Bidnip.com is an auction sniper site that will swoop in at the last minute on an auction, and, for a very small fee (generally less than a quarter), snag the item for you!  If you don’t win, you get your change back!  This will help you save up to 50% on your item, which will make you feel a little better about the ridiculous shipping costs that the sellers charge!  Also, if you’re not sure you want to sign up with them, they let you have a free trial, just to be sure.  No obligation, no worries.

Happy shopping!  Save some money.

As our regular readers are aware, your favorite southern couple now has a daughter.  At around a month old, her requirements are mainly food, diaper changes and sleep (and the pacifier, haha).  Another requirement, we have learned, is that of gas relief drops, like Mylicon.  The stuff is like liquid gold.  We go through an ounce a week, for crying out loud, and at about $13 an ounce, buying that stuff at the grocery, frankly, hurts.  The good news is that while at another local grocery store, we found their generic brand drops for only $4 an ounce!  That’s a savings of $9 a week, or $468 a year!  For those of you looking for a good start on your vacation fund, saving on generics like this is a fast track to making it a reality. 

Review your weekly expenditures and try and find the name brand things that can be swapped for generic.  It doesn’t have to be all of your weekly expenses, but $10-$15 a week adds up, and will be a nice boost to your savings, or a good start on a vacation (or at least a nice long weekend)!

Not only is it a good choice for saving money, since the cost of bottled water is ridiculous, but also, the plastic that the bottles are made from fills up landfills if you don’t recycle them.  As an added punch in the gut, the plastic bottle is made from oil, in case you didn’t know, and so, is yet another reason to look into alternatives. 

I know some of you might like the portability of the bottled water, but you can buy a reusable water bottle and just wash it!  When I go to the gym, I use a reusable water bottle, that I fill straight from the tap (tap water has fluoride in it, something a lot of people are lacking for their teeth right now because of bottled water).  When I get home, I wash the bottle and let it dry, so that it will be ready for the next trip to the gym.

It’s just something to think about.  There are many good reasons to switch from bottled water, but the monetary savings definitely tops my list!

Along with the companies distressed driver services (roadside breakdown, flat tire, a dead battery and car keys locked in the car, to name a few), they also offer features like Triptik, their online travel planner (which my mom has used for years and loves it) maps and apps for your GPS and your iPhone, and tour books!  On top of all this, some local AAA offices are affiliated with your local DMV and can allow member drivers to take care of vehicle registration, lost license plates and car stickers and transfer out of state vehicles (a serious pain in the neck, if you’ve never had to do it)!  Another benefit?  They have recently added identity theft monitoring with specialized people in their fraud relosultion support department, which is a free program included in your membership…all you have to do is sign up!

The other great benefit to a AAA membership?  All the discounts!  Discounts can range from 10%-30%, depending on the location, and can include locations like hotels, rental cars, gym memberships, restaurants, sporting events, prescription medicines etc.

With all of these benefits, a Classic AAA membership seems like a great deal, and, if you have your budget on track (i.e. no debt except the house), this should be a great way for you to save some money!  Now, if your lifestyle dictates that you’re on the road a lot (salesman, for example), then you should consider this service, out of debt or not!

On a personal note, your favorite southern couple is fast approaching the due date of their first child, and therefore, will likely miss a post or 2 in the upcoming weeks.  If, you, our wonderful readers, visit the site and find no post for the day, please be assured that we will be back soon, and will post pictures of the newest addition to our clan as soon as we get the chance.

Plugging in some numbers on Bankrate.com, a 30 year, 6% fixed rate mortgage on $150,000 runs about $899.33, whereas a 15 year 5% fixed rate mortgage (they will usually give a lower rate to a shorter term loan) on the same $150,000 is $1186.19.  Given this information, yes, it’s obvious that the 15 year mortgage is more money per month, even with a lower rate.   However, what I wanted to point out to you is that it’s a little less than $300 a month extra…to pay your mortgage off in HALF the time!  Not only will you be paying off your mortgage in half the time, but the total cost of that 30 year loan will be $323,757.28 versus $213,514.28 for the 15 year loan.  That means you save $110,243 over the life of the loan!  I bet you’d rather that money go toward retirement as opposed to lining the pockets of the bank!  I know I would!

So you say you can’t afford the extra $300 a month?  Well, what can you afford?  After making sure that you don’t have the type of mortgage that penalizes you for paying it off early, you should look into how much extra you can pay toward the principal per month (that doesn’t interfere with your retirement).  Every little bit helps, and you will save thousands more by paying it off early.  Another option, is that if you’re “Gung-Ho” about getting that 15 year mortgage, but can’t afford the payment on the loan amount, perhaps you should look at a less expensive property.  We all have to buy within our means.  This means that some people can afford a half a $500,000 house, and some can afford a $100,000 house.  You shouldn’t be upset or discouraged if you can’t afford the more expensive house…what you should be is excited when you pay off the house you can afford in only 15 years, and know that it is ALL YOURS!  I’d rather own a modest home then be drowning in debt in a nice home that I’ll never realistically own, and I bet most people would if they took the time to think on it.

So, my advice to you for saving on your mortgage is to consider spending a little more now on your monthly payment, as it will save you a bundle over the long run!

• Raise your deductible to $1,000 – Let’s face it…if you ‘have to use your insurance for your home, you’re likely to have to spend WELL OVER$1,000 on whatever the repair might be , and you could save up to 25% off your yearly premium!  It’s a good choice!  Plus, if you have an emergency fund, like we suggest, of at least $1,000, then you would have the money to cover the deductible.
• Use the same company for both your auto insurance AND your homeowners insurance – This is a no brainer!  Most insurance companies offer discounts when you have multiple accounts with them, which could amount to 10% off your premium.  No sense paying an extra 10% just to be able to use 2 different companies.  Find the company with the best rate for both policies and go with them!
• Check with your insurer to see if they offer loyalty discounts – Not all of them do, but the insurance companies that do will give discounts up to 10%.  It’s worth looking into, although you might have to have been with them for several years (at least 5).
• Install dead bolts and/or a security system – Not only is it a safety issue, but it’s a good way to save an extra 5% on the homeowners policy.  Check with your insurance company to see if other safety features can be added to your home to increase the discount even more!

Whether you implement all or just one of these tips, you will see the difference on your bill, and that money can be used as savings, debt payment or additional funds for another under-funded budget category.  “Trimming the fat” out of each bill is a key way to making your budget work for you!

Now, as with any other free offer, their could (will) be some limitations for your particular Olan Mills location, but they are still free photos!  Even if they come out in poor quality, it’s no big deal because you didn’t spend any money on them in the first place!  Keep in mind that the coupon is only valid for children 3 months of age or younger, and that the are only going to give you the pictures from the first picture they snap. 

This isn’t a big money saver for everybody, but it can be a great little treat for those of you who are having trouble finding the money to pay for baby himself, much less professional photos!

If you’re in the market for a home (hopefully your other debt is paid off, like we suggest, and you have a down payment), then you should be aware of what your family truly needs.  If there are 3 of you (mom, dad and baby), then a 4 bedroom house IS overkill.  If no one in the house cooks (or likes to), then you don’t REALLY need the chef’s kitchen now, do you?  You should get just as much house as is required by your families needs, that way, you can save more for the future and have your “comfortable” home paid off sooner. 

Struggling with your current home’s mortgage payment?  Maybe it’s time you downsized!  Many people get into houses that they can’t really afford, and then think there isn’t anything they can do about it, but this isn’t true.  If you bought more house than you can afford, chances are, you’re struggling.  Now, many people like to blame the banks (and there are some at fault), but they are not the only place to lay blame.  It’s easy to find and attack a scapegoat, but in reality, many people who bought more home than they could afford should have known they couldn’t afford them.  I know that the interest only loans and the ARM’s made it difficult to understand the EXACT terms of the loan, but let’s be honest…if you were approved for a $200,000 home, and you make $20,000 a year, sirens should have been going off in your head.  You should have been confused as to why you could afford so much.  You should have paused during your jumps for joy…if you were jumping for joy, saying “WOW, look what I can afford”, that WAS the warning sign! 

So, now you have more home than you can afford.  Sounds like it’s time to downsize!  I know that it can be hard to sell a home in this market, but as long as you keep your price competitive, and keep the home looking great, then you’ve got a good chance.  And something else of note?  Even if you have to take on a small personal loan to get out of the house, you’re still better off.  For example:  Let’s say your house is worth $225,000, and you put it on the market for $230,000.  Someone offers you $215,000, and they pay closing costs.  Well, after looking (really looking) at your finances, you realize you can’t afford more than a $150,000 home.  It’s better to sell the house for the offered price, take on a $10,000 personal loan, and find a house for $140,000.  You’re going to be better off, even if you did have to “take a hit” on the other house, because you will actually be able to make your mortgage payment now!  Sometimes, you just have to look at the bigger picture!

