Top Ten Ways to Spend Less and Get More
Today, families are looking for more ways to save and live the “value lifestyle.” This new behavior is evidenced by the record high coupon redemption rates (9.7 percent in the first quarter of 2010 and sixth consecutive quarter of increased usage, according to NCH Marketing Services, Inc. 1Q 2010 Coupon Market Quarterly Update) and savings trends noted across multiple industry studies and surveys. There is a new norm which includes a permanent shift in how we shop and how we save. Today’s shopper has a keen eye on value that is here to stay.
The average family can save at least $1,000 per year by spending just twenty minutes a week seeking coupons, savings, and deals from a variety of sources. As I meet shoppers and savers across the country, I am impressed by their great savings and ingenuity. How much you save depends on you. Consider these practical tips to spend less and get more:
1. Share savings with a friend: People are passionate about scoring great deals and word-of-mouth is one of the best ways to find deals. What better source than a trusted friend?
2. Seek savings in print and online: Those achieving the greatest savings are clipping print coupons and clicking and printing online coupons. While grocery is the number one category for coupons, they are available across categories from dining to home improvement and everything in between. And be sure to search for coupon codes or free shipping offers for all of your online purchases.
3. Organize your coupons: Organize coupons the way in which you walk through the store—putting those expiring soonest in the front. The average expiration of a coupon in 2009 was 10.6 weeks, according to NCH Marketing Services, Inc. 2009 Coupon Marketplace Facts
4. Stock up on sale items: When you see an item on special that you use regularly, or a savings is featured with your loyalty card and you have a coupon, stock up— 66 percent of coupon shoppers say they are often able to combine coupons with other in-store specials, sales or frequent shopper discounts.
5. Easy access: Create a coupon envelope that lives in—and is always returned to—the car of the family’s main shopper allowing even the unexpected shopping trip be one in which you save.
6. Plan meals around savings: If you find a fantastic coupon, don’t dismiss it simply because the item is not usually on your list. Planning your meals at the same time as reviewing coupon offers and store circulars lets you take advantage of really great deals—and try new recipes. Many savvy cooks create meal plans based on what the stores advertise that week.
7. Double your savings: If your favorite retailer offers double or triple coupon values, shop on the days when you can get even more savings. Also, look out for daily deals at your favorite local grocer or restaurant.
8. Do your savings homework: Consumer research indicates big-ticket purchases require research. The Internet can help. Electronics, appliances, furniture, autos, and trips top the list of more expensive items that require planning.
9. Call manufacturer 800 numbers: Up to 35 percent of manufacturers only send coupons upon request.
10. Eating for free: Kids eat free (our three favorite words)! Many chain establishments have proven the old adage of no free lunch (or dinner) wrong, especially if you have kids. Full service chain restaurants continue to offer some pretty sweet deals in the form of kids-eat-free promotions.
Live the value lifestyle and you’ll rarely need to buy anything that’s not on sale. For more tips to stretch your budget, visit redplum.com.
By: Lisa Reynolds, “Mom Saver-in-Chief” for RedPlum
Thrifty Mom
Quick tips and a recipe each week to help save you money!
Thrifty Tip of the Week
Use the plastic containers you get from take-out food for your leftovers at home! They work just as well as the more expensive plastic containers you have to purchase!
Deal of the Week
Asparagus at $2.49 a pound
Recipe of the Week
My kids would never eat asparagus until I cooked it like this! Now it is a favorite vegetable!
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/oven-roasted-asparagus
Motivational Quote of the Week
“Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.”
― Robert Louis Stevenson
Action Plan for the Week
Call Debthelper today and get your finances under control!
http://www.debthelper.com
Thrifty Mom 6
Quick tips and a recipe each week to help save you money!
Thrifty Tip of the Week
Utilize your library! Besides getting books, audio books and movies for pleasure, you can use your library to learn how to cook, learn a language or anything else you can think of! The self-improvement section is usually excellent as well!
Deal of the Week
Chuck Short Ribs $4.99 a lb.
Recipe of the Week
These short ribs melt in your mouth! Definitely an example of what a crockpot does best!
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Barbecued-Beef-Short-Ribs
Motivational Quote of the Week
“The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are.”
