$4.11 a gallon. Helllllllllllloooooooo, that's a lot of gas. Now, imagine if you're ME and you own around 40 cars that are driving 20 hours per day. Anyone want my gas bill? No? I thought not. It's robbery. In my business though, it's a necessary evil. I hate to see my hard earned..well, if I worked hard it would be hard earned..cash going out of a tailpipe. Nothing to show for it after except for a stack of gas receipts that the IRS hates to get from me. I thought I'd share some tips on how to  make your car run more efficiently and in turn, get better gas mileage.

First and foremost, make sure your car is in good running condition. Have your oil changed. Here's a $5 off coupon for Jiffy Lube. It's good until January of 2009. Print it every 3,000 miles.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated. The better condition they're in, the better gas mileage you'll get. Here's a bunch of coupons for tire stores around the US. I decided to link directly so as not to leave out one region.

Make sure your air filter is clean. They get so dirty and it really adds drag to your motor when the clean air isn't getting in.

Going on a long trip? Consider leaving your big ole bad ass SUV home.  Rent yourself a smaller and more fuel efficient car. You'll actually save money on this deal. Here's a bunch of coupons for different offers.

Empty the trunk of the car and insides too if it's a mess. For every 250 pounds there is in the car, you lose 1 mile per gallon of gas. It's also dangerous to have a bunch of stuff crammed into your car. It can become a projectile if there's ever an accident.

Carpool! Save money and time by taking turns with other parents or co-workers. If you had to drive only twice per week you're saving 3 days worth of commuting gas. There's got to be savings in there.

If your car manual doesn't recommend higher octane gas, don't buy it! Buy the cheapest octane available.

Just stop driving so much. Sounds painful, right? I thought so too. Me, the Queen of "I must go out and shop today." Instead, I'm making lists and shopping every few days. I've got half a tank more of gas left over this week than I did last week. Now, on to the more fun things...FREEBIES!!

Ok, I recently hooked my printer back up. It was $200 and I got it on sale for $34 over Christmas last year. I used it twice, it hogs up space on my desk, so I put in on the floor under a big picture window I have. BIG mistake..big big big. It's a nice HP All in On. I hooked it up last night to use the scanner and it's not working. Lo and behold, Princess Less Than Charming comes into the office and goes into a snit because her "Stand ta see out da winnow" is now on my desk. She's got a $200 step stool and my printer isn't working. Coincidence? I think not! Regardless..head over to SmartSource.com. They have TONS of printable coupons.

Here's a free sample of Dove Mist. I love Dove products. The ad is in Spanish but that's ok. Por Favor, check it out! For the man in our life I offer you Vaseline Men. It's a free sample.


I love books, I love to read. I am very pleased and proud that both of my children simply adore books. When they're given the option of a toy or a book they usually always choose a book. Here is a free book for kids! Speaking of kids, when Nick wakes up in the morning he has what we lovingly refer to as "Death Breath." It's SO bad. He has perfect teeth, goes to the dentist regularly, and he's enough to knock me off my feet! Enjoy the $1 off printable coupon for Listerine Kids. I also have a free Klean to Go sample. It's a disinfectant.

Ever since I worked the Sundance Film Festival for ChaCha I'm interested in Utah and Nevada. Seems like a beautiful area. Click here for a free travel brochure and CD about what Nevada has to offer!

Do you know someone who has been touched by stillbirth, infant death, or miscarriage? Here is a free bracelet. Please, if you don't truly qualify for this, don't sign up for it. Thanks so much.

How about a free sample of..uh..well..lubricant? I am not talking for your car either..lol! Playtime Lubricants is offering a free sample. In the spirit of offering full circle freebies, I give you a free lambskin condom. Don't look at me to order it though. I have a crush on the Serta Sheep. I think they're totally cute. If you suffer from Catholic guilt over ordering all of these freebies, sign up and get your free rosary.