Remember, sometimes saving money IS the obvious choice.  Don’t buy more than you should.  Sounds simple, so try and live by it!

So, as many of our regular readers now know, we’re expecting a baby this summer!  This means that we’ve been getting up to speed on ways to save on babies/children, and I can’t think of 2 things mothers and fathers need to save more than money and time!  As such, I have 2 great tips to share today!  We are attending a maternity fair (kind of like a career fair) very soon, which is a great way to save some money.  There is no admission charge, and many of the vendors offer giveaways, so you could end up with lots of free stuff!  The main sponsor of the fair, in this case a hospital, is also offering a grand prize that includes labor and delivery of your baby!  Obviously, not everyone will win, but it’s worth a couple of hours one day to try! 

Now for the time saving part…IF you do decide to check out vendor sponsored maternity fairs, or food fairs or career fairs etc., be sure to take address labels with you.  Many of these places expect a name and address to register you to win their prizes, and if you have address labels with you, you will save yourself plenty of time, so you can see/do more things at the fair!  It will make your life less stressful! 

As humans, we are always coming up with ways to save time.  Hopefully, this will benefit you in more ways than just trade shows and fairs!  Good luck!

First, if you’re lucky enough to live in a few select cities throughout the U.S. (unfortunately, I am not), you can go to your local tool-lending library (find a list of cities here) and borrow the tools you need, saving perhaps hundreds of dollars per project.  This is a great idea!  I think this service should come to more cities and grow into something that can help us all save money and encourage us to learn how to maintain our own homes again.  Even a project like adding a small flowerbed involves purchasing a $200 or more tiller/cultivator (if you don’t want to have to dig the hole area out with a shovel, which, is totally fine in a money pinch).  Better to get the tools from a tool library! 

Don’t have a local tool library?  Then you’d better learn to do what we do, and that is borrow the expensive but seldom used tools from friends or family.  This is a little more tricky however, since if you don’t return the tool in the same condition in which it was given to you, you will have to replace it or run the risk of a damaged relationship with that friend or family member.  Our advice?  Treat the borrowed tool like it is on loan from a store, or has been rented.  That way, the fear of having to pay for it will keep you careful!

Clearly, I wasn’t too happy about the price of one of those tiller/cultivators after seeing the price.  As I said above, we don’t have a tool library in our area, so we are borrowing one from a family member.  The way I figure it, I just saved us $200!  Wouldn’t you like to save money this summer too?

Your favorite southern couple has a little announcement to make: We are about to become your favorite southern family! We are expecting our first child early this June!  Because of this, I have been doing a lot of catch up on finding ways to save money for new babies!  Consignment shops like Once Upon a Child or Kid to Kid offer a great way to save some money on baby clothes (and some toys), and pay you for your gently used or unworn baby/toddler clothing that you don’t need anymore.   Some good news?   They don’t just accept any clothing…it has to be in very good condition. 

Although I haven’t even given birth yet, I’ve already checked out some local consignment shops, and was very impressed!  I found 2 little every day rompers that still had the tags on them from the original stores, both originally around $10 a piece, now marked down to $1.50 and $2.50!  What a steal!  The selection was INCREDIBLE, and the merchandise ranged from low end store wares all the way to the designer brands found at high end stores.  Every item was clearly priced and sized on their tags, and the staff was helpful. 

Here’s a shocker: Children and babies are messy.  There are mud pies and markers and dirty diapers and spit up.  Their clothing (for the most part) should be bought to reflect their messy lifestyle, i.e. semi-disposable, which means that spending a ton of money on their regular, everyday clothes is silly.  Take my advice and check out the consignment stores, even if it’s normally not a place you would go, it’s worth the trip, since you are almost guaranteed to save some money!

In the past, our only solution was to go to the store and try to find something that we would want or just forget about the gift card altogether.  These days, we have another alternative: plasticjungle.com.  Plastic Jungle is a website that allows you to sell your unwanted gift cards for up to 85% of the value or swap the card for another card from a store you would actually shop at of the same value!  It’s incredible!  We don’t ever have to be stuck with a crappy gift card again!  Now we can trade for gift cards we like or get cash for the ones we don’t.

Another idea?  It’s a great place to get discounted gift cards for friends and family!  This way you can give them a gift you want to give them and save some money in the process! 

This website offers many options in a world where there weren’t many just a few short years ago.  With gift cards becoming the top choice gift for many people, it’s nice to know that unlike the Scottish terrier sweater your grandmother gives you for Christmas, you can exchange the Bass Pro gift card for something a little more “you”!

• If you haven’t done an energy audit of your house, then you should!  Contact your local utility company to see if they will do it for free (they usually will), and if not, then check out energystar.gov, and use their guide to do it on your own!
• Buy and use a programmable thermostat.  These things are great.  We love ours!  We set it to lower the temperature in the house at night when we go to bed, since we’re going to be under the covers anyway, and raise the temperature shortly before the alarm clock sounds.  It’s a great way to save a few bucks!
• Buy CFL bulbs!  Compact fluorescent bulbs will save you money over the long haul and the last longer as well.  I won’t deny the color is a little different and the bulbs  look weird, but they are well worth it!
• Put on or take off that sweater!  I know that our preference is for a nice temperature controlled house, and most people don’t have a problem with putting on the sweater in the winter, but it’s just as important in the summer!  I know that we can only take off so many clothes, but the wearing lightweight fabrics, fewer clothes, and running the thermostat at a higher temperature is a great way to save in the summer.  We all (well, a lot of us) love to go to the beach, right?  So why is it that we can stand high temps at the beach and not in our house?  I say if the temperature is hot, deal with a little heat and raise the temp!  For each 1 degree you lower (in the winter) or raise (in the summer) your temperature, you will save roughly 1% off your bill each month!

As of Saturday, we are officially in spring.  Make these tips part of this years spring cleaning to do list, and save yourself some money this summer!

So you say you don’t know how to do certain things around the house?  Learn.  Lack of knowledge is no excuse for not doing something!  Check out the Diy Network for instructions on how to fix lots of common things around the house.  Every time you fix something yourself, you’re saving money for your future!   If you’re hiring out lawn mowing and driveway shoveling, stop.  Unless you are not physically capable, there is no reason you should be paying someone to do things around your house!  Besides, a little extra physical activity is good for us all!

Your favorite southern couple hates to hire out work.  We try to do as much as we can ourselves, and only hire out when absolutely necessary (having a broken tree removed from our yard, for example).  If we don’t know how to fix something, we research it.  We do understand that not everyone is “handy” around the house, however.  If you’re not handy, then befriend someone who is, and trade services.  Whatever your talent, exchange that for their help.  Maybe they fix your toilet and you help them (as a personal trainer, for example) teach them a basic fitness program in return. 

Whatever the circumstance, figure out a way to do things for yourself!  Not only will you save money, but you will become more self sufficient!

Our local library (and hopefully yours as well) offers audiobooks to be downloaded on their website for free!  Our local library connects us to NetLibrary, an eBook and eAudiobook content distributor.  They have a huge selection for their members to choose from, and offer the content FOR FREE for a set time.  The audiobook we wanted to listen to was available, and with an access code, we downloaded it for free for 20 days, which is more than enough time to listen to an audiobook!

Take it from me when I say that this is a great way to read or listen to books!  Not only is it free like your local library, but you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home!  What a great way to save some money!

The first is the obvious choice: Use only your own bank’s ATMs.  Not one on your current daily route?  Look into changing routes, or possibly changing banks to a bank with ATMs near your home or on your daily route.  One caution though:  Be sure if you decide to change banks for a more convenient location that you don’t switch to a bank with less features or worse interest rates/customer service. 

A better choice?  Skip the ATM and get cash back when you’re buying groceries or picking up something at the drugstore…any place that offers a cash back feature is a substitute ATM, without the fee.  Another good reason to use this method?  You definitely do not have to go out of your way to get the money you need!

Another option is to switch to an online bank that refunds its ATM fees (a new benefit, recently cropping up).  A great place to find a bank with this feature is Bankrate.com. 

With any of these options, you can save money on your bottom line every month.  The money you save can be allocated to paying off debt or go into savings, because let’s face it, you weren’t missing it in the first place.  It might as well be put to good use!

• Raising your deductible can save you plenty of money, if you are able to cover said deductible when and if you are in an accident.
• Skip the collision insurance if your car is worth less than 10 times what you’d pay in a year for the collision insurance.  Need to know what your car is worth?  Got to kbb.com to find out!
• Check into other discounts that your auto insurance offers, like good driver discounts and good grades for teens.  Another option to check into?  Combining home owners insurance and auto insurance at the same company can save you money too!
• Check around and compare prices at insweb.com.  You might be able to lower your rates by up to $300 less than what you’re paying now!  

