Showing posts with label savings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label savings. Show all posts

Monday, February 7, 2011

Free and Legit

While my updates have been scarce lately I have not forgotten about this blog. I just have a 3 month old that is my first priority.  Please just bare with me while we get back to order this week.
Thank You!

On that note. I recently joined a community that is big on recycling where they take the old saying "One mans trash is another mans treasure" very seriously. Its called Free Cycle and is part of yahoo groups. I wanted to give it a test run before I said anything about it and while I have not personally gotten anything yet a lot of the postings in my area seem to be very good stuff. ( Recently a lady posted for a free crib and even a sofa and loveseat!)

Its a little like the free section on craigslist but you do have to sign up and at first it does seem a little exclusive.When you go to the website, you search for your area group. Then you register and wait for them to approve your request for membership. Then you have to fill out an email and reply back letting them know why it is you want to join Free Cycle and if you fully understand what it is that they stand for. Once you do that you are in. You will then get emails when people have things up for offer. There is also a way to post for things you or others may want.

From what I have seen so far, its a great concept. I figure the more people the more stuff. With spring cleaning just around the corner we all need somewhere to throw our unwanted items to. This website will enable you to do so without filling our country's dumps!

Enjoy!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Controlling your spending.

     Saving money can be quite the challenge when you love shopping as much as I do. Every now and again if I come across what I think is a really good deal its a little hard to control myself. Lately I have been trying to go by a few rules that I have learned:

1. Do I WANT this or do I NEED this?
    Seriously think about it, how many things do we buy just because we want it. If we ask ourselves the
Need VS Want question in the store we are more then likely to cut down on our spending quite a bit.

    When it comes to doing groceries, you obviously need food but how many times do you buy things that end up in the trash because nobody eats it. If there is something new on the market that you are looking to try but are not sure you will like it, go to the companies website and look for a coupon.(If they don't have a coupon on the website call them and tell them you are interested in trying the new product and were wondering if they could send you some coupons) Since its a new product the company will be trying to push the sales so you will more then likely able to find a coupon for it.

2. How long will this last me?
    A more detailed form of this question would be "Will I still have this 4 years from now?" This question especially helps when making big purchases, such as a camera or TV. If you are going to spend a lot of money on something you want to makes sure you get the "bang for your buck"  or get your moneys worth. Even if in 2 years you try to resell you wont make the same amount you paid for it. Is it really worth the loss. To break it down even more...will this still be in working order.

3.Can I find this cheaper somewhere else?
   A few days ago I talked about shopping around for the best price and websites that will help you to find the best price.You don't want to buy something only to find the same thing later for a lot less then what you paid. So make sure what you are paying is what you think you should pay and you are not being overcharged. Remember that a lot of the things you find at stores like Macy's,Target and even Walmart most of the time when they are not sold or have minor defects they then get sent to stores like Marshalls, TJ Maxx, and Ross for a lot less then what you would have paid. So know your prices and don't ever over pay.

4. Do I have or can I find a coupon for this?
   If you think you can find a coupon for it then wait. It's better to save a little then nothing at all. Remember all those little bits you save really add up!

   So the next time you go shopping try these questions out for yourself and see if they work for you. Keep track of how many things you put back on the shelf because you realize you just don't NEED it or you can find it cheaper elsewhere!

Friday, January 28, 2011

ALL YOU

Recently I found out about a great magazine that offers useful coupons in each monthly issue! I wanted to let everyone know about it so you can start getting it too!

It is called ALL YOU- Enjoy Life for Less.
Right now they are offereing 2 FREE TRIAL Issues of ALL YOU. If you like ALL YOU, you will receive 10 additional issues, 12 in all (1 year) for only $19.90. This includes the cost of the 2 free trial issues. If you don’t want to continue with ALL YOU after the free trial issues, you can simply return your bill marked “cancel” and owe nothing. The cancellation is effective immediately, and any trial issues you receive are yours to keep, FREE!

Friday, January 21, 2011

Great Solution to a smelly problem!

   The cost of always buying air freshener and furniture freshener can add! Even with using coupons. But everyone does laundry and most of us use fabric softener. So why not kill two birds with one stone...so to speak. The following is a great way to save money and make your place smell great!

  Here is what you will need:

*A spray bottle
*Your Favorite Fabric softener (about a cap full)
*Water

  Take your spray bottle and pour the cap full of fabric softener in. Then fill the rest of the bottle with water. Mix together (Dont shake!) and spray away! This works great for pet odor too!

Snuggle happens to be a house favorite- but we really just buy whatever is on sale!

Neat Treat!

     Every once in a while when we have cereal left over from more then one kind my husband likes to make rice crispy treats. While our little one cant enjoy them yet, our nieces love coming over to find that their uncle made rice crispy treats. If your kids are old enough you can even involve them in the process of making them. You can ever decorate them with frosting or use cookie cutters to make fun shapes! With tons of recipes online the possibilities are endless! Its a great way to use up the left over cereal and keep the kids entertained! Adults love them too- kinda like going back to when we were kids!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Before we begin...

     I have always had a knack for shopping. Any excuse to head out to my favorite store- I was there. Prices weren't too high on my list of priorities. Recently I became a new mom and finding a way to save money and spend less on everyday need was a must!
     So I started to do my research, reading up on extreme couponing and ways of being frugal. It really got me thinking "I can do this". What I noticed when I read up on extreme couponing was that these moms were saving so much money on groceries because grocery stores in the states they are in will double coupons up to $1 (If you have a coupon that is $0.75 off the store will match it so you get $1.25 off). Unfortunately for those up us moms in South Florida neither Publix, Winn-Dixie,Walmart, or Target will double coupons. So while we wont be able to get a $600 grocery receipt down to $4.00, we can still find great ways to save money!
    I will let you know now that I am no expert when it comes to couponing. But I hope for my family's sake to become one. So I am starting to blog to share in my on going experience on the journey to savings and so much more. I hope you will join me!