Here's a free sample of Sinuclean. Honestly, my allergies get worse and worse every year until I feel like I'm a prisoner in the house. I can barely stand it. AaachhhhOOOOOOOO. See what I mean? I know it's hard to find inexpensive and fun things to do with the kids over the summer. It's much easier and cheaper to cage them up in an institution of learning..lol. Check out the Kids Bowl For Free Program. We took the kids bowling once. The operative word being "once." I figure when someone has to scream "DUCK" and we're not in a restaurant, bowling may not be their sport. Enjoy it though!

Free sample of Gold Bond Powder. It's good for so many things.

Ok. I was serious when I said I know it's not cheap with kids over the summer. We went to Water Country last Sunday. It cost us $148 for 4 tickets. Darn my son for getting taller and needing a big boy ticket this year! One of the great women at CafeMom put this together and I am going to cross post it.

5 Awesome Amusement Park Deals                               

BUSCH GARDENS
Whether you visit the African themed Tampa Bay, Fla. location or the European themed Williamsburg, Va. park, there are lots of ways to cut costs. Show your AAA card at the gate for an automatic $5 off up to six tickets. And once you've purchased a ticket, you can return a second time completely free as long as it's within seven days. Active duty military and National Guard members can take up to three dependents to any of the Anheuser-Busch theme parks, including Busch Gardens, Sea World Orlando, San Diego, or San Antonio, Sesame Street Place, Water Country USA and Adventure Island, completely free. All you have to do is pre-register on Hero Salute and show your Department of Defense ID at the park's gate.

SIX FLAGS
Buy your tickets online for one of 11 park locations, including the flagship Great Adventure in Jackson, N.J., to get the biggest breaks. Tickets are slashed by $20 online to $39.99. If you're willing to stand in line, bring an empty can of Coca-Cola to the ticket booth to purchase two tickets for $24.99 each. Six Flags.  Get the scoop on rides, events and entertainment. Receive discounts and special offers exclusively for Team Six members. All delivered right to your inbox. Want an easy way to stay on top of all things Six Flags? Join Team Six now.

CEDAR POINT
Trying to figure out if you can squeeze a family vacation into your summer? Cedar Point says YES, you can – with their family four pack of admission tickets for only $132! Stimulate your inner thrill-seeker (and the economy) with this money-saving deal. And by the way, you can use this four pack during any day of the 2008 season. Hurry, it’s only available online through June 15, 2008.  Families of four can buy a package of four tickets for $132, leaving an extra $40 in your pocket. http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/admission/tickets/deals.cfm

Pay Once, Visit Twice
You can’t conquer the thrills and family fun at Cedar Point in just one day…so why not come back for a second day of fun? Here’s how this special ticket works: pay one price of only $52.95 online through June 15, 2008 and visit on the operating day of your choice. Then come back for another visit on any other operating day of the 2008 season*. That includes HalloWeekends! Two-visit tickets must be used by the same person and are non-transferable.  http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/admission/tickets/deals.cfm

WALT DISNEY WORLD
See&Do Orlando offers the deepest package discounts. Hotel and park admission deals are upwards of 50% off retail with four nights accommodations at hotels like The Best Western, The Radisson and The Mystic Dunes Resort &Golf club. If you book a Magic Your Way package directly through the Disney Resorts between August 24 and September 20, not only do you get your hotel room and admission tickets, but your entire group will eat for free. (Must be booked by June 22, 2008.)

HOLIDAY WORLD
It might be summer, but that doesn't mean you can't visit Santa Claus. For the 2008 season, Holiday World and Splashing Safari (yes, located in Santa Claus, Ind.) are offering tickets to both parks for $39.99, including inner tubes and all-you-can-drink fountain soda. Bring an empty Pepsi can or Bunny Bread wrapper to the gate for an additional discount between $2 and $11 off, on up to eight tickets.

No matter where you choose to spend your summer, don't forget the deals that already in your back pocket. Both AAA and AARP often offer discounts like free parking, hotel and restaurant coupons, so check with your state's website to start saving.