Good luck!  If you have any other ideas that could help lower auto insurance, feel free to share them in the comments section!!

I will be the first to admit that it is sometimes difficult to decipher fees when the bill comes in, but that’s no excuse for not knowing what is happening on your account.  If, after pouring over the bill for a little while, you still can’t figure out what is going on, call the customer service line and ask them to explain it.  A nice added benefit?  If you’re more vigilant about bills, it might carry over into your bank account, and then you won’t be charged overdraft fees (if you were overdrawing in the first place, because let’s face it, you shouldn’t be).  Overdraft fees from banks are one of the biggest stupid taxes around.  If you pay attention to how much you have in your account, you won’t be charged.  It’s only when you are unaware that they happen, and no one should be unaware of what’s going on with their money.

Now, how about “mirroring”?  Mirroring is a practice of charging you twice in the same month for only one month’s service, by companies who have access to your bank account because you’ve set them up on an auto pay function, where they have access to your account.  I use this feature myself, although, truth be told, I’m very sceptical of it.  We check our bank statement carefully each month to ensure that mirroring does not occur, and it has happened to us in the past.  Usually it’s not terribly complicated to get adjusted, if you catch them quickly.  The problems start to occur when you haven’t noticed the problem over the course of months, or a year, and them try to get your money back.  They have had it for a year!  It doesn’t always go well if you wait.  Remember, if you give a company access to your account, then you have the responsibility to yourself to ensure that they are doing right by you and only taking what they are supposed to take.  Never let them take advantage of you!

First of all, stick to your budget, but allow yourself a little indulgence on rare occasion.  Why?  Well, it’s my opinion that everyone only has so much willpower to give to something, and eventually they will break and indulge anyway, so little indulgences keep away the big ones.  So, what types of indulgences are little?  Well, when you’ve got your finances locked down, and you’re buying basic needs only when it comes to groceries, TV and movies/shows etc., on occasion it wouldn’t hurt to buy a nice meal from the grocery.  Make that a special family night with a nice meal and some board games or something.  Or, you could save a couple of bucks every week out of your grocery budget to take the family to the movies or some other inexpensive activity.  Your choice!  The point is to indulge occasionally to keep you focused and on task, without blowing through your budget.  If you never treat yourself, you might fall off the wagon.  Notice to those of you who are “used to” treating yourselves…this does not mean you can do your normal “treating”…no mani/pedi’s, or blowouts, or daily cupcake from the specialty $10 a cupcake store, or expensive clothes/shoes/tools.  This is a small indulgence.  A $20 pick me up a couple of times a month.  If you can’t stick to that, you’ll never get out of debt.  And no, you don’t “deserve” those mani/pedi’s, because they are what got you into debt in the first place! 

Trying to do 2 or more hard things, like getting out of debt and quitting smoking (for example) at the same time, means even more added stress to your willpower.  You have to give a little slack and indulge yourself  while getting out of debt, because the alternative,in this example, is indulging in smoking.  Not cool.  And indulging a little there would save you money anyway, since once you quit smoking, you would have a ton of cash to put toward paying down your debt!

What’s the take away?  Get on a budget.  Pay off your debt.  Learn to live like an adult who doesn’t get everything they want every time they want it.  But stay on this path for the long haul by making the occasional small ticket splurge!

Consignment stores are retail locations where people take their gently used clothing and accessories are sell them at a fraction of what they paid.  The consignment store then turns around and sells the items at a discount.  This means a great savings on things for you.  A small disclosure…you DO have to scour the racks for the gems, and you DO have to scour the items for defects and you should ALWAYS wash the item before using/wearing it.  Also, I personally wouldn’t buy undergarments, swimsuits or shoes secondhand, unless your options are completely limited.  The discounts at some consignment stores can be up to 75% off the retail price, and there are consignment stores that are targeted to a specific audience, such as young teen/college age and professional women and maternity.  Check your local community for the options available to you.

As far as charitable retail sites like Goodwill and the Salvation Army, the same rules apply.  You have to look through things carefully before choosing to buy from them, and some things might “need a little work” before they can be useful to you, but these are not bad places to find a deal.  Not everything there is “crap”.  A lot of the time, things are merely discarded items that people no longer want…that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth anything.  As a matter of fact, Goodwill has an auction website, similar to Ebay, called shopgoodwill.com.  You can find antiques, collectibles and luxury goods that have been donated to Goodwill to bid on at this site! 

No matter what your thoughts on these places are, you shouldn’t judge them unless you’ve been there at least once.  If, after going to a consignment store, you don’t like what you see, simply don’t go back.  If however, you find it a worthwhile place to shop, then you are likely to save quite a bit of money over the years!

When we buy something or request a service, it is perfectly within our right to return it or cancel it, for whatever reason we deem worthy, with the exception of damage that we caused.  Why then, do some people fear returning things or canceling services?  My guess would be that it has to do with the marketing of retail companies, the “strength” of the sales people, and the idea that people (friends, family, the cashier) will think poorly of us for returning it. 

Well, as far as the retail companies go, they spend millions (maybe even billions) on marketing every year, so why wouldn’t they be able to give us the idea that we shouldn’t cancel their service, or return their product.  You have to stay strong and recognize this tactic for what it is…marketing, period. 

As for the sales people?  It’s their job to be pushy, get you to buy something, and, if you come back to return the product or cancel the service, convince you that you shouldn’t.  They aren’t looking out for your needs (in general…there are exceptions, but very few) and they don’t really want to be your friend…they just want their boss to see that they are doing their jobs, and that is it.  So what do you do/say when you want to return something or cancel a service and the sales team won’t “let” you?  Before you go back to the store in question, decide on what you’re going to say.  Let’s say that you are going to say “the device doesn’t work as promised, and I’d like a refund…here is my receipt.”.  Now, if/when they try to talk you out of it, you simply, but firmly repeat your first statement.  Repeat it again, and again, if you have to.  If you still haven’t made them listen, ask for a manager, and state the same sentence for them.  Eventually, they will decide you aren’t worth their time, and will do as you ask. 

When it comes to our friends and family, we all want them to think we are financially stable and secure.  When we return an item or cancel a service, some of us fear that our friends will think we don’t have the money to pay for it, and we feel embarrassed.  Whether or not this is true, it doesn’t matter.  Your business is your business, and keeping your budget balanced is more important than what someone thinks of you and how much money you have.  Don’t worry about what they think.  It’s NONE of THEIR business!

No matter what you’re trying to return or cancel, never forget that it’s your money in question.  You paid for the item or service, because at the time, it was worth more than the money in your hand, but when you decide it is no longer worth that money, don’t feel that you don’t have the right to get it back (or stop paying for the service)!

This shouldn’t surprise anyone…it didn’t get dubbed “retail therapy” for no reason!  The problem is that in our society, we act like retail therapy is a GOOD thing, when it’s actually AWFUL.  The retail stores have convinced us that it’s normal and OK to shop when we’re down, but they’re only doing that because they want to part us from our money, not because they actually want us to feel better!

The next time you’re feeling down, don’t go out and look for a distraction, go home and find ways to distract yourself!  Take a bubble bath, clean the house, take on some of your “honey-do” list etc.  Go to a park, or the beach, or some other free place to clear your mind.  Get creative.  What you do is your choice, so long as you don’t go to a store and spend money.  It’s a new year, and that means it’s the perfect time for you to make the change that could make you retire with ease 20 or 30 years from now.  It all starts with you, and a step in the right direction is avoiding the mall when you’re down (and whenever else you don’t actually NEED something from there)!

So, keep our advice in mind, and don’t touch it!  If you’re the type of person to go out for “retail therapy” (do NOT get me started on how much I loathe that phrase, and what it implies), then you need to find something to do with your hands.  Put them in your pocket, carry a big bag in your hands, text etc.  Finding something to do with your hands could save you a lot of money over the course of the month, because every time you see a $200 and don’t buy it, that’s $200 in your pocket for something else, which I hope will be savings!

This is one of the most ridiculous things going on in our society right now.  I cannot believe that Boomers are giving so much to their grown, totally able to work (even if that job is “beneath them”) adult children.  I mean, come on…so what if the job doesn’t pay $100,000 a year with nice perks etc.  There is value in being able to say you are making it on your own.  Let’s break down that number above…$59.000 in 5 years is roughly $12,000 a year, or $1,000 a month!  That is a part time job!  You want that lifestyle?  Don’t get it from your parents, who would like to retire soon!

The bottom line is this:  If you’re a Boomer and are looking at your retirement nest-egg, realizing that retirement is going to be tough (if possible at all now or in the future), then you need to evaluate where your money is going.  If, that money is going to your children, it is time to cut them off!  They can have what’s left when you’re gone (if anything) and do what they want with it at that time.  Why would you risk your livelihood on their new car/home improvement etc.?  Teach them the hard lesson that sometimes you have to take care of yourself.  They will have to learn that lesson when you’re gone anyway, and it will be easier if they have your shoulder to cry on when they learn that lesson.

