March 19th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
Tips on How to Save Money on Your Grocery Bill.
Prepare Food at home:
Cooking your own food is a lot cheaper than eating out. And in my opinion, tastes a lot better than fast food.
Make a meal Calendar:
Don’t go grocery shopping until you have made a meal calendar. Deciding what meals you will prepare for the week, allows you to make a grocery list based on what meals you will be preparing. It ensures that you will have everything you need in the Kitchen. MoneySavingMom.com has put together some printable Menu Planning Calendars in a few different formats. You can print them HERE.
Make a Grocery List and stick to it:
Make a grocery list based on your meal calendar. Your grocery bills adds up quick when randomly walking up and down the grocery aisles and putting stuff in your cart. Making a grocery list off your meal calendar, also helps keep the waste down, many people waste a lot of money by tossing out food that went bad.
Never go shopping hungry:
I learned this when I was pregnant, because the cravings where that much worse, and I wanted to eat everything in the store. Now, it just makes it that much easier to stick to my list.
Grocery Shop with Coupons:
There are numerous sources for getting manufacturer coupons. Most local Sunday papers have lots of coupons in them very week. You can also print coupons directly from your computer. Some online coupon resources include Coupons.com, RedPlum.com, and SmartSource.com.
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March 19th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
In February 2010, the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act gives you more protection when using plastic.
What does these new guidelines do for you?
More Time to Make Your Payment
You now have at least 21 days from when your bill is posted online (or mailed) to pay before you are charged a late fee.
More Notice for Rate Increases
In most cases, card companies must give you 45 days’ notice when raising interest rates (previously, it was 15 days). Consumers can cancel the card and have five years to pay off the balance at the original interest rate. (Before, the new interest rate would be applied to unpaid balances.)
No Retroactive Rate Hikes
Interest rates on existing balances cannot be raised unless you are more than 60 days late with a payment. And rate increases are prohibited for the first year a card is open (unless a promotional rate expires).
Fewer Fees
Say good-bye to over-the-limit fees unless you give preapproval for purchases that exceed your limit. However, banks and card companies may bring back annual fees (which average about $50).
Pay Less Interest
If your card carries multiple balances with different interest rates, card companies must apply any payment (above the minimum) to the balance with the highest rate first. But the law doesn’t cap interest rates, so some creditors are raising them, even on cards in good standing.
This information is from Real Simple.
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March 18th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
FREE Victoria Secret Tank Top. If you have enjoyed any other Pink Victoria Secret deals,like the FREE tank HERE from my previous post, you can go to Pink Nation.com and sign in to print your coupon for the FREE Tank. I think I am set this summer on FREE tank tops from Victoria Secret! Enjoy.
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March 18th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
Target is currently offering Disney’s “Princess and the Frog” for 15.99, making it $0.99 after coupons and mail in offers.
The Princess and The Frog DVD, $0.99
Sale: $15.99
MQ: Use the new $5/1 printable coupon
Pay $10.99
Then Submit for the $5 Band-Aid rebate, currently on sale at Walgreens, see post HERE.
And submit for the $5 FrogTape rebate
Final cost ONLY $0.99!
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March 17th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
HAPPY SAINT PATRICK”S DAY!
Some Saint Patrick’s Day Deals:
-FREE Redbox DVD Rental, see previous post for details.
-Get a FREE Baja Fresh Burrito with the purchase of a large drink in honor of St. Patty’s day when you visit a participating Baja Fresh location wearing green. Print the coupon off to score your free burrito!
-Fun and FREE Saint Patrick’s Day Crafts, Color Pages, Recipes, Activities, etc for kids, thanks to Caboose.
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March 17th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
Vista Print is offering a FREE 4″ x 6″ Photo Flip Book. They are offering for these for free, but you pay shipping. These books are $9.99 full price. These Photo Flip books have 20 pages, and Vista Print has over 80 designs to choose from. These would make a great personalized gift.
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March 16th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
http://www.vimeo.com/2112924
I just came across this site yesterday. I am impressed and excited for a deal that would be fun for a date for my hubby and I. Groupons is FREE to join, and they currently have a deal were you get a $5 credit for joining. They have one promotion a day for a business in your area, where you can purchase a giftcard, or product for at least 50%. It looks like a great way to enjoy more for less.
How it works…(right off their website)
- Each day we feature something cool to do at an unbeatable price.
- You only get it if enough people purchase that day.
- Check back the next day for another awesome Groupon!
So the theory is that businesses offer this huge discount because they know that it will give them a huge spark in business. Deals are different based on where you live, because the deals are area specific.
Todays’ daily deal in my area, Seattle / King county, Washington:
K1 Speed, Indoor Racing: They are offering 4 races and 2 annual race licenses for $45, compared to $92, that 51% savings. I thought about getting this for my hubbies birthday, but his birthday isn’t until July! So I decided to see what is to come on Groupons.
Other Deals they have had this past week or so…. in the Seattle area,
-$50 for a One-Hour Portraiture Session, Pictures on CD, and Five Re-touched Digital, retail value $625 = 92% Savings!!!
-$15 for $35 Worth of Pacific Northwest Cuisine at Preservation Kitchen = 57% savings
-$50 for $100 Worth of Spa Services at Milagros SalonSpa= 50% Savings
-$11 One-Day Pass for Gear Rental and Unlimited Rock-Climbing Adventuring, $23 value = 52% Savings! I am sad I missed this one, my hubby and I LOVE rock climbing!
