~Wednesday Coupons~
 | $1.00 off when you buy any ONE (1) package of KRAFT Singles |
 | $1.00 off when you buy any ONE GE reveal® branded product |
 | $0.50 off 2 boxes Nature Valley Granola bars |
 | $0.75 off ONE BOX Fiber One cereal |
Mid week....the weekend is in sight, yay! This was our 'first week back at school' for the kiddos, so I am looking forward to a lazy weekend with some sleeping in first on my agenda. (If the kids let me, of course. Le Sigh.)
There is a new website in town where you can make money and save money at the same time. The site lists shopping deals that will save you money, and if you have a great money-saving shopping deal of your own to share, you can make some extra money!
Sumballo.com pays users to post about deals they have found. This can be a perfect way to make money online with Black Friday right around the corner!
You do not need to sign up on the site if you are just looking for coupons, sales and deals. But if you want to share deals, you need to register (free.) Then you click on the 'post a deal' link and submit your deal on their site. For every person that clicks on your deal link and purchases that item, you will earn a percentage of the sale. There is a tracking url installed so you can keep track of how many clicks your posted deal is getting.
You can withdraw your earnings at any time via PayPal.
Keep in mind that you only earn money on deals that can be purchased online.
And don't forget to check out all the coupons and savings posted on the website as well.
Go check it out and get started saving and making money!
Website: Sumballo.com
If you house is anything like our house, then you have toys. Lots and lots of toys. And your kids are bored withing
At ToysToTrade.com, you will find toys in categories of age and toy brands. There is a search option where you can enter criteria of a specific toy you are looking for as well. This is an independent, family owned company whose goal is to help parents and children find value in recycling their old toys by finding a new home for them. Membership is free (subject to change however in the future) and it takes minutes to sign up and start listing & trading. (I am thinking this could be a great Christmas money saver!)
Another website that offers a trading and selling platform for toys is ToySwap.com. While they do charge a small fee (about $1 currently), here parents can list the toys they are giving up and then create a "want list" of items their little ones are asking for. The site then matches up families that have compatible items on their lists. You can also list gently used toys for sale on ToySwap as well.
Getting plastic outdoor furniture ready for summer can be easy and inexpensive! Just grab some shaving cream, spray some on a sponge and wipe down the plastic parts of your patio chairs and tables. Wait about 10 minutes or so, then use a hose to rinse the furniture.
Shaving cream has mild cleansers and softeners that make it easy to rinse away the grime and dirt on plastic surfaces.
Here are a few quick tips that can save you time and money around your house!
1. If you have a screw that is stuck and/or corroded, soak a paper towel in hot sauce (yes, hot sauce!) and wrap the paper around the screw. The acids in the sauce should eat up the rust and the screw should turn easily.
2. Grease stains on tablecloths can be removed by sprinkling Splenda on the stains. The powder absorbs the oil and keeps the stain from becoming a permanent one.
3. Paint brushes can be easily cleaned and saved for the next paint job: soak the brushes in two gallons of water and a fabric softener sheet. Your paint brushes will be clean and the bristles will not get gummy and sticky.
4. To remove a bumper sticker on your car window or bumper, rub some mayonnaise over the sticker and let sit for a few minutes. The mayonnaise actually helps remove the glue so the sticker peels off easily and without damaging your car!
Save a little money, stress and time with some tips for your home:
Use salt to help remove burned-on food from pans. Just sprinkle about 1/2 cup salt and add 3 cups water to the pan (first remove any loose food). Then boil on stove for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover pan and let sit overnight. In the morning, scrape off loose food and wash as usual!
Remove candle wax from furniture by placing a baggie with ice on the drips. When the wax gets brittle, gently scrape off with a credit card. Polish gently if any residue remains.
Get pet hair out of carpet easily by wearing a rubber glove on your hand and running it over the carpet. Hairs will cling to the glove instantly.
Freshen carpets and rooms by sprinkling baking soda on your carpet. Wait an hour, then vacuum.
Got a sticky stain laundry problem? Just spray a little hairspray on the stain before washing. The rubbing alcohol in the spray breaks down the stickiness, making the stain easier to get out.
Save money by stretching that shampoo. Since most shampoos contain more detergents than your hair needs (and can dry your hair out), make two bottles out of one: Next time your bottle of shampoo is finished, don't toss it-save it. When you buy a new bottle, pour half into the old bottle, and fill the other half with water. Do the same with the other bottle. Diluting your shampoo is healthier for your hair and your wallet!