Are you the child of a Baby-Boomer?  Do you “borrow” money from them that you never pay back?  Perhaps it’s time for you to realize that you’re draining their retirement money, and that you need to grow up and pay your own way.  Nowhere in the “how to be a parent” handbook does it say that your parents are responsible for paying your way from birth to YOUR retirement!  Cut them a little slack!  If you can’t live without all of those nice things that you’re buying with their money, get a part time job…otherwise, perhaps it’s time you learned to live within your means!

So, where do you get ink?  Well, some local drug stores and shopping malls offer a place to buy ink, and if you can’t find a place locally, check out Staples.com.  They have a section on their website, Ink and Toner finder that might just be a great way for you to find the ink you need. 

Let’s face it.  You don’t buy a new car when you run out of gas, so why would you buy a new cartridge (or printer) when you run out of ink?  Enjoy your savings, and the satisfaction of not being taken by the current system!

Other than being free, the great thing about a sample is that you can try something without having to spend your hard earned dollars on it!  A great place to get free samples is at the grocery store (some don’t give samples, but some do).  You can try some food to see if you like it before you buy it!  This could save you a couple of bucks, but if you try ALL the food samples at the store, you’ve had a nice little snack…for free!

An even better place to get free samples are at the mall/department stores.  You can get perfume samples, make up samples, skin care samples etc.  As a bonus, if you live in a big city with multiple malls/locations of stores, you can get the same product from different stores, and have a nice little supply of  your favorite products!  So, say you like a particular eye cream or perfume…if you get a sample at three different places, you’ve got quite a bit for free, that should last a while.  Just a quick tip though…be nice to the sales people…they don’t HAVE to give those samples out.  The nicer you are, the more you’ll get…and by the way, you’re there for free stuff, so, you’d have to be out of your mind to try and be snobby.

Another great place to get some free samples are restaurants/coffee houses/ice cream parlors.  Now, they won’t let you sample enough for a meal, or probably even a snack, but if you need just a taste of something, this can work.  Say you’ve brown-bagged your lunch, but you took it to a park to eat.  While walking back to work, you pass an ice cream parlor…you know you don’t need the calories or the hit to your wallet.  What do you do?  Go in, and ask for a sample…or two.  It’s just enough to scratch the itch, but doesn’t cost a thing.  Just don’t forget, be nice, and try not to go in too often without occasionally buying something.  The owner will be much more inclined to keep giving out the samples that way!

Alright!  That’s it!  Happy sampling, and if you know of another way to get free samples, don’t forget to post them in the comment section!

First, let me just say that there is NOTHING wrong with borrowing something if you need to.   I think somewhere along the way borrowing things fell out of favor, either because people weren’t responsible when they borrowed from friends or family, or because it became un-cool to borrow something, and so people just went and bought what they needed, even if they only needed it once etc.  This, in my opinion, is silly.  It makes much more financial sense for friends and family to share the things they have that other members of the friends or family might need, in exchange for the same courtesy. 

So, how do you borrow from friends and family without breaking the relationship?  Easy, follow these simple rules:

• Don’t think that borrowing from a friend or family member is something you can do once a week.  People tend to get irritated if you’re at their house borrowing things all the time.  And, if you’re borrowing the same thing every week…face it, you DO NEED to buy it…it is obviously a necessity for you.
• Return what you borrow in the EXACT SAME or BETTER condition that it was in when you took it home.  Nobody wants their stuff back broken.  If you borrow something, and cannot return it in the same condition because you’ve damaged it, then you must replace it.  I don’t care how much it costs, and I don’t care if you’re strapped for cash.  You broke it, you bought it.  If you don’t replace it, you could hurt the relationship between you and the borrowee. 
• If the item you’re borrowing has a consumable (example, a pressure washer, which requires gasoline), you must replace it.  Do not return an item that uses, for example, gasoline, without a full tank.  It’s very thoughtless to do so.
• Know that some things are ridiculous items to borrow.  A pressure washer, a punch bowl and a cup of sugar are all things that make sense to borrow when you need them.  Even a car is ok to borrow, if the friend or family member really trusts you, and you treat the car with extreme care.  A microwave and a T.V. are not items that make sense to borrow.  Do not show up and ask to take some one’s microwave.  If you did that to me, I’d laugh at you!

Basically, use your common sense.  Remember the saying, do unto others as you would have them do unto you?  Well, it applies when borrowing from friends and family.  Borrow when you need something, but be thoughtful while it’s in your care.

So, for those of you that don’t know, Twitter is a free social networking and micro blogging (normal posts aren’t longer
than 140 characters) service where users send and receive messages.  They are also able to read posts from anyone they are following (unless they have been removed from that persons’ followers list), and posts on particular trending topics.  If that didn’t make much sense to you, check out a tutorial for twitter here or read up on the service here.

So, how do you save money on Twitter? It’s simple…just follow certain users who post discount information for their
businesses!  Here are a few examples of users who disclose discounts:  @amazonmp3 for music, @JetBlueCheeps for travel discounts, @DealDivine for fashion and beauty deals and steals, @DealsPlus for general retail deals and @fstimes for giveaways and winning prizes.  Another good choice? @coupons…this could be hit or miss, but you might be able to print off some useful coupons for your weekly groceries!

So, check out these sections on Twitter if you want to save a little cash!  Good luck!

A great way to save money on childcare is to make friends with another family who has a child and go in on a babysitter together!  Think about it!  If you both only have 1 child, then the sitter would charge you each, say, for example $10 an hour.  But you would only be charged $14 or $15 an hour if you had 2 children, so combine your kids, and save some cash!  Then, each family is only responsible for $7.50 an hour!

For medicine, you need to talk to your doctor and see if they will write the prescription for double the dosage.  If they will, you can cut your pills in half to get your necessary dosage, and only need to buy your prescription every other month!  It might not save a ton of money, but as much as healthcare is in the news these days, I think everyone wants to save money, even a little, on their healthcare costs!

As far as pet care goes, when you go away and board your pet, you are paying a premium.  Instead, try finding other pet owners who are willing to watch your pet in exchange for you watching their pet!  You save on the boarding bill, and they will probably get more loving care that way too!  If you have a pet that doesn’t do well when you’re gone, and a boarding place is your only option, do worry, there are other ways to save!  find local pet grooming schools, and take your pet to be groomed there!  The discount is usually in the neighborhood of 40%, compared with operating grooming establishments.  Lastly, and honestly, I can’t believe such a thing exists, much less that I am having to talk about it, but drop your pet insurance.  I mean really, the amount you pay for such insurance than you would save in vet bills!   Understand, I have 2 cats that I love and want to live forever, but when their time comes, I will not be bankrupting myself just to make them live on a few extra weeks, probably in pain.   So save your money on the pet insurance…it probably won’t work out to your monetary benefit in the long run anyway.

There you have it!  3 tips that will hopefully save you some money THIS month! 

Additionally, we would love to start taking questions from our readers.  If you have a money question, or a relationship question (about how we make it work)  that you would like answered, feel free to leave a comment, and we will review and post the relevant questions!  Thanks for reading!

According to the care tags on a lot of clothing (or household items), you should be dry cleaning most of what you own.  Well, I beg to differ!  Lots of things that say “dry clean only” are able to be hand washed or washed in a garment bag on the gentle cycle in your washer.  In fact, some of the new washers on the market even have a “hand wash” setting, where the agitator moves very slowly, simulating the act of hand washing.  Now, should you do this every time?  Well, that depends on the type of garment.  I wouldn’t, for example, recommend going against the care instructions on a garment that cost most of your paycheck, but on an everyday, regular shirt, skirt or pair of pants…absolutely.  This doesn’t mean you give it up completely either.  Maybe you have a suit, and you trust that you can hand wash the pants, but want the jacket professionally cleaned?  I’m okay with that, so long as you are smart about what you get dry cleaned, and how often you do it, since dry cleaning can be so costly.  A suit costs on average $10 (2 piece) around the country.  So, if you’re a man who wears suits everyday to work, you could be paying $50 a week in dry cleaning bills!  If you can get away with hand washing those every other week, you can save $100 a month!  That makes it worth trying in my book!

The other tip is to  buy seasonal items when they are on sale.  Okay, so what does that mean?  That means, that if you are going to buy a winter coat, you should buy it in March, when it is likely to be on sale.  Need a swimsuit?  Buy it in July or August.  I have personally seen bathing suit separates marked down to $3 a piece in these months!  Other things even surprise me.  For example, tires should be bought in July.  If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that it’s because there isn’t much inclement weather during the summer months in the U.S.  In addition, linens should be bought in January and kitchenwares should be bought in April and November (can we say Christmas presents?).