Ok, I'm done! At least for today. I have a trazillion things to do today. I have to watch the grass grow, observe them putting up my new pool, watch my husband put up the screen house, and play with Gabby. For those who have asked, thank you. My husband Chris is doing much better. It's taking time, of course, but I am feeling good that I may have him with me for another 41 years. God willing. I put my faith in God again. Sometimes, I forget. Not to get all religious on  you but prayer is free. My friends and ChaCha family all prayed for us when we needed it. I thank you all.

Happy Father's Day to all of my male readers. Happy Father's Day to all of the women who are Moms AND Dads.

Until next time...Happy Saving!

Indulge me for a moment. I love my kids. I truly do. If I tell myself that often enough today I may even let the 4 year old live through the night. She is making me crazy the last few days. Today she was outside playing and she told our new neighbors, "Mommy left me here alone. I am scared to be alone. Will you play with me until she gets back? I don't know when it will be." Well. Needless to say, my husband was in the doorway listening to this. I was upstairs changing their sheets. How nice of her to tell the neighbors that she is neglected and abandoned. This is after our store trip today. If the kids are good they go to the Dollar Store on Saturday. So, off we went. Within 3 minutes Gabby had stolen a carriage and crashed it into this huge Snuggle Air Freshener display. It took me half an hour to pick it all up and fix it. It has been a very long day with her.

Here are some freebies I found. There are a lot more than I thought I would find. OHHH, I just have to tell you. Last post, remember I posted about the Hershey Bliss Party? I applied and I got chosen to host one..woohooo..free chocolate! Life is good.

Ok, sign up here for a free Choose to Know bracelet. It supports women in their fight against cervical cancer.

Here is a sample of Sweat Block deodorant.

I  am scatterbrained. I mean to do certain things, I start to do them, get sidetracked, and forget. I am a Catholic (notice I didn't say good). I mean to pray nightly and thank God for my blessed life. What actually happens is I crawl into bed after a long day, say "Hi hon, gimme the freaking remote, CSI is on," and am asleep in about 10 minutes. You know what they say about the road being paved and good intentions.....Here's a free prayer cloth.

I love office supplies..much to the chagrin of my former employer..lol. Ah, I digress. Here is a free sample of sticky tabs.

Here is a neat one. If you sign up for their catalog they send you 3 free cigars and a free hat. I hate cigars. When I got caught smoking at 13 my Dad made me smoke an entire package of them as punishment. Can't stand the smell of them to this day. I still smoke, too. Thanks for the lesson, Dad!

Take the Pledge and get a free uniball pen. This pen makes it impossible for your checks to be washed and it keeps your signature safe. Good deal.

Here is a free reusable tote bag. It's for the tree hugger in your life..lol. It's supposed to cut down on waste so you might as well give it a try.

I have a free sample of Yogurt capsules..or something that resembles that. It's actually acidophilus pearls. It's good for you, so I don't recognize it.

Free coffee samples. You can also win a $5 gift card for signing up. I've said it before and I'll say it again..I love my Senseo. Sign up for free pods! Don't have a Senseo? Good Lord, go to ShareSenseo.com and get one. You have to pay $15 for shipping. Big Whoop..it's the best $15 you will spend all week.

Okay. I'm going to do something a little different. Instead of packing my post this week with freebies, I'm going to give you some money saving tips. I love flavored creamer for my coffee. I like the Vanilla Cinnamon and my husband likes the Amaretto. It can get expensive. So, I found a few recipes on how to make it yourself..at a much lower cost! Here are a few of them!

Each of the following coffee creamer recipes can be stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. For each recipe, mix all ingredients in a glass container, and shake before pouring.

French Vanilla Coffee Creamer
1 can sweetened condensed milk (also available in low fat)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Almond Orange Cappuccino
1 can sweetened condensed milk (also available in low fat)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
1 tsp almond extract and 1/2 tsp orange extract for cappuccino.