Exfoliate your skin with baking soda and save money by not buying expensive products at the store. Baking soda has a neutral pH level, so you don't have to worry about it drying your skin. Just mix some with enough water to make a paste. Lightly massage into your skin, rinse and feel softer skin!
Save money, get free stuff, and even get cash by visiting these 3 websites:
1. Listia.com:
This is an auction site simliar to eBay, but everything is free! Yes, free. How it works:
A user lists something they don't want anymore. (like an old TV)
Other users bid on the TV using credits they received for signing up, referring friends or listing their own stuff.
When the auction ends, the user who bid the highest amount of credits wins!
The buyer gets the TV, and the seller gets credits to use for something else on Listia...
2. PlasticJungle.com
You can sell unused gift cards at Plastic Jungle and get up to 92% of the value. You can have the money deposited immediately into your PayPal account, have a check mailed to you, buy other gift cards for as much as 30% off, or donate to a favorite charity. I did this with some gift cards left over from Christmas--I had cash in a flash and loved it!
3. Cheapism.com
If you are planning to buy something soon, go to this website first to get breakdowns on quality, reviews, and tips to finding the best prices. There are categories for almost everything, from electronics, home and garden, travel, sports, health and beauty, and family. The best place to go before you buy anything!
While we may try to scrimp and save money on groceries, luxuries and impulse buys, there are certain purchases we make where spending more makes sense. Here are a few examples where going cheaper may cost you more money in the end:
Appliances (And Other Big-Ticket Items): Appliances like washers and dryers, refrigerators, and such take a big bite out of budgets, it is true. But it may make more sense to buy the quality and more expensive versions of these items than their cheaper counterparts which may break down sooner and easier, resulting in expensive repair bills or even replacement costs for a new item.
Food: I know, we all try to save at the grocery store and this is a good thing, as long as we are still making healthy food choices, This also means skipping the fast food drive-thru because it is cheaper and easier to buy dinner there than it is to go home and cook. Just remember that bad eating choices can lead to health problems later that can be very expensive! So while you may spend more cooking that turkey burger at home with some fresh veggies on the side than you would buying a fast food burger with fries and a coke, the health benefits far outweigh any savings that high sodium meal provided.
Shoes: (my favorite item on the list) Buying a god quality pair of shoes may hurt a bit at first, but remember they are much more likely to outlast any cheap pair by years. Not to mention they will also be more comfortable and lead to less sore feet, bunions, callouses, etc. When they do get a bit worn --just take them in to get re-soled!
What are some purchases you will not scrimp on?
This guest post was written by Bethany Smith who also writes on the topic of cosmetology school and criminal justice for distance learning
According to the USDA, a family of four on a low-cost monthly food plan spent as much as $758.90 per month in 2010. On a more liberal food budget, the same family could have also spent $1052.10 per month. Either way, these figures are excessive and easily represent sufficient funds for a mortgage or car payment. Whether revamping your grocery budget out of necessity or simply deciding it is time to put excessive spending on food to a stop, you should know that the grocery bill is one of the easiest areas to cut down on living costs.
1. Consider Generic Brands over Top Name Brands.
All food manufacturers are required to follow certain procedures to provide healthy and safe food products for consumers. Compare labels to see that there is little or no difference between the ingredients of a name brand product and a generic product. However, the difference in cost is often significant.2. Create a Weekly Menu for Your Family.
Planning ahead is one of the easiest ways to save money on a grocery bill. Take the time to plan a menu for your family and make a specific list of foods needed to fulfill the menu. Sticking with a meal plan will help reduce unnecessary purchases and more frequent trips to the store. Those who have a hard time getting motivated should try using other resources for inspiration. For instance, Dinner Spinner is an iPhone app that can help you find menu ideas based on a specific ingredient.3. Eat Before You Shop.
Many impulse buys are a result of a rumbling tummy. Those who walk in the store before dinner usually end up spending much more than originally planned. Avoid this scenerio by planning your grocery trips around meal times.4. Stock Up on an Item at Rock Bottom Price.
Start taking note of prices on certain food items that you consider staples in your household. Most people simply make a list of food items that they need and head to the store. However, smart shoppers realize that all grocery items go on sale at some time. Most stores generally follow a six week cycle. This means that you need to buy enough of an item at its lowest price to last for six weeks when it will go on sale again.5. Use Coupons on Sale Items for Maximum Savings.
Everyone knows you can save a few dollars on your groceries by clipping coupons. However, the way to truly benefit from coupons is to use them on sale items. If you know the rock bottom price for an item at your store, wait until the item is at this low price before you use your coupon. In many cases, using a coupon at the right time could mean getting a product for free or very close to free.6. Use Technology to Make Saving Money on your Grocery Bill More Efficient.