Good luck with the new tips!  I hope you find some deals and save some money!  And remember, if you don’t trust that the garment will hand wash (or wash in the washer on gentle) well, go with your gut, and take it to the cleaners.  I don’t want you ruining your clothes, just second guessing wether or not your 100% cotton tank tops need to be dry cleaned!

Ebates.com: This website is a good tool for those of you who do a lot of online shopping. The trick to Ebates.com is that you have to “shop through” their website, as in, you go to their website first, find the store where you want to make a purchase, click on the link, and shop. The site is useful because you can search for a store or a product, which means if you need a product, but don’t know where to get it, you can search for the item and shop that way. Cash back percentages vary from store to store and the site sends out the rebates to their users quarterly. Some good news is that if you shop at certain online stores, you can get the item shipped to the “bricks and mortar” location and get free shipping! Bigger purchases mean bigger rebates, so consider this site when you need to purchase big ticket items!

Mypoints.com: At Mypoints.com, you can make purchases or take surveys to earn points. They offer several ways to earn extra points. For example, in addition to making purchases and taking surveys to earn points, you can click through emails and subscribe to their elist. After accruing a certain number of points, you can exchange them for gift cards to stores and other locations, or donations to participating charities.

39dollarglasses.com: If you have the prescription for your glasses and want your glasses on the cheap, this is the place for you. Go somewhere you can try on glasses and figure out what kind of frames you like, then get on their website and find similar frames (or the exact same frames, if you can), and buy them, on the cheap. They aren’t the nicest frames (you wouldn’t expect that for the price though, would you?), but they are good for people who wear contacts and just need something occasionally. Bonus? This website is also on Ebates.com, so you can get cash back on them!

I would like to thank my friend Jodi for pointing these websites out, and tell our readers that I hope you find them useful! Happy shopping!

Pick a park in an easily accessible location and invite a few friends to make a dish (someone should make the days menu, so you don’t end up with 5 side dishes and no main dish) to share with everyone.  Pack some blankets, board games, outdoor games (such as baseballs/gloves and Frisbee’s), plates/napkins/utensils and some music and set a time for everyone to meet up.  This will save everyone a ton of cash, since they only have to buy the ingredients for one dish and bring games etc. that they already have in their possession as opposed to the cost of dinner out and possibly drinks or a movie after that!  My suggestion is that you set the time for mid-afternoon, so that you can enjoy a couple of hours of games/gossip before grilling (if you’ve found a park with a public grill) or serving up every one’s dish.

Like this idea, and want to use it in the winter?  That’s OK! You just have to get a little creative!  Inform all the guests that you’re having a “potluck picnic” at your  house, indoors, and that the dish they bring should be picnic appropriate food.  Set the mood by moving out some of the furniture in the main room(s) you’ll be entertaining in and spreading out blankets and pillows for your guests to get comfy on.  Have board/card games set out and ready to play (no cheating though, so keep TVs and other electrical devices off, with maybe the exception of a radio, which could be brought to a picnic).  Have a signature drink for the picnic, something summery/fruity or crisp.  The main goal is for everyone to have a good time without spending a lot, so again, keep it simple.  This way, everyone shares the cost and no one is out a lot of money!

Good luck with it!  Jerrill and I are already talking about having a winter time “potluck picnic”!  I haven’t even set a guest list and I already can’t wait!

Now, obviously if you don’t have the money to pay admission and buy drinks and a snack I don’t want you to finance it.  If, however, you’ve got the money to do that, but are like me, and don’t want to spend a ton of money on something like an amusement park, then going in the evening to save some cash is the way to go!  Since amusement parks are, in my opinion, a money black hole anyway, here are some other tips:

• If you intend to stay for a long period of time, and know you will be hungry, pack a cooler with sandwiches, chips and drinks.  Most amusement parks will allow you a stamp on your hand (or some other pass) that will let you exit the park and come back in.  So, all you have to do is get the stamp, go to your car, eat your chips and sandwiches, then return, having saved a ton of cash, since food in these places is ridiculously over priced.
• If you want to eat lunch or dinner at the park, eat breakfast at home so that you’ll eat less while there, and what you eat should not be a feast.  Get the cheapest drink (preferably bottled water, so you can pack it with you), and get food like hot dogs or pizza to share, which will be far less expensive.
• Resist the urge to go into the shops.  You are at an amusement park, not a shopping mall.  You do not need anything they sell in those stores, and all it does is part you from money better spent (or saved) someplace else.

That’s it.  I’m sure there are lots of other ways to save at these places, so if anyone has other insights, I’d love to hear them!

The first little tidbit that I want to share I am postive most of you wouldn’t do anyway, but hey, I’d feel bad if I didn’t mention it, and that is, to skip the big tourist-y stores!  They are all either over priced on the items they sell, or those items are of poor quality.  While at the beach, we drove by lots of these stores, and went in one of them.  That store had a lot of beach related stuff, some reasonably priced, some not, but all of it was poor quality.  Do yourself a favor and find a Wal-Mart or Target.  They are likely (not always) to have better quality stuff, and since they are located, in this example, on the beach, they will stock the beach themed items you need year round!

My other tip revolves around coupons.   Before you go on vacation, you should look up coupons for that area on the internet and print them off…the harder and somewhat more important part, as this southern couple found out, is remembering to take/use the coupons!  They made it to the beach, but we didn’t remember to use all of them…some, but not all!  And if you’re worried about appearances, don’t be, because everyone uses coupons, even at vacation destinations!

Those are today’s tips!  Feel free to add a comment with your own tips!  I’m loving some of the recent feedback!

And here are a couple of photos from the trip!

• Ask the question “Can you go any lower on the price?”.  This will at least let the sales person know they can’t bully you into a price you’re unwilling to pay.  Telling them in this manner isn’t confrontational and won’t offend them if they weren’t going to bully you in the first place.
• If  they come back with a lower price, ask “Is that as low as you can go?”.  It’s uncomfortable, yes, but it could be worth a couple of hundred dollars, which is always worth it.  If they won’t go any lower, don’t push it by asking again, just say “ok” and then decide if you want the item or not.
• Lastly, right before you leave, ask “Can you throw in the delivery charges?”.  The worst they can say is “no”, and if they wouldn’t come down on the price at all, and you decided to buy the item anyway, then they should absolutely cover the delivery charges.  Also, if they tell you that delivery service is provided by another company, then you tell them to drop the price of the item to cover the delivery.  I have had very good luck getting delivery charges that way!  

I hope these tips make your next trip to the furniture store at least a little more fruitful.  Remember that you have to walk a fine line of being firm but polite when dealing with the salespeople.  As much as you want them to know you can’t be forced into something, you also want to build a rapport with them that will make them want to “go to bat” for you with their superiors.  Good luck!

I don’t know where the craze started to get big, but I imagine it started because of job losses and the economy slowing down. People need or want things and services, and bartering is a great way to get what you need or want without having the cash on hand. Craigslist is a great place to see modern day bartering in action. Here you can find computer “geeks” willing to fix your computer for other goods or services, or a hair stylist willing to cut/highlight/style etc. your hair for goods and services. I personally know of a hair stylist who trades her services for personal training sessions with a trainer. She wants to get in shape and the trainer needs a haircut…works out perfectly!

How to do it: Make a list of things you are competent at doing. Now, list yourself on websites like Craigslist, BarterQuest and U-Exchange. Hopefully, someone will look you up and have something you want in exchange for what you’re offering, or will be willing to buy something for you in exchange for your service.

Some precautions:

• Be sure to have an agreement in place before the trade begins, so everyone is clear on the terms and no one can back out on the deal. If you can get something in writing or an email, that is even better!
• If you see inappropriate behavior, report it. You could be saving someone else from a scam.
• Try to barter locally, if you can. It’s better for your local economy and people will think twice about committing fraud so close to home (we hope).

Good luck and happy bartering!

Recently, Jerrill and I went to a local DVD rental store to rent a couple of movies. We have subscribed to an online movie rental website for years, and have been very satisfied with them, but had watched both of those movies and wanted a couple more (it was a movie watching evening in). To rent to movies from this rental establishment ended up costing us around $10!! I absolutely could not believe it! When had DVD rentals gotten so expensive? Now we know to go to the movie rental boxes that rent DVD’s for $1, if ever we want something other than the norm. Plus, since we have cable Internet (necessary when you’re starting an online business) we can stream movies instantly from our online movie rental site. All in all, we pay about $15 a month for 2 movies at home at a time, no late fees, unlimited rentals and unlimited movie streaming. That’s a lot better than the 2 DVD’s rented for 3-4 days for $10!