Amaretto
1 can sweetened condensed milk (also available in low fat)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
Add 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp almond extract

Almond Cappuccino

1 can sweetened condensed milk (also available in low fat)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp orange extract

Chocolate Almond
1 can sweetened condensed milk (also available in low fat)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp almond extract

Chocolate Truffle Mint
1 can sweetened condensed milk (also available in low fat)
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon peppermint extract.

Now you have your cream for your coffee. How about how to save money on flavored coffees? Here's how to make your own and not pay expensive prices at gourmet shops.

Save money on expensive coffees by making your own. Add a drop or two of vanilla extract and vanilla non dairy creamer to your coffee for an expensive coffee taste. If you really want to "walk on the wild side" experiment with different flavors of extracts like hazelnut. Use a light hand and only a small amount because pure extracts can be strong.

You can also try adding a dash or two of cinnamon into your grounds, and brew your coffee.

Here's another tip....add a Vanilla Bean to a little jar of sugar let is sit a few days  and you have Vanilla Sugar. Use on anything you put sugar in.

If you like coconut coffee you can add a teaspoon of shredded coconut to your coffee grounds before brewing.

Thanks to the ladies at CafeMom who had these fantastic ways to stretch our dollars. Coffee is a huge industry. We should be able to save while enjoying it!

Ok..and my last and most coolest freebie of the week..Call ChaCha. Dial 1-800-2ChaCha and ask your questions. You will then receive your answer in the form of a text message. It's...drumroll please...free. That's right..no charge. Totally smokin' deal! Try it, you'll love it. I tried it, loved it.

Ok, Prince Nicholas and Princess-less-than-charming Gabrielle are finally asleep. I may get some searches in..woohooo. Until next time..Happy Saving!

We meet again! There hasn't been much to share with you. I spent a few days shopping last week and I have to brag. I went to Kohl's with my Mom last week. I didn't need anything but she needed a bathing suit for her trip to Puerto Rico. Which, incidentally, I found her RT airfare and a hotel for a week for under $200! So anyhow, I go to Kohl's and they're having a 90% off sale. I bought 3 pairs of Vera Wang pants that are usually $185 a pair for...$1.40 each! It was totally unreal. I got some Ralph Lauren clothes for $2.60 each, clothes for the kids, clothes for my husband, and a few things I will never "need" but have always wanted! Sometimes, it's all in the timing. I made a KILLING that day. One good way to save money is to season shop. In the middle of the summer, stores will begin getting rid of their merchandise to make room for the next season. The same goes for every season. So, if you are wise, you will buy next year's clothing during this year!  Unless you're Elle, Cindy, Naomi or Carol, you don't have to worry about "What's Hot and What's Not" as far as fashion. Buy what YOU like, not what the fashion experts like.

So, here are the sales I've found this week. During the Christmas holiday season I was looking for a unique gift for someone. I didn't just want to grab the first thing off of the shelf. So, I went over to Things Remembered and found a neato and peachy keen gift. They're having a huge sale!

Another favorite store of mine is TJ Maxx. They're having a green sale. They're offering their new line of organic products at a huge discount. Check out the store nearest to you!

Attention K-Mart Shoppers! We have a 38-60% off clearance sale now going on. Stop by the blue light to see what type of savings you can find!

Do you need, want or love to shop in the Big and Tall stores? I will NEVER have to worry about shopping in the Tall store. More like I'd need a "Shorties R US" store. Yet, many people are not as vertically challenged like me. So, head over to King Size Direct for a 66% off clearance sale. Did you know, I have never opened their emails and thought they were a bed company? I opened it on a whim in a desperate attempt to find you more savings. I was shocked..lol.

Lee Jeans is having their annual 20% Spring Sale. 20% isn't much but it's better in my pocket than in theirs. I actually like the cut of Lee jeans.