Anyways, you get the point, lots of GREAT deals from Entertainment, to Dining, Services, and such. I am happy I came upon this site.
If you don’t like to give out your address when joining sites like Groupons, use Trashmail (link to how-to post) as an alternative.
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March 16th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
Ask for freebies or discount coupons. Your doctor may distribute samples of everything from over-the-counter cold medicines to asthma inhalers or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medicines.
Request a three-month prescription. This option, given mostly for medications that treat chronic conditions, like diabetes and arthritis, can reduce costs up to 33 percent (compared with paying monthly).
Consider generics. According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a person under the age of 65 could save an average of $46 annually by substituting generics for brand-name drugs.
Enroll in your company’s flexible-spending account. Yes, it’s a bit of work, but you can pay for out-of-pocket expenses with pretax dollars.
Try mail-order pharmacies. Those affiliated with your insurance company save you time and gas and cost about a third less than retail pharmacies, says Charles Coté, a spokesperson for the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association.
See a dental student for checkups. Many dental schools have clinics that treat patients. Fees are about 50 percent less, and your care is supervised by a dentist.
Never assume you’re covered. Just because your surgeon is in-network doesn’t mean your anesthesiologist is. An out-of-network visit can leave you stuck with a large bill long after the anesthesia wears off. But for true emergencies (like a possible broken bone, poisoning, or a heart attack), seek medical attention at the nearest facility―you’ll be covered.
Negotiate with your doctor. Some offices offer a cash-paying system that uses a sliding scale, such as a discount based on your income or a volume discount for siblings, says Jennifer She, a pediatrician and a coauthor of Heading Home With Your Newborn (American Academy of Pediatrics, $16). It’s also worth asking if there’s a discount when you pay in cash.
Get silver-amalgam fillings in your back teeth. They’re half as expensive as white composite fillings (stick with these on teeth up front), and they can last up to four times longer, says Stephen Halem, a clinical researcher at the Forsyth Institute, an independent dental-research center in Boston.
Avoid a no-show penalty. Many doctors’ offices charge this fee, which can run around $25 (about the price of an insurance copay). So if you don’t plan to attend, make sure you cancel your appointment in advance.
Stay healthy. Some employers and insurers offer wellness incentives that can save a few hundred dollars for employees who visit the gym regularly, eat healthily, or enroll in smoking-cessation classes. Keep in mind that excess pounds are strongly associated with high blood pressure and heart disease, among other chronic illnesses that require daily medication and frequent visits to the doctor.
Thanks to Real Simple Online for these tips.
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March 15th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
Bic Brite Liner Fluorescent Highlighters, 5 pack, FREE
Buy: 2
Sale: 2.99
WQ: .49 each with in ad q. Limit 3
MQ: 1.00/2 (S 8/9)
Total: .49 + .49 – 1(MQ) = FREE
Reese’s Dark Chocolate Candy, 1.5 oz, FREE
Sale: .89
WQ: .49 each with in-ad Q.
MQ: .55 (S 3/14)
Total: .49 – .55 = FREE with overage
Colgate Total Toothpaste, FREE plus MM
Product: Select varieties, 5.8 – 6 oz
Sale 3.99
MQ: 1.00 (S 3/7) or 1.00 Printable Coupon
RR: 3.99 Limit 1 per transaction
Total: 3.99 – 1(MQ) – 3.99(RR) = FREE with $1 Money Maker
Revlon Products, Varies, FREE plus MM
SALE: 40 % off
MQ: $2 Revlon Color Cosmetic product, any – 02-21-10 SS, or $1 (SS 3/7)
RR: $5RR wyb $10
MATH: $4.99 (regular price) – 2.00 (40%) = 2.99 x4 = 11.96 – $8 ($2 man. coupon x4) = $3.96 OOP – $5RR back = -$1.04
Band aids and neosporin,$3 two bandaids and one neo = $1 each
SALE: $3 for bandaids and $4 for neo
MQ:
Neosporin Product, Any (1) And (1) Band-Aid Product, Any Excluding Trial Sizes – 02-21-10 SS $3/2
Johnson & Johnson Band-Aid Brand Product, Any – 01-03-10 RP $1/1
RR: 3RR wyb $10
MATH: 2 bandaids one neo=$10- 3/2 MQ=$7-1/1MQ=$6 get $3rr= $3 for 3
Vick’s DayQuil or NyQuil: 4/$4
SALE: $5
MQ: 4 x $1.50 off from P&G 2/7, 2/21 or 3/7/10
RR: Buy $15, get $5 RR; Buy $20 or more, get $10 RR.
MATH: 4 x $5 = $20. Minus $1.50 x 4 qs = $14. Minus $10 RR = $4
Excedrin Menstrual, -$3.01 overage for 2
SALE: $4.99 bogo (IF included in sale)
MQ: $2/1 mq ip (maybe no longer available?)
Wagsq: $2/1 IVC
MATH: $4.99/2 – $2/1 mq – $2/1 mq = $.99 – $2/1 IVC (multiplied by 2) = -$3.01
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March 13th, 2010
Posted by Kira Bishop
Redbox is having another 1 night FREE rental on March 17, 2010 on Saint Patricks Day. To get your FREE rental become a friend at the Redbox Facebook page . This will get you a code for a free rental, usable only once, you can’t share this code. Our family LOVES these FREE Movie Rentals! Good Times!
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