An added bonus, with online movie rental websites, there is variety. They have hundreds of movies to choose from, as opposed to the limited space of a movie rental store, which has limited space with which to display their movies. This means they likely have that oddball movie you watched when you were a child and would love to see again!

If you watch a lot of movies, it would definitely be to your benefit to switch to an online movie rental website or one of the movie rental boxes. To me, saving money and have a better selection of movies to choose from is a no-brainer!

The biggest reason to use a shopping list is to cut down on impulse buys. I’m not just talking about the silly impulse buys we make while standing/waiting in the cashier’s line, I’m talking about the impulse buys we make while walking up and down the aisles. Maybe you buy some cookies, or chips or candy that wasn’t on the list. Or maybe you purchase a couple of steaks, and didn’t need them. Then, you go home, and you’ve bought 10 days worth of food, when you go to the grocery every 7 days. Now you’ve bought too much food for 1 week, and not enough for 2 weeks!

Another good reason to make a list for the grocery? Pre-determined meals may help cut down portion sizes! What does this mean for you? Likely, a smaller waistline! When we plan out our meals for the week and shop for those meals from a list we generally try to avoid buying more food than we need, which keeps our portion sizes down. This, in turn, will keep you from “mindless eating” or eating when you’re bored.

Jerrill and I shop from a list every week. We plan out what meals we want for the week, including which meals we think will be a dine out meal. Usually our dine out meals are on Friday or Saturday. Taking the list with us keeps us focused on what we need for the week and keeps us from forgetting something we need. We rarely impulse buy (no one is perfect all the time) because when we see something we want (usually cookies) we are able to tell ourselves “this is not on the list”. In fact, I would’ve forgotten to post this tip if I didn’t have a list for SCG! Just something to think about when you are thinking of heading to the grocery.

Simply put, auto insurance companies work by taking a little money from a lot of people, and then protecting any of them who actually get in an auto accident. If an accident occurs, the insurance company then pays any related bills (hopefully) from the pool of money they have collected. This spreads the risk of paying out large sums for an auto accident over all of the participants of the insurance.

If you follow our suggestions on an emergency fund (with a starter fund of $1000, and being fully funded when you reach 3-6 months worth of expenses) then you should not need an extremely low deductible. It’s called an emergency fund for a reason…for emergencies. You should get a lower cost, higher deductible policy so that you can pay for small losses out of pocket and use insurance only to protect yourself against large losses, which is, after all, how insurance is supposed to be used.

Just something to think about when you’re deciding whether or not to start an emergency fund while paying ridiculous amounts of money to your insurance company!

And now, of course, there is Hulu. Hulu is a website that offers tons of different shows for FREE from some of the big networks. You can go there and watch past episodes of current shows and whole seasons of shows no longer airing new episodes! And the great thing about this is, you don’t need cable or satellite, so your bill would be $0 dollars!

So, just think about cutting back on your cable/satellite package! I mean, nobody NEEDS 300 tv channels…That’s just ridiculous!

I am all about a deal. I love the idea of getting something on sale, and the steeper the discount, the happier I am…but I don’t buy something simply because it IS on sale. If, for example, you are holding a black purse in your hand, intending to purchase it because it’s on sale for $10, but you have 5 other black purses at home that are roughly the same shape and size as that one…put the purse down and walk away! I have seen people buy purple, faux fur scarves because they were on sale. I mean, it’s bad enough that someone manufactured purple faux fur, but to be convinced that it’s a good deal because it’s on sale is lunacy. Here’s a hint: If you weren’t going to buy it in the first place, or didn’t need it, then it’s not a good deal no matter what the discount, since you’re spending money you didn’t intend to spend! In other words, don’t buy stuff just to buy stuff…that’s what
children do, not grown ups!

When you go out to the stores this weekend to shop the deals, keep these tips in mind:

• When you shop for clothes, you should keep a list of what, if anything, you need (i.e. black pants)
• Don’t buy it unless you are absolutely sure you will wear it
• Only purchase it if you feel at ease in it (if you think you look short, fat etc. in it, you won’t be comfy or confident, and won’t EVER wear it)
• Unless you can name to yourself at LEAST 2 things at home that you can wear with it, don’t even think about purchasing it

That’s it! Good luck, and remember: Shop OFTEN, buy SPARINGLY!

For those of you who need to save a few bucks, cutting back on some of the guilty pleasures in your life can really add up! Things like sporting events, concerts, manicures, pedicures and blowouts etc. can all be cut back to half of what you normally indulge in! As an example, if you cut back on pedicures throughout the year, and only got 1 every 2 weeks instead of every week (and let’s be honest, they do last that long) then you would save a minimum of $780 a year! That’s a lot of money that could be used in other places! Want to save the full $1560, which could take your family on a week long vacation in the summer? Do your own pedicures at home for a year! I personally do my own pedicures…are they wonderfully relaxing etc??? No. But they still look nice.

All of these “guilty pleasures” are great ways to save some cash! For those of you trying to pay down debt, I would suggest that you abstain from all guilty pleasures until the debt is paid off. After all, some of those guilty pleasures could have been a contributing factor to the debt in the first place. For those of you just trying to add to your savings or find some extra cash for the summer, cutting your guilty pleasure expenses in half will help you do that!

A tip for those thinking of doing their own pedicures at home: be sure your files, clippers etc. are kept clean. To sanitize them, wash with soap and water, then either use barbacide (from your local beauty supply store, like Sally Beauty Supply) to sanitize them or use a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach…same effect. However, if you use bleach, rinse afterward, as the bleach may rust the instrument. Here are ideas on how to do a 2 minute,
5 minuteand
35 minute pedicure. Enjoy!

So, today we’re talking about ways to save money when you go to play or watch sports. Now, I know not all places offer discounts, but maybe there is a way to change what you normally do to save money. Here are a few examples:

• Golf – Golf is a great sport to save money. Firstly, don’t get a cart! Let’s face it, you do get a workout in your upper body from swinging the clubs, but maybe a little cardio wouldn’t hurt your waistline, now would it…and you save big bucks, because they charge ridiculous amounts to rent them! Also, some golf courses will offer a discounted playing fee if you go in the evening! They know you can’t play the whole course, so they give you a price break! Check it out sometime when you need to save a little cash!
• Tennis and Basketball – Both of these sports are high intensity and lots of fun, but renting the courts to play them on can be ridiculous, especially if no one else chips in! So, I say you should check out your local Parks and Recreation website/office. Parks and Rec usually have several places in your city/county that offer free tennis/basketball courts, among a whole lot of other wonderful amenities, some free, some pay, but ALL reasonable…check them out!
• Watching Sports (either at the game, or at a sports bar) – 1 chilidog, 2 chilidog, 3 chilidog…floor! Let’s face it, when it comes to watching sports, we get so distracted we have no IDEA how much food or alcohol/soda we consume. Now, I wouldn’t dream of telling our readers to completely stop going out to a game or buying food and drink there, but I would ask you to cut back! The tickets are expensive, so maybe you go to 3 of the 5 games you would have went to this year. And skip some of the food. This time, only get 2 chilidogs versus 3 (and all the chips and other stuff you would get) and 2-3 beers instead of 4-5 and save yourself tons of cash. Only watch the game at your favorite sprots bar? That’s cool…you’re already saving on the cost of admission (i.e. free)! Now, look at the menu…whatever food you were going to order, either order half, or order items that were half the price of your usual food! You’ve already saved! Now, the same goes for the beer! Drink a little slower, and drink half as much as you normally would! You could be surprised at how much you save!

That’s it! A few good ways to save cash when playing or watching sports! I encourage our readers to try these tips and see how much they can save!

First, you need to fall in love with throw pillows! They are useful in so many rooms! Bedrooms, living rooms, family rooms etc. can all be updated with a change of throw pillows. Now, the prices/quality of throw pillows can vary greatly, so keep these tips in mind:

• If it has beading, it will not be cheap.
• Shop online for good deals from reputable stores…remember, you don’t have to worry if it will fit!
• Buy end of season/discontinued patterns. They will be marked up to 65%-70% off.
• Don’t be afraid to buy them from the big chain retailers…if you like to redecorate a lot, you will save even more from these discount stores over time!
• You can add beading/lace to a pillow with just a basic knowledge of sewing.
• The most important thing about a throw pillow is its’ stitching…you don’t want it to fall apart at the seams!

Another great way to redecorate on the cheap is by changing the paint color of the room. This is a very cheap (depending on the size of the room) solution to “the room blues”! When changing your paint color, keep in mind:

• The paint swatches at the store are your friend, and they’re free…take them home.
• A big color change should be considered carefully, and if you don’t like bright colors in your clothes, you might not like it on your walls!
• The color of the paint changes based on the lighting in the room…Incandescent, CFL and natural light all look different!
• Don’t forget that whatever color you pick has to match the accessories in the room!
• You have to buy rollers, brushes, edgers and painters tape…that all adds up, so budget accordingly!