Burlington Coat Factory is having their annual Men's 2 for sale. Buy 2 suits for the price of one. Now, I don't need to buy suits here. We're pretty casual people. So, I won't be taking advantage of this. However, if they ever run a sale on Buy 2 shirts that say "My Wife Works For ChaCha and All I Got Was This Stupid Mention" then I guarantee I'm on it!

Bluefly.com is having a 40% off sale on designer handbags. You can get a $600 purse for around $325..Sounds like a great deal to me. I go to the Coach outlet stores when I feel the need to feed my passion for handbags.

Brylane Home had a problem with their website last week. So, in addition to their rock bottom prices, enter code BHSORRY and receive an additional 25% off. Last week I got a free sewing machine, a free steak knife set, and a set of mixing bowls. All very cool and all very trendy.

You can save up to 50% at Chadwick's this week, also. They have a great selection of clothing.

One thing I try to do in my blog is to give you a glimpse into my life but not offer you an open door. It's always better to keep 'em guessing. I also try never to use it as a platform for my personal beliefs. Sometimes, it's unavoidable. I am throwing this in here merely for those of you that may have never even considered it. When a loved one passes away, there's nothing harder to deal with. Until you have to figure out how you're going to pay for their final expenses. My Dad passed away late last year. He had no life insurance, thought he was invincible. When I called his credit card companies, most were extremely wonderful. They offered sympathy and told me not to worry about the balances on the cards. They were minimal in today's world. However, there was one company. I shouldn't name it, it wouldn't be overly ethical. It rhymes with Fears, Hears, Wears, Bears...sounds like Sears to me! When I notified them that I had just lost my Dad the woman on the other end of the phone said to me "Well, what about his estate?" I said "Ma'am, there's no estate. There is nothing. I'm sorry." Her reply was "I am going to send someone over there and we'll take your furniture and your car to satisfy this debt." Ooohhhhh, you THINK so? Over my cold dead body will anyone EVER speak to me like this. Especially over a pathetic amount like $1200.  I could pay it. Why should I? It wasn't my debt. However, I was angry at Dad after that. WHY didn't he have life insurance? Why why why? So inexpensive and so easy to buy. I didn't buy those policies for the kids that Gerber offers when you're pregnant. I was afraid to jinx myself. Having been born on Halloween I am just full of superstitions. Now they've changed. My superstition is that if I'm stupid and don't follow through and buy these policies, we may not have them when we need them. So, for just one lousy dollar you can start a policy at Globe Life. One thing you can't do is put a price tag on peace of mind.

Well, those are my savings for the beginning of the week. I'll try to find some more and post again this week! So, today seems to be "Story" Day. I have no short supply of stories about my life. Some of them are the funniest things you'll ever hear. Some are heartbreaking. All are true. I did promise a follow up to my trip to see John Edward. I have to tell you, I am always skeptical. I don't trust easily. Especially lately. It was general seating and we had great seats. For $225 a ticket he should've sat on my lap. I went with 2 of my friends. One of them lost her husband recently in a motorcycle accident. It was NOT his fault. Someone ran a light and hit and killed him. His name was Jerry. Her name is Jess. They have a 4 year old named Sandra Elizabeth. So, imagine our surprise when John came right towards us and said "Who are the 2 J names? Who is S..Sandy, Sandra.." I was whispering "Jess, stand UP." She didn't know what to do and some dork in front of us stood up and said "I think it's me. My brother Gary died 18 years ago in an accident. I work with a woman named Sandy." Yeah, ok Slick. Nice job. There's no doubt in my mind that John was talking to my best friend. Jerry died 2 days before my Dad. Jess didn't know what to say or do and she let opportunity go by her. She emailed John Edward after the show and asked if the reading could've been meant for her. She got an immediate reply that yes, it most definitely could've been directed at her. She was there at that particular show for a reason. My Dad had a dog named Ghost. We had him for 11 years. He was white with a black patch. He got nose cancer a week after my Dad passed away. We kept him for 2 more weeks and then we sent him to the Rainbow Bridge to be with my Dad. They were always together. Literally inseparable. Halfway through the show (2 hours long), John said "There's a white dog with a black patch running down the aisle." He supposedly stopped near me and John said "Oh, his owner just came to take him." So, was that my sign? I don't know. I want to believe it. My problem is that i didn't go there with any questions. My Dad died but we know how. There's no treasure buried under the floor in the garage, and I am 110% sure that he loved me. I don't need him to come back to tell me. I feel it every day when I think about him. I have to say that John Edward is amazing. He's right on target, he's friendly and outgoing and he is the FUNNIEST person. He made me laugh throughout most of the show. He read a woman directly in back of me. She had some serious family issues. She didn't look like she was believing it too much..until the end. He said to her "Mom says it's ok, buy the new microwave." The woman screamed and her knees buckled. She said "My microwave blew up yesterday and I didn't know if I should buy a new one." She was convinced..lol. So am I. I would love to see another of his shows.