Thomas Dreier
Author
Action Plan for the Week
Call Debthelper today and get your finances under control!
http://www.debthelper.com
Thrifty Mom 5
Quick tips and a recipe each week to help save you money!
Thrifty Tip of the Week
Wait for things to go on sale – no matter how much you want them! In this case, procrastinating on hurricane supplies and waiting for the sale paid off!
Deal of the Week
Hurricane Supplies …
Chef Boyardee … Peter Pan Peanut Butter … Nutrigrain Cereal Bars … Campbell’s Chunky Soup … all Buy One Get One Free …
Recipe of the Week
Whenever the hurricanes have rolled in the meat had to be cooked – use it or lose it as they say! These foil packets instructions show how to work with a protein and anything else you might have in the fridge!
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/38799/classic_camping_food_foil_packet_meals.html?cat=22
Motivational Quote of the Week
Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do.
– Emmanuel Swedenborg
Action Plan for the Week
Call Debthelper today and get your finances under control!
http://www.debthelper.com
Thrifty Mom 4
Quick tips and a recipe each week to help save you money!
Thrifty Tip of the Week
Stamps are like cash! Watch all your mail for uncancelled stamps. Soak them off the envelopes in water and then glue on your next letter!
Deal of the Week
Catfish Fillets $4.99 a lb.
Recipe of the Week
This recipe came from one of Oprah’s personal chef’s cookbooks! It is a healthy and delicious way to make catfish without frying!
http://www.recipesource.com/main-dishes/meat/seafood/catfish/00/rec0035.html
Motivational Quote of the Week
“Be kind to unkind people – they need it the most.”
Anonymous
Action Plan for the Week
Call Debthelper today and get your finances under control!
http://www.debthelper.com
Thrifty Mom 3
Quick tips and a recipe each week to help save you money!
Thrifty Tip of the Week
Turn your thermostat up to the highest setting you can stand. Since I am a Floridian, I let the temp go up to 82 when nobody else is home. Wish I knew how much money I saved for a little bit of sweat!
Deal of the Week
Boneless Top Sirloin Steaks $4.49 a lb.
Recipe of the Week
Steak is a big treat in our house and when we have it … it definitely needs to be on sale! This recipe is a simple and delicious way to use this pricier meat.
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Broiled-Steak-with-Horseradish-Cream-232000
Motivational Quote of the Week
“All who have accomplished great things have had a great aim; have fixed their gaze on a goal which was high, one which sometimes seemed impossible.” Orison Swett Marden, 1850-1924, Writer, Physician, Hotel Owner and founder of Success Magazine
Action Plan for the Week
Call Debthelper today and get your finances under control!
http://www.debthelper.com
Thrifty Mom 2
Quick tips and a recipe each week to help save you money!
Thrifty Tip of the Week
Never use the heated dry setting on your dishwasher! Turn it off before running and let the dishes dry naturally! Saves energy and doesn’t heat up the kitchen!
Deal of the Week
Center Cut Pork Rib Chops at $2.99 a pound
Recipe of the Week
Elegant Pork Chops is a recipe that was originally found in a decades old Reynolds Wrap booklet. Considering its presence on the web, its popularity has staying power! Please note this recipe is shown for two servings. I actually triple it and feed my family for two nights!
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/elegant-pork-chops/detail.aspx
Motivational Quote of the Week
(okay I admit this is a bit lofty … but all it really says is Think Positive!)
“Life has, indeed, many ills, but the mind that views every object in its most cheering aspect, and every doubtful dispensation as replete with latent good, bears within itself a powerful and perpetual antidote.”
Lydia H. Sigourney
1791-1865, Poet
Action Plan for the Week
Call Debthelper today and get your finances under control!
http://www.debthelper.com
Thrifty Mom
Thrifty Mom 1
Quick tips and a recipe each week to help save you money!
Thrifty Tip of the Week
Buy the bigger size whenever possible! For years I bought the half gallon size of milk because it fit better in the frig … purchasing a gallon brings your cost per ounce down significantly!
Deal of the Week
Pork Baby Back Ribs $4.49 a pound at one store and buy one get one free at another. These are occasionally $3.99 a pound so the higher cost is likely due to the holiday weekend.
