go on a date while my son is at school, negating the need for a babysitter — which adds to the cost.

Discounted Gift Certificates

Another way to save money on eating out is to get discounted gift certificates. There are a number of sites that offer discounted certificates for chain restaurants, and even for local restaurants. It is possible to pay $15 or $20 for a $25 gift certificate. You can then use it when you go out to eat. Just remember that your tip should be based on the regular price of the meal, and not the discounted price.

Skip Drinks and Dessert

Restaurants often make the most on drinks (especially soft drinks) and dessert. Pass on these expensive items; it’ll save you money and contribute to your health. We usually get water, and sometimes request lemon to add a little flavor. This isn’t much of a sacrifice, since we don’t usually drink much beyond water and milk anyway. If we decide we want dessert, we go to a little local ice cream shop, or the pastry shop. Going to these places gets us superior desserts — without paying as much as getting it at the restaurant.

Take Out

Sometimes, instead of dining in, we call ahead and get take out. That way, we don’t have to include some of the costs that coming with dining in. Sometimes it’s fun just to get take out, and then have a picnic. It doesn’t save a whole lot, but it does reduce the cost of eating out. And it adds a little extra fun to the excursion.

What is your favorite tip for frugal dining?

Learn Sales Cycles for Savings Throughout the Year

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

It’s always nice when something we want or need is on sale when we buy it. While it may seem as if the stars have aligned just right or that it’s simply our lucky day, there actually is a predictable cycle to when items go on sale.

In very general terms, brand name grocery and household items offer their lowest prices quarterly, or every three months. If you can coordinate your purchase of higher-priced household items, like laundry detergent, for instance, with these sales and stock up on enough to last until the next price reduction, you can see significant savings over buying it as needed at regular price.

Other discounted prices are found throughout the year based on availability, time of year or special occasion. Produce is cheapest when it is in season. Charcoal and hot dogs are on sale before Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. Corned beef and cabbage are at rock-bottom price in March in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day. If you can stock up on non-perishables or freezable items at these times, you’ll really save overall.

Stores regularly discount items after a holiday or event. Items with seasonal packaging, while still perfectly good quality may be put on clearance at low prices. Keep your eyes peeled for post-holiday sales because stores need to clear off their shelves for the next stream of seasonal merchandise. Changes in packaging or new flavors or colors are more reasons that stores will put items on sale.

In addition to these seasonal reasons for stores to have sales, you should be aware that certain merchandise goes on sale at certain times of the year. The rationale behind it has to do with the retailers taking advantage of availability and (or) demand. It is a regular cycle which can be broken down by month. You’ll find sales on these items in these months:

January: Weight loss products; exercise equipment; stop smoking aids; cold remedies; home storage and filing items; pre-Super Bowl televisions and holiday and Winter-wear clearance merchandise.

February: Valentine’s Day gift items such as candy and jewelry; Chinese foods in celebration of Chinese New Year; fish and seafood because people eat less meat during Lent, resort/cruise wear, housewares and furniture

March: Easter items, such as eggs, baking supplies and Easter basket fillers; Passover specialty foods not readily available year-round; gardening supplies; rain wear and luggage

April: Earth Day promotions, such as organic foods and natural cleaners. Olive oil goes on sale because the new season begins in April; wallpaper and paint

May: Mother’s Day gift items, such as jewelry and perfume; Mexican specialties in celebration of Cinco de Mayo; Graduation gifts; allergy medicines

June: Father’s Day gift items, such as clothing and tools; dairy items are on sale for National Dairy Month

July: Picnic items; back to school promotions begin; air conditioners; major appliances

August: Back to school foods; Summer merchandise clearance

September: Baby items are on sale; late season crops such as apples, Winter squash and tomatoes; bikes

October: Baking items; Halloween candy, costumes and decor; batteries and smoke detectors for Fire Prevention month; outdoor sports equipment

November: Thanksgiving foods; blankets; pre-season holiday merchandise

December: Holiday celebration and entertaining foods and supplies; popular gift items; Fall clearance

When you pay attention to the rhythm of the year, you can see that the sales cycle makes a lot of sense. You can use the very same motivators that drive retailers to discount merchandise to your shopping advantage by being aware of sales cycles.

Do You Have a Gift Budget?

by Miranda Marquit · 1 comment

Gift giving allows you to express your feelings for loved ones. Whether it is for a birthday, wedding, holiday or for a special occasion, gift giving is part of our society. However, it can get expensive. One way you can more easily fit gift giving into your personal economy is to have a gift budget.

Having a gift budget is not just about starting now to save up for the holidays. It’s about being ready to purchase gifts when something unexpected happens, as well as planning to provide gifts for friends and relatives on regular occasions. A gift account can be a great way to prepare. You can use this money to send flowers when sympathy is required, or to purchase a birthday gift for a sibling. Set aside a few dollars a month for a gift account, and then when it comes time to purchase gifts, you will not be as stressed for money.