Thank you for indulging me this week. I don't often talk about myself so specifically. It is my reward for working so hard to help you to learn to save money. So, until next time...Happy Saving!!

Talk about a dry spell. There hasn't been anything out there to share with you! However, I've toiled and toiled and managed to find a few things to bring you this week. Nothing fantastic, which bums me out...but free and useful regardless. Things are going very well here. Everyone is healthy again! Oooohh..and my 6 year old, my oldest, lost his first tooth. It was such an awesome Mommy moment. The Tooth Fairy stopped by and didn't have change for a $10 so Nick got a note thanking him for the tooth and a reminder to keep brushing. The note is priceless and he will have it forever..and it was free. Something special like that you just can't put a price tag on it.

Ok, so...sign up at U.S. Divers and get a free luggage tag and fish id pamphlet. You can also sign up to show your support to help stop the spread of AIDS. Get your free "I Stand With Magic" pin by signing up. You can also join the Hopepond and make a free Button of Hope. I am a firm believer in charities and random acts of kindness. You can't put a price on an unselfish act. So, there's no savings in signing up..but..you never know..it could keep you focused on remembering that no matter how bad you think you have it, there are millions more that don't have it half as well as we do.

Ok, I don't even know what Beer Pong IS...but if you sign up here, they'll send you lots of free stuff. Even though I don't know what Beer Pong is, I know that beef jerky goes with beer. Here's a free sample of KC's Old Style Gourmet Beef Jerky. Is it just me or is it hysterical that the words "gourmet" and "beef jerky" are used in the same sentence?

Join Remedy Life and you can get a free sample of Purell Hand Sanitizing Wipes. For the man in the house, I can offer you a free sample of Brut Shave Gel. ::sniffs:: I think it'll be a winner! You can sign up for a free sample of Sensodyne. You can choose either the Sensodyne or the ProNamel. We also have a sample of Curel Moisturizer. Just sign up. I love Curel. There's also a free sample of Jergens Self Tanner. I was blessed/cursed with pale skin that doesn't care much for sunlight. I am going to try this one out, myself!

CCO Outlet is having an amazing 80% off clearance sale. You need to check them out. I recently went through my closet and weeded out the things I no longer wear, the things I no longer fit in (boo hiss cry), the things with just a "small stain" or a "little" tear. I bought an entire new Spring and Summer wardrobe. Let me tell YOU..it was invigorating.

Did you know that ChaCha Blogs also has a Cooking/Food section? There are some amazing vegetarian blogs going on over there. So, if you have any interest in learning about becoming a vegetarian you can sign up at GoVeg.com and get a vegetarian starter kit. Sign up at Wal-Mart.com for a free sample of Parent's Choice Gentle Baby formula. I used that brand when my kids were babies. I had started off by using the Similac. $30 a can. Yeah, ok. My kids both liked the Parent's Choice and it was more than half the price of the Similac.