Anyone with a Smartphone should know about a number of apps that were created to help individuals plan their shopping trips even while on the go. There is the Shopping List Free app for iPhone and the Grocery List for Android. You can also go online to find and print coupons, search for new recipes, and browse weekly shopping ads.
I found this information to be interesting, and to make sense:
Researchers say that the real trick to successfully saving money is to focus on why we want to save money rather than on how to save. Apparently it is normal to get so caught up in different ways to save money --by cutting coupons, cooking more at home, etc.- that we forget the reasons why we are trying to save in the first place.
So what we need to be doing is asking ourselves why we want/need to save money. Is it because we want to buy a house? Or go on a vacation? Or even so we can buy that new lunchbox for our favorite little "Back-to-Schooler?"
Thinking about what's motivating our goals rather than just the steps to get us there will inspire us to try new ways of cutting back, researchers explain.
For all of us that would love to save money every month, but rarely have any money left to save--here is another possible resource to check out.
Make lists.
Ok...I'll give you more info (since you are twisting my arm...am I right?)
There is a website, toptenz.net to be exact, that will pay $25 for original witty top ten lists. They do have a few caveats you need to follow:
1.Your list must have 10 items.Check out their website, at www.toptenz.net. Then get busy thinking of some unique top ten lists that can make you some extra money! To apply, send emails to admin@toptenz.net (include writing samples.)
2. Spell check and then spell check again.
3. Format your list with descending numbers (10 to 1, with 1 being the highest rank).
4. Introduction: all lists should have an introduction.
5. Consistency: consistent heading names, consistent measurements (i.e. All empirical, not mixed up with metric), etc.
6. Context: each item should answer who, what, where, when (where appropriate).
7. Clarity: sentences should make sense, please proof and then proof again.
8. Content: A) PG-13 rated B) accurate: unless it’s an opinion – content should be backed up (if research was required it should mention the source). Length: at least 1000 – 1500 words (just a loose guideline – some lists are shorter and that’s fine – it depends on topic).
9. Be original, we don’t publish lists from other sites.
10. Be bizarre; the more odd the list is, the better.
So I thought I'd throw in a few ideas from time to time on ways to make a little extra money that could actually be saved --in other words, put away and never touched. Or, be there for that next unexpected expense that comes up....like that tutu your 4 year old daughter wants so badly. Just saying.
I came across a website recently --some of you may already know of it-- called Emerging Cast. It is not going to make you rich, nor pay too many bills, but it might help you out with that tutu. Basically you write fairly short articles on the websites template (sort of like "how-to tutorials" ) and when the article is accepted (you may get asked to do minor revisions first...and maybe not,) you get paid.
Once you sign up with Emerging Cast, you immediately have access to their list of writing assignments to choose from. There are a million categories (okay...I exaggerate,) to choose from such as parenting, sports, health, food, drinks, etc. Each category has a long list of available writing assignments (such as, how to remove a hickey. I kid you not.). Claim the assignment, write it and submit.
Sounds pretty good so far, you are thinking? It is a way to make some extra cash each month, but here is the part you may or may not like--most articles I have seen are paying $2. Yep, I did warn you that this will not be a 'get rich' thing, didn't I? But before you shake your head at me, think about it. 20 minutes to write up a short "how to" can mean $2 in your account. Write one article a day and that is $60 at the end of the month. If you just do nothing with that money...that would be $720/year. And of course, you may decide to write more than one article a day. (You just have to write the first, get it accepted, before they let you take on more assignments.)
So there is my "way to make some extra money" idea for this week. Do with it what you may. If you decide to check it out, go to www.emergingcast.com. (and this is not me trying to make a dollar of you as an affiliate,.... I am not an affiliate or anything like that . Notice the absence of links to click?) Just tossing out an idea on this Saturday for anyone sitting at home wondering how to make an extra buck or two, literally, in their spare time!
Happy Saturday!
Make it easy on yourself to save some money before you shop and buy online by keeping a comparison website in your bookmarks. Something like SortPrice.com, where all you need do is type in what you're looking for, and get back a list of selections with pictures, descriptions and links to purchase the item.
Put a sticky note on your laptop, a string around your finger, or whatever it takes to remind yourself to compare prices before you buy!
1. Forget the shopping cart. Pick up a shopping basket to help you stay on track and just get the minimum items you need.
2. Looking for a protein for your dinner meal? Skip the pricey cuts of meat and poultry, and choose a whole roasted chicken, or better yet, make a dinner with eggs as your protein! They are cheap, versatile and a great source of protein as well as vitamins A and D.