Strategies for Funding Your Gift Account

There are a number of strategies you can use to help fund your gift giving. If you use cash a great deal, you can set aside your change from transactions. This includes not only the coins you get for change, but also the dollar bills you might have. Keep all off these items in a jar, and every so often take it to the bank to put in a special account.

Another thing you can do is transfer money into a special gift account. You can set up automatic transactions so that every so often money is moved into an account that can be tapped for gifts. This way, you know that there is money available for you when you are ready to purchase gifts for others.

Saving Money on Gifts

Of course, if you are living a frugal lifestyle, there are some different things you can do to reduce the cost of giving gifts. In the end, it’s the thought that counts, and it is possible to give heartfelt gifts without spending a great deal of money. Think about what you can do to provide others with something meaningful, and you will find that spending a lot of money is not always required.

If you are adept at a skill, it is often possible to create homemade gifts. You can use money from your gift budget to buy materials and supplies needed to create thoughtful, personal gifts. This can include bags, clothing, crafts and even food. If you are into home canning you can find recipes for canned foods that look attractive, as well as taste great. These can be great gifts for others.

Even if you do not feel that you can make homemade items, it is still possible to be frugal when purchasing gifts. Make a list of gifts you are looking for, and keep an eye out for sales and coupons that can help you find discounts on what you are buying. You can also look for simple gifts that show that you have thought about the gift and that you are trying to be meaningful — even if it does not cost very much.

This article was also included in the Festival of Frugality.

Springpad: Technology That Helps You Save Money

by Gina Blitstein · 0 comments

The more we know of technology, the more aware we are that while it can make life easier, it can also be a money-drain. It seems that every day we are bombarded with a new gizmo or gadget that promises to make our lives a little better — and our wallet a little lighter.

But what if technology can help save us money — rather than constantly draining our coffers? It can happen — technology can provide us with savings opportunities – and here’s one way it can do just that:

Springpad is a FREE online organizing service that allows you to make lists of…well, anything you want to remember, including things to-dos, appointments and important dates. Check it out at springpadit.com. But above and beyond those obvious things that most any organizer program can help you keep track of, in Springpad you can make wish lists of items you want to buy (like video games or a spa day at your favorite salon), need to buy (like groceries or new tires) and anything else for which you are in the market. You can even create a list of restaurants at which you’d like to dine and places you’d like to visit (like museums or theme parks). Springpad strives to organize all aspects of your life into one centralized repository

Your Springpad lists are then accessible from your computer or mobile device. Mobile access is especially convenient when you are shopping. Of course, as a frugal shopper, you already make shopping lists because you know that they help you to buy only what you need and avoid in-store enticements which tempt you to spend more than you need to. Lists also help you remember what you need so you can avoid making extra trips to the store, which can also prove costly as well as waste your valuable time.

A new feature of Springpad pulls information from the Internet specifically pertaining to the items on your lists. Using this information, Springpad sends you alerts when there is a price reduction on a wish list item, something you need goes on sale or a coupon or deal is available for a product on your grocery list or at a place on your list. For example, if you have indicated on one of your Springpad lists that you’d like to try the new Italian restaurant in town and Groupon offers a deal for that restaurant, a Springpad alert will bring it to your attention. How convenient is that? Being alerted as to when it’s a good time to make a purchase, rather than being left to your own devices — that’s a feature bound to help you avoid impulse buying.

How do you receive the alerts from Springpad? Recently, in addition to the alerts appearing only on the Springpad website, it has integrated with mobile applications so you can access the alerts on the fly. Notably, there is a Springpad app for the iPad and one for Android. So when you are out shopping, you can discover where there’s a sale on those new bath towels you’ve had your eye on. And you can get a coupon for the soy sauce you need for the chow mein you’ve been wanting to cook.

It’s heartening to know that all technology doesn’t necessarily translate into a cost. Springpad combines lists you already have with information that is already available to provide a powerful and customized savings tool right at your fingertips.

What could Springpad help you save on?

Want to Start Canning? Here’s What You Need

by Miranda Marquit · 1 comment

During this recession, many aspects of frugal living have been making a comeback — and that includes home canning. If you have been gardening (another cornerstone of frugal living), and you have more fruits and vegetables than you know what to do with, it is possible to preserve them at home for use throughout the winter. Home canning can be a great — and frugal — way to store up food. You might need to spend $150 to $200 to get started, but once you are on your way, the savings begin to add up.