Artwork on the wall is an easy way to revamp the look of a room. It shows your personality and will always be a good conversation piece. Artwork can be hung in ANY room, bathrooms and mudrooms included. Some tips to keep in mind:

• The size of the piece should be carefully considered for the space…a too small piece will look odd on the wall, and a too large piece will dwarf the room.
• The frame should reflect the fixtures/style of the room. For example, an extremely modern room should not have a rustic wooden frame.
• Craft stores like Michael’s Arts and Crafts and Garden Ridge have great deals on artwork, and a large selection of themes and sizes that should help you stick to your budget, so don’t forget about them! Kirkland’s Home is another good choice!
• You should never worry that your Van Gogh is not a REAL Van Gogh…and no true friend will think worse of you for having a print on your wall, and you will be happy with the price tag!
• 2 other good places to check for inexpensive artwork: Flea markets and hole in the wall stores on college campuses…nobody could sell expensive artwork to broke college students!

There you have it! 3 easy ways to redecorate a room on the cheap! I am interested to know if any of the readers have any other redecorating on the cheap ideas! Keep in mind, $200 house fixtures and $150 throw rugs are not what we’re looking for here. These should be things that ANYONE can afford! If you have an idea, post a comment and let us know!

First things first…if you are looking to switch brands, you shouldn’t try to do this at a gas station or other liquor store that has a TINY selection. You need to go to a location that has enough selection of each type of alcohol to make the prices competitive.

Next, do not go to a liquor store that does not have a knowledgeable staff…as an example, I walked into a liquor store once and asked if they had Dekuyper Peach Schnapps and they said they weren’t sure if they carried that brand…well, Dekuyper is a “major brand” of alcohol, and any employee should know the name. The fact that this employee didn’t told me that their knowledge of their product was limited, and I shouldn’t ask them for any more help.

Going to a store that has a knowledgeable staff is the key when I switch brands. When I want to switch alcohol brands, or try a different type of wine, I go to our local Liquor Barn. They are only located in our state, so you should find a liquor/party store in your area. So, I walk into the store, find the nearest employee, and ask them which employee on staff that day is most informed about the particular type of alcohol I am interested in. The employee never hesitates to offer a name or two, and tells me where I might find them. Once I find the employee in question, I ask for help, and explain what I normally use, what I like and don’t like about it, what types of drinks in general I like and what price range I want to be in. This has never failed me. I am always pleased with the results, no matter if it was wine (they have helped several times with wine) or with hard liquor (I switched brands on vodka, which costs less and is smoother than the other brand).

This tip can be applied to more than just alcohol, but make sure when you go to a store and ask for help that the employees are not commission based or high pressure sales driven. You can’t always trust that these employees are genuine when they direct you toward a particular product. I have used this tactic when choosing gym shoes at our local athletics store (non-commission) and purchasing flowers/shrubs/trees at our local nursery. You just have to find an expert/knowlegeable person and get their help, the same way you go to a lawyer for legal advice and a doctor for medical help. Try this tip! Don’t feel like you are bothering an employee if you ask for help, that’s what they’re there for!

Think about it…buy 1 get 1 50% (or half) off, is the same thing as 25% off of each item. That is NOT a significant discount! That is a relatively standard discount something at a retail store receives when it goes on sale, which means they have a lot more margin in the item than 25%! The same thing goes for appliance/electronic stores, that offer $50 off when you spend $500 or $100 when you spend $750…that works out to be 10% and 7.5% respectively. That means the discount actually goes DOWN when you spend more!

Another fun part of the “Buy 1 get 1 50% off” is that they have made you spend more money then you would have when you went to the store in the first place. Know why? Because they have made you buy 2 of something, where you might have only bought 1. That’s right…it’s BUY 1, GET 1 50% off, so they have made you buy 2 of them! So, let’s say that you are looking at a $40 skirt (men, substitute a tool). It’s buy 1 get 1 50% off, but you only need the 1 color (tool). You say, well, i might as well go ahead and get the discount…now, instead of buying 1 $40 skirt (tool) that you need, you are buying 2 for $60! The retail store got $20 more dollars from your wallet, and still did not have to give a very big discount!

Now, if the retail store has a percentage off sale, where you are not forced to buy more than one item to get a discount, go for it, if you NEED the item and if the discount is worth it. I usually don’t think a discount is good until it hits 40-50% off per item. Also, don’t forget that an item you truly NEED does not HAVE to be discounted for you to purchase it. I should also tell you that I do not have a problem with a grocery store “buy 1 get 1 50% off”, if it is on something you would have bought anyway, like frozen veggies, and are absolutely sure you will use both items. So, the moral of the story, is to be the savvy shopper that I know we all have inside of us. Remember back to when you were a child, and had to make your money last. Since you didn’t have a job, you couldn’t guarantee that once you spent what you had, you would be able to get more in the near future. Be a smart shopper and don’t fall for gimick sales that just want to make you spend more money.

The truth is, a lot of us enjoy going to coffeehouses, places like Starbucks, and getting a gourmet coffee. These drinks are different. They are unique…and anytime something is unique, we tend to covet it and commercialize it.

As good as these coffees taste, they are, unfortunately, very bad for your budget. These coffees usually cost at least $3, and some can cost up to $6. If you stop at a coffeehouse on a regular basis, say, at least 2 times a week, that is between $312 and $624 a year! And that is only 2 times a week! Those of you that go daily, Monday through Friday, spend anywhere from $780 to $1560 a year…on coffee! Attention those of you wondering why you don’t have enough money to take your family on vacation…you’re drinking said money!

Not only does drinking gourmet coffee from these coffeehouses cost a whole lot of money every year, it also packs on the pounds! These drinks (unless you get regular, black coffee) have HUNDREDS of calories each. My favorite “gourmet coffee”, a vanilla frappuccino, WITHOUT whipped cream, in a 12 oz size, the smallest size, is 250 calories with 47g of carbs! The largest size is 24 oz and 500 calories! Needless to say, on the RARE occasion that we go to a coffeehouse (once or twice a year these days) I don’t get this drink anymore! These coffees might as well be desserts!

So, the big tip today is just not to give into the temptation of gourmet coffee. Save your money for other things, like bills or vacations. Don’t get sucked in to the gourmet coffee black hole…brew your own coffee at home to save money, or, if you absolutely cannot quit cold turkey, cut back from the largest to the smallest size, and cut back to once a week. View these drinks as they should be viewed, as a treat!

Let’s take an average steakhouse, like Outback Steakhouse, as an example. The average adult meal starts at $10 and ranges to $23, and the children’s meals start at $4 and range to $8. This doesn’t include the $2 soda or any alcohol the adults might drink and these prices add up to a hefty sum for a family on a budget. For 4 people (2 adults and 2 children) the bill can range from $32 to $66 not including any alcohol or tip. That is A LOT of money to spend on ONE MEAL. That is a tank (or 2) of gas. That is probably half of your grocery bill (maybe more).

So, we at SCG say grill at home instead. It has more then just monetary benefits. First you need to decide what is one the menu. Let’s say steak, baked sweet potatoes and green beans, with wheat rolls. Okay, well, the average adult needs no more than an 8 oz. steak, and children probably no more than a 4 oz. steak each. So total, you only need 1 1/2 lbs. of steak. Go to your local butcher, or the butcher at a supermarket such as Kroger or Meijer and pick up your steaks. Our Kroger butcher station usually sells a very nice, thick cut of sirloin for $8.50 lb, and will occasionally run it on sale for $6.49 lb. That is a GREAT deal. So, if you need 1 1/2 lbs, at $8.50 lb, the total is $12.75. Now for the side dishes. Let’s say sweet potatoes are about $1 each (a little high, but we’re rounding), green beans are $2 and the wheat rolls are $3. The total bill is $21.75. You’ve saved at least $10, and will continue to save $10 (or more) every time you grill out instead of going out!

Let’s look at the other benefits. As you know, “Successful Living” does not just come from having your financial house in order (although that IS a big piece to the puzzle). Having a close, strong family unit is also very important. Grilling out allows you to spend more time with your family. Not only are you cooking together, but unlike a restaurant, you can actually hear the whole conversation when you sit down to eat. You can also stay for a while, since it is YOUR house, as opposed to feeling rushed to vacate the table so the server can make some more tips. Now, I know some of you out there are concerned because some family members are vegetarian or vegan and you’re thinking to yourselves, “Um, I can’t serve steak to them”, but you shouldn’t be concerned, because there are more things to grill then just steak. One of my best friends is a vegetarian, and when I have her family over for a cookout, I will make her grilled veggie-kabobs, and burgers or steaks for her husband and child. This way, everyone gets what they want, and you still save money!