3. Bring a list and stick to it. Definitely not any new advice here, but very important to follow this rule. Why? Shoppers that spend 30 minutes or more wandering around the grocery aisles tend to spend much more than they had originally planned to. And leave with more things han they really need.
Get in and get out. Quickly.
4. Always check your basket/cart before heading to the check out. Try to pick one item that is in your shopping basket that you can do without and put it back! This will help keep your impulse purchases in check.
5. Sales on healthy staple items like beans, soup, whole-grain cereals and frozen vegetables are a good thing usually. If you can, stock up on extra of these kinds of healthy foods whenever you find them on sale.
6. If you prefer to buy organic, but can't always afford the extra price for organic fruits and vegetables, remember thin skinned fruits will generally absorb more chemicals. So spend more for the organic fruits and veggies such as peppers and apples, Then you can save some money by buying non organic thick-skinned produce, such as oranges and bananas, since you peel it anyway.
Source: Yahoo Health
1. Not checking your statements. I know I tend to do this, always while planning to look at them later..when I have more time. Ack. Check your statements asap to make sure charges on there are correct, and to see exactly how you have spent your money lately (in case you have forgotten!)
2. Not Saving for Retirement. So easy to put off, but that day will come. Start saving now, and you will have at least some peace of mind!
3. Not Saving for Your Emergency Fund. Same thing as with the Retirement Savings. Budget your money so that some of it goes into an emergency fund. Even a little bit each week will be better than nothing saved for that inevitable 'rainy day.'
4. Not Paying More Than the Minimum on Credit Cards. (Or should we just say, using those credit cards?) Seriously, paying the minimum is better than not paying, but to really make a dent, you need to always pay a little extra. It may hurt up front, but it will pay those credit cards off more quickly, which means paying less interest overall.
5. Not Thinking Before Spending. Impulse buying is a sure-fire way to feel depressed and more broke later. Save the need for instant gratification, and instead walk away from the thing that seems to be calling your name. Go home and think about that potential purchase first. If you do decide you absolutely need/want it, and cannot fathom living without it, then get an envelope marked just for that item, and start saving for it. Sure, you may have to wait longer, but you will undoubtedly be happier when you do buy it, knowing that you saved for it instead of dipping into the money that was meant for, oh say, those credit card payments!
1. American Girl Dolls. Think Samantha, Nellie, and others popular just a few years ago. If you have a teen daughter, the American Girl doll she loved so much as a child probably is a collectors' item now. Many dolls are no longer available in stores, and collectors are on the look out for them. You can easily get twice what you paid for one having an outfit and in good condition. A doll with a few changes of clothes plus some accessories recently fetched $372.
2. Brand Name Kids Clothes - Think Juicy Couture, Ambercrombie, Aerostople, and American Eagle).
3. Kitchen Equipment- Think bread makers, juicers, stand mixers and ice cream makers.They should be in excellent working condition though, and having the original box is a big plus.
4. Exercise Equipment. Think large as well as small exercise/work out items. Treadmills and bigger items you can always list as 'pick-up only. Think about those exercise balls, mini trampolines, even a collection of exercise DVDs might bring you some extra money.
5. Used China. Think individual pieces, not sets of china. Why? The secret to selling china on eBay is not to sell an entire service as one lot but to list individual pieces, since your target customer wants replacements for her own incomplete set. Seven bidders wanted the Lenox Country Romance serving platter, driving the price above $61.
6. Vintage Children's Books. Think Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys. Books you liked as a child can sell well on Ebay it seems, especially if still in good condition. First or early editions of many of the classics -- Nancy Drew, Doctor Dolittle, and others -- are collectors' items, and individual books and multivolume sets are big. Recently on eBay a first edition copy of the Hardy Boys Secret Warning changed hands for $280 after having been bid up by six bidders, and a 38-volume set of vintage (but not first printing) Nancy Drew books earned $602 with 30 bidders!
7. Wedding/Bridal Items. Think beyond the wedding gowns (which are big sellers of course,) and remember items such as ring bearer pillows, decorations, and accessories. One of the hottest bridal items selling on Ebay now are J Crew bridesmaid dresses (usually worn just once, right?).
8. Electronics. Think cameras, smart phones and laptops. If you have recently upgraded, Ebay buyers are looking for your old one, especially if it is an up-to-date model in perfect working condition.
9. Classic Rock 'n' Roll T-Shirts. Think Bruce Springsteen on his 1975 Born to Run tour. T-Shirts of famous bands that are from concert tours early in their careers, or that relate to an early album release, are hot sellers on Ebay thanks to the many serious collectors.