Recipe of the Week
Easy Barbecued Pork Baby Back Ribs – my copy was likely cut from a pork brochure many years ago but I found it on the Meals for You website! These ribs are perfect every time! If you don’t want to fire up the grill … remove the foil, put on the barbecue sauce and bake for 15 more minutes.
http://www.mealsforyou.com/cgi-bin/recipe?id.2081
Motivational Quote of the Week
“I believe in taking a positive attitude toward the world. My hope still is to leave the world a little bit better than when I got here.” – Jim Henson
1936-1990, Muppets Creator
Action Plan for the Week
Call Debthelper.com and get your finances under control!
http://www.debthelper.com/
Maintaining as a MIlitary Family- Managing a Move
This is a new series of the blog titled “Maintaining as a Military Family”. A little about me…I go by codename Di and have joined the ranks of the fab bloggers for debthelper.com. My goal is to add some insight into what a Military Family does to “get by” and SAVE!!
Military life can be excruciatingly painful on the wallet. My husband joined the Army in the lowly (but highly respectful) rank of Private 14 years ago. We had children young (not uncommon within our Military communities) and therefore money was TIGHT. Relying on one income was almost unbearable. One of the biggest expenses is when there is a Permanent Change of Station (PCS or what normal people call relocating). Most Military Families have traveled and spent time overseas. This was the beginning of our journey, but not before I had to stay behind with our daughter while he went away to “Army school”. We could have rented an apt near his school and collected minimal Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH), extra pay based on location, rank and years in service. However, this was never enough to cover all the expenses (utilities, incidentals, etc). So, we did what would save us the most money and I moved in with my mother for 3 months. While this is not ideal…it allowed us to actually earn money (Basic Allowance for Housing is a benefit no matter where you live). The way to manipulate this situation in order for everyone to be happy is pay your Family or friend, with whom you shack up with, a portion of what you receive and stash the rest for your upcoming move (there always an upcoming move in the Military).
Moving is quite expensive and the Military does a pretty good job of covering all the basic expenses…AFTER you get to your new location. Reimbursements are always a killer for young people starting out in their career because it requires you to come out of pocket ahead of time. The best way to tackle this problem is to plan your move. MilitaryOneSource.com has up to the minute info on all things Military…preparation and planning is their purpose. Once a person is aware of the upcoming expenses, the bottom line doesn’t seem as scary. If flying overseas is how you will relocate, there isn’t much to control or decide as far as actual travel. Hotels stays before & after the flight, rental cars and food costs are the main expenses of a move that are controllable. I always use coupons and ask what kind of discounts there are…there’s usually always a coupon online or a discount offer at hotels, just ask.
Here are some sites I use when traveling (during a move or not):
http://www.retailmenot.com
http://www.hotels.com
http://www.destination360.com
http://www.roomsaver.com/
http://www.hotelcoupons.com/
http://www.valpak.com
http://www.savings.com/c-Restaurant-coupons.html
The obvious Orbitz, Travelocity, and Expedia are first choices for airfare, rental cars and hotels, but my personal fave is Hotwire. They have the best prices and package deals, plus they are fair when it comes to disputes and customer service. (I once booked a sport utility vehicle for a week and when I showed up there were only vans, which would have sufficed. I did call Customer Service to ask them about the difference in pricing and they refunded me HALF of my fee for the week.) Asking for a discount makes a big difference sometimes.
Moving also requires you to go through all that “junk” lying around in the garage or attic. One of the benefits for me when it comes to moving is that I am motivated to purge….my old stuff that is. There are several things you can do with that old jewelry box or winter coat…all WHILE earning money.
Have a yard sale without even leaving your home
Rent a booth at a flea market and sell your heiny off (beware of hagglers)
Find your nearest consignment shop and let them sell your stuff (my fave)
Donate to the thrift store or Goodwill (and get a tax deduction)
Someone is bound to love that wicker basket you are sick of.
Overall, my best advice is to begin saving the MINUTE you join the Military (more on that later). Moving is just one of the many expenses you will incur in a lifetime. Don’t even get me started on the surcharge for kids.
We’ll save that for next time…
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