What You Need to Get Started with Home Canning

If you plan to can fruits and vegetables and other foods at home, you will need to get a canner. It is true that there are recipes floating around out there, called “open kettle”, that do not require a special canner. You can use these recipes with a large, boiling pot of water. However, it is important to note that the USDA does not recommend this method, and warns that the conditions under which this method is used can result in a higher likelihood of bacteria getting into the jars and ultimately causing food poisoning.

Canners are designed to keep the canning environment as sterile as possible, and reach temperatures to kill microorganisms. Most canners come with a lid and a rack. There are two main types of canners available, each usually costing around $55 if you buy new:

Water Bath: This is used for high-acid foods, like tomatoes. Many fruits should be canned using a water bath canner.
Pressure: A pressure canner is used for low-acid foods, including vegetables, meat and seafood. A pressure canner reaches temperatures in excess of 240 degrees Fahrenheit, and is able to rid the can and food of bacteria.

In addition to the right canners, you will need jars. You can buy glass canning jars for various prices at most grocery stores. You can also order them online. You can also find them for bulk discounts. In some cases the jars come with lids and rings. You can also buy lids and rings for your jars separately. It is important to note that lids should not be reused, since they may not re-seal properly. (Lids can be reused for storage with food items you don’t plan to preserve for a long time.) Jars and rings in good condition can usually be reused; buy new lids each year that you can. Jars, rings and lids are normally fairly inexpensive..

Some items that can make canning a little easier, but that you don’t actually need, include:

Jar Lifter: Prevents you from burning yourself as you lift jars out of the canner.
Lid Lifter: A magnetic lid lifter can help you easily grab lids out of boiling water.
Canning Funnel: A canning funnel with a wide neck can help you fill your jars faster and with a minimum of mess.
Recipe Book: If you want to know how to can, and if you want recipes for canned food, a canning recipe book can be a great resource. A good one is the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving — from the folks that make glass jars.

If you are looking to preserve your produce, canning can be a great way to do it while increasing your home food storage. Once you spend the money to get the equipment you need, you can keep canning year after year fairly cheaply.

Frightfully Easy Halloween Costume Designs

by Coupon Shoebox · 0 comments

There is something magical about Halloween that seems to bring out the DIY-er in most parents. The desire to design your child’s Halloween Costume is understandable, but for those with few sewing skills it may seem like a daunting situation. Fortunately, there are costumes that anyone can make, even if their best craft skill is using a hot glue gun.

Pillow Case Costumes

Pillow cases can cost as little as a dollar and are perfect for creating one of a kind Halloween costumes. White ones are particularly versatile and fit just about anyone. You can always use a king sized pillow case if you are looking for a dress look rather than a tunic.

1. Trashy Solution; Take a white or black pillowcase and turn it upside down, so the opening is the top. Make holes for your legs in the bottom and for your arms in the side. The opening becomes the neck of the trash bag. Make a few slits near the top and thread a red scarf or piece of fabric through it. With a fabric marker, write “trash” on the pillowcase, and use hot glue to attach pieces of actual – clean – trash to the case.
2. Playing Around; A playing card is easy to make. All you need is a white pillow case and some felt. Cut out numbers and an appropriate number of hearts or diamonds to create a card face on both sides. If you really want to get fancy, scan in an actual face card. Then enlarge the picture and print it on iron on paper. Then iron on the design for a queen or jack.

Costumes that Require some Basic Sewing

If your crafting skills include some basic sewing, you have many more options. Pattern from the simplest cat to incredibly complex identical replicas of Hogwarts fashion exist.

For those of us with little skill with a needle and even less time, here are some ideas.
1. M & M or Cookie;
a. Get felt that either matches the color of M&M you wish to create or some tan felt for a cookie. Dark brown felt will make the chocolate chips and white felt the “m” logo.
b. Cut the fabric into two circles.
c. Sew the shoulders shut leaving a space for the head.
d. Sew the sides, leaving space for the arms.
e. Leave the bottom loose.
f. Cut out small circles from the dark felt for chocolate chips and either sew or glue them on or cut the “m” logo out of the white felt and do the same.
2. Kitty Cat; Popular with the little ladies, this is a breeze to make. Get some black leggings and a black turtle neck. Pick up two feather boas that are white/black/gray. You will also need some black felt and a black knit hat.
a. Cut sections of the boa and sew it on to the ends of the leggings and sleeves.
b. Cut ear shapes from the felt and sew them on to the black hat in the right spot. You can decorate them with boa scraps if you want.
c. Use some more felt to create a tail or use the second boa just for this.

It may seem like ancient history but most of us didn’t have bought costumes growing up. We pulled together things from the dress up box, our parent’s closet and used some creativity. Focus on the fun, not the price tag and your kids will have great Halloween memories of your home made costumes.

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by Coupon Shoebox · 0 comments

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