Overall, I just want you to remember that eating at home is a much cheaper solution then eating out and that you can make eating in a special occasion, if you by foods that you wouldn’t normally treat yourself with!

Gas stations are apparently desperate to stop paying this fee, because the Shell gas station closest to my house has a new “feature” on it’s automated pump. The pump now asks “is this a debit card?” and lets you answer “yes or no”. Their reasonong is simple…if it’s a debit card, then the bank pays the credit card company fee, not the store. This sounds OK, except that some banks, like mine, charge their CUSTOMER to use their debit card AS A debit card! We get charged $1.00 per use as a debit card, so if I was distracted while at the pump, I would be charged $1.00 for using my card as a debit card. Isn’t that fun? No discount AND get charged extra! This is why I say that it pays to carry cash! And, although I know this will mean that we all have to go into the store to pay, I think we’ll be fine. After all, a little exercise never hurt anyone, right?

So, to sum up, pay for your gas with cash, and don’t declare your card to be a debit card, even if it is, when buying gasoline. Make sure you pay attention to what you are doing at the pump, because even though it is automated and very easy to buy gas nowadays, it is also easy to be distracted and pay more then you should for your gas!

Turning your thermostat down just 2 degrees (or more) in the winter can help you save quite a bit of money on your energy bill through the cold months. 2 degrees really doesn’t feel that different, but if you start to feel chilly, add some layers or a blanket so that the thermostat can stay down. If you still find that your heating bill is high, you can put draft guard/blockers on your doors and windows or check the insulation in your attic/roof area to make sure you have thick, even coverage. Thick insulation keeps the heat from escaping through the roof, which adds to your savings!

In the warmer months, turn your thermostat up 2 degrees (or more) so your air conditioning/electric bill can stay within reason. Also, use ceiling fans to compensate for the difference in temperature, since the ceiling fans use less energy than the air conditioner! Wearing less layers of clothes will help the temperature feel more comfortable, and keeping the windows and doors of the house sealed up will protect against the hot air outside.

In reality, most of us can withstand one temperature better than another. Jerrill and I do not particularly like cold weather, so we turn our thermostat down to 68 degrees in the winter and bundle up in sweatshirts and fleece pants to stay comfortable. We block against drafts from the cold, and countdown the months til spring and summer. The summer, however, is a different story. Jerrill and I love warm weather, and heat doesn’t really bother us. So, it’s not uncommon for me to turn the thermostat to 76 or even 78 degrees! I then turn the ceiling fans on and we are perfectly content!

Overall, it is a simple choice. If you hate the summer but are fine in the winter, turn your heat way down to 65 degrees in the winter and slightly adjust it to 72 in the summer. If you’re more like Jerrill and I, do the reverse. There is no reason why you can’t save money(and our natural resources) on your energy costs and be comfortable at the same time. Like everything else we discuss on this website, it just takes some planning!

Discount membership clubs, like Sam’s Club and Costco are a great way for people to save money. For a small yearly fee, you get the opportunity to shop at this store that offers a lot of your everyday items (and other things) in bulk, at a discount. For example, at Costco you could buy Huggies Naturally Refreshing Baby Wipes in an 832 count (wow, that will last a while) for $24.99! This is a great way for people to save money in their budget. It costs a little more up front, but what you get lasts A LOT longer. However, the discount membership club is not for everyone…

Jerrill and I do not shop at the discount membership club near us (a Sam’s Club) because it is just the two of us. We are not able to use the bulk food fast enough and a lot of the food will go bad. However, if you have children, places like this are a VERY good choice.

I know a lot of people don’t shop there because they object to the fee, but if you have kids, you can probably recoup the cost of the fee in one trip to the store. Another important part of discount club shopping is to shop the sales that they run…you can save even more money! Another objection to the discount club is that it costs a lot of money to buy in bulk. Well, this is where budgeting (you know how much I think budgets can help)comes in to help you. If you buy enough stuff to last you 3 weeks at the discount club, then you should take however much you spent at the other grocery store, and save it for a total of 3 weeks to take with you to the discount club. That is the amount you should feel free to spend on the items on your grocery list. And yes, you should have a list…going to a grocery store without a grocery list is like going to an all you can eat restaurant!

OK, so you are like Jerrill and I, and there are only 2 of you, and you could not possibly use the items in bulk fast enough…what do you do? Well, we buy a lot of generic items or items that are not most expensive/top shelf. If there is a generic version of something we use, we will try it. Note everything tastes/uses the same, but the majority of it does. For example, you couldn’t pay us to eat the generic peanut butter, but I am all over the generic vitamins! The stuff we don’t buy generic we buy items that are good quality but not overpriced, like Sparkle Paper Towels. Also, as I said previously, we NEVER go to the grocery without a list and we have a weekly budget for groceries. Also, we shop the sales. I love fruits and salads, so I watch for what fruits are on sale (except bananas, which I buy EVERY week) and buy those. Last week I bought cantaloupe, but this week blackberries were on a HUGE sale, so I got those instead. I can’t urge people enough to shop the real food, versus the pre-packaged stuff…you can get some real deals!

In the end, it boils down to how big your family is, and how quickly you go through things…for now, we shop at the regular grocery store, but we are planning to start a family, and when we do, I will want to be able to buy my baby wipes and diapers in bulk!

No matter how “good” we try to be, we will always buy things, even when we are trying to save money. We are out somewhere, and see something awesome that we just HAVE to have. A shirt, a necklace, shoes, or if you are a man, some tools etc. Then, you take it home, and you like it, but not as much as when you were in the store. Or maybe you lose some weight and the item no longer fits…either way, at some point, you decide you don’t really want it anymore. Over a little time, you will gather up several of these items, and instead of throwing them away, you should have a swap meet party with some of your close friends!

Now, there are a few Do’s and Dont’s you should know about when you plan a swap meet:

First, DON’T be offended if some of your friends turn you down…some people just don’t like the idea of wearing things other people wore…it’s just a fact of life. so, don’t get your feelings hurt, simply move on and concentrate on the friends that DO want to participate!

Second, DO decide ahead of time on the items that should be brought. Rule out items that those attending feel too private or inappropriate to swap (i.e. undergarments). Some might also want to exclude items like shoes (the whole sweaty stinky problem), so make sure you inform the guests of the items to be excluded!

Third, DO decide how things will be exchanged/purchased and let the guests know ahead of time. For example, if you are having a jewelry swap meet, you could say that the exchange will only be for equivalent items (necklace for necklace, earrings for earrings) unless otherwise agreed upon by both people at the party.

Fourth, DON’T forget to have some money on hand in case a guest needs change to purchase something!

Fifth, DON’T forget to have some food for people to snack on, but make sure you wait til after the swap to feed them…you don’t need sticky fingers touching the merchandise!

Lastly, once all the items have been exchanged, DON’T feel that you have claim to anything you have swapped with a friend, so make sure you REALLY want to swap it in the first place!

Overall, if you have a group of friends that like to (or need to) save money, a swap meet can do double duty…you can get together with friends (which everyone loves to do) and go home with some really awesome loot for little or no money AND get rid of stuff you don’t want anymore! I hope this idea will help our readers get want they want and still have “Mucho Moolah” left over!

For my first Mucho Moolah post, I decided to discuss the “dinner/drinks and a movie” dilemma. When your friends or significant other asks you to go out for dinner or drinks (or both) and a movie, you might cringe at the cost. That is, if you have figured up the cost! Dinner for one is at least $15-$30, depending on where you (or your friends) decide to go. Then you throw in a couple of drinks…$3 to $7 a piece, for a total of $6 to $14. Then the movie…$10 for admission, $5 for a drink and the price just goes up… Totaling up the dinner, drinks, admission and a drink at the movie, you get $36-59 per person. That is A LOT of money. If you go out like that once a week, the hit to your pocketbook could be significant, and you might not even know it. .

So, my first tip is this: When your friend or friends ask you to go out for dinner/drinks and a movie, suggest that you go out for lunch/drinks and a matinee! .

Lunch menus are almost always less expensive than the dinner menu ($6-$12), a lot of restaurants offer a happy hour where you can get drink specials ($2-$4 a piece) and then off to the movies! A matinee is usually half the price ($5) of the evening show, and then add the drink ($5…sorry no discount). Totaling up the same outing, but earlier in the day, we get a total of $20-$30! STOP and think about that…the high end of the daytime outing in this example is LESS than the low end on the nighttime outing! You could save up to $49 per outing, depending on your effort to save! That is A LOT of money!.

I know you might feel awkward asking your friends to change to the daytime but you shouldn’t. Everybody likes to save money. Even Michelle Obama has been known to wear J. Crew clothing, and she’s the country’s First Lady!.

So, to get Mucho Moolah, say NO to dinner/drinks and a movie and YES to lunch/drinks and a matinee!.