Source: LHJ
The water thins the blood, making it less likely to form dangerous blood clots in the brain according to the study.
If plain water just doesn't appeal to you, then try herbal teas or add a few drops of juce and ice o your glass of water to make a juice spritzer.
So there you have it. Save money and protect yourself from stroke. Drink that water (isn't that what your mom always told you, anyway??)
One such task is call your cable company and ask for a break on your bill.
And to help us "nervous- nellies" (I'm talking about me....not you!), there is a 'step by step' game plan given (Thank-you, Motley Fool!!)
- Head to competitors' websites to price out current rates or compare packages and availability in your area at http://www.dslreports.com/find-broadband. Look for signup specials as well as rates for plans that are similar to yours.
- Get into "Concerned Customer Mode." (Put on a suit jacket and your "I mean business" shoes if it'll help you get into character.)
- When you get a live human on the line, explain (politely!) that you feel your bill is higher than you'd like. Share the details of the various plans you priced out while doing your research. Ask if they can match it, or if there are any special offers -- perhaps for new customers -- that they can extend to you. If not, inquire about ultra-cheap rate plans.
- If there's not a lot of competition in your area, let the rep know that you're serious about cutting your service back to just the basics. "They may find a good deal for you after all," Ellen says.
- Write down any offer you're given and its expiration date, then make sure you monitor your bill for price increases. When your promotional rate expires (or if your bill goes up for other reasons), call again, repeat your spiel, and ask them to help you find places to save.
So go on. What do you have to lose by trying anyway? And you stand to gain some extra savings every month if you succeed! Plus, with sites like hulu.com and many network station websites showing episodes after they air on TV, you might want to go radical here and save big by cutting cable altogether.
For some inspiration, visit the couple over at cancelcable.com. They have been posting about their experience of life without cable for the past year. After calculating that they spent $2,000 a year to watch TV, they went cable-less and now watch their favorite shows with a combination of free HD broadcast TV and the Internet. Check out their current setup and see if there are free or lower-cost ways to watch your guilty pleasures with the showfinder tool .
A new year, a fresh start with your saving money goals. And I have a new save money game to try out this month!
It's simple really.
Take the paper towels on our weekly shopping lists. I don't know about you, but in our family we can go through two rolls quite easily each week. That costs us at least $3.00 a week. Now, it is one thing to tell ourselves that we won't buy those paper towels next time, and save that money instead. But does that work, really? And if it does work once in a while, that is not enough to make it a valuable savings in the money department. So--- do this instead:
Take the money you would normally spend on your favorite brand of paper towels for a month, put it in an envelope, and tuck it away in a kitchen drawer. Get out some hand towels and put them in a kitchen drawer. Next time you go shopping , decide if you want to take money out of the paper towel envelope to buy some, or if you want to keep saving that money and use the hand towels (which you can toss in the wash with your regular loads of laundry). My bet is you will leave that money safe and sound in that envelope. At the end of the month, enjoy your "savings!" and start again with a new envelope for the month.
If this works for you, try doing it with other items. I think what helps is seeing the actual money saved for a month in the envelope, as compared to the idea of money saved at the end of the month if you just try and convince yourself to not buy paper towels (or Starbuck's, or the paper, or whatever.)
You can do this with just about anything you want to challenge yourself on to see if you can do without it, even for a week. Just remember, calculate the total cost for a week, or even better a month, and put that amount aside right away. Just seeing that saved money every day will keep you motivated to stick to this savings game.
Here are a few inspirational and funny money quotes to help (or not) get you motivated as you plan your money-saving strategies for the New Year!
“I don’t go looking for somewhere to spend my money. You can step on a tube of toothpaste for a week, if you have to. I spend what I need to and give it away.” (T. Boone Pickens)
The amount of money you have has got nothing to do with what you earn.. people earning a million dollars a year can have no money and.. People earning $35,000 a year can be quite well off. It's not what you earn, it's what you spend.
(Paul Clitheroe)
"If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting." - (Ben Franklin)
"What we really want to do is what we are really meant to do. When we do what we are meant to do, money comes to us, doors open for us, we feel useful, and the work we do feels like play to us." - (Julia Cameron)
"Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I'm not there, I go to work." - Robert Orben
"Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give." (William A. Ward)
"If money is your hope for independence you will never have it. The only real security that a man will have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience, and ability." (Henry Ford)
And of course.....
"A penny saved is a penny earned." - Benjamin Franklin
Quotes from:
About.com
woopidoo.com