Sign up here at Novell for a free USB bracelet. I signed up. It sounds really neat! Ok, I love software and downloads. Add the word free in front of it and you can just color me IN! So, Microsoft is offering a bunch of free downloads. Take advantage while you can. After I saw this, I decided to search "Free Daily Downloads." Well, after getting a trillion hits, I think this one, Daily Download, is the best.

Everyone knows my secret passion (if you all know, it's not really a secret) for chocolate. Well, I know you'll find this hard to believe, but I have another passion. Shoes. I love shoes. I love designer shoes! I love Bluefly.com. They're having a 70% off sale and an additional 15% off for their Spring Sale. Go for it. It's less calories than Chunky Monkey.

One of my biggest flaws is that I'm vain. There's no explanation for it, but I am. With that said, I refuse to wear my glasses. I'm too skeeved out by the thought of contacts but I know that millions of people benefit from them. So, I have a free sample of Bausch & Lomb Alaway Eye Drops.

Ok, ::yawn:: Nick was back to school this week so I am totally wiped out. I'm looking back over this post and I realize I found a lot more than I thought I did. Remember, to save money you have to want to save money. It doesn't just happen. I'm going to see John Edward, the psychic, on Friday night. Can't wait. I'll let you know how it went. Until then...Happy Saving.

I'm back with some freebies, samples and coupons..You missed me, didn't you? I know you did..it's okay, you can admit it..my blog can be your secret guilty pleasure. Kind of like my secret passion for flavored Tootsie Rolls. I love those things..anyhow..let's get on to some rockin' savings!

We'll start with coupons. Here's a bunch from Baker's Square for free pie! Delish. Just print it out and you're good to go. Someone let me know how it is, we don't have that around here. Bummer, I'm always up for free pie. We do have an Auntie Anne's and that's great news since they're giving away a free pretzel, no strings attached! If you spend money at Office Depot then you can use this coupon for $5 any purchase over $25. I'm not a big fan of Target, I rarely shop there. However, I just found some great printable coupons for their store. Definitely check it out. I don't shop in bulk because I tend to forget what I bought, it goes bad or I don't like it by the time I get to it. I do love shopping at BJ's though. They have some really great deals. You should print out this free one day shopping pass and see what they have to offer.

I love to read..I am a voracious reader. I love Borders. Here is a 20% off coupon for you! I also love to take the kids to Build-A-Bear. Have you seen their prices? I think they build 'em with solid gold. So, here's a $5 off $25 purchase. That's as good as gold. If you like Carter's and you sign up for their site you get a 20% off coupon good for one item. Sweet! After we build our bear we head on over to Baskin Robbins for a hot fudge sundae. Coupon is good for buy one get one FREE..YUMMY! So, if the kids were good we can go hit KB Toys. If you sign up here you get a $5 coupon. If you're tired from spending the day with the kids you should stop and grab dinner. My first choice for fast food is KFC. I heart KFC. Put your zip code in and it will give you all available printable coupons in your area. Join the T.G.I. Friday's online club and get a printable coupon for a free appetizer. I love appetizers, too. Ok, a few more food printable coupons for you. I can't help myself, I am SO hungry now. Coldstone Creamery is buy one get one free when you join their email club. Free ice cream is just..dreamy. Little Caeser's has a coupon for a combo for $1.99 when you sign up and buy a pizza. Ok, I gotta get out of the food section, there's nothing to munch on here and I'm going to eat my monitor. Let's talk cars.

Here are some printable coupons for Goodyear Tires. It's a $10 off coupon for any service over $100. I personally don't like Goodyear, got lousy service once, but savings are savings.  Midas has a printable $10 off any $50 service. Or you can take advantage of $5 off an oil change.

Valentine's Day is coming so around here that means...Picture Time! Yes, it's that time of year where we dress up the lil darlins and pretend that they are normal and well-behaved kids. We send the pictures to Grandma and she thinks they're the sweetest kids in the world. Poor, misguided Grandma. Sears has a free wall portrait or a sheet of wallet photos for $2.99 with coupon. There's also JC Penney. Sign up here and get portrait coupons. If you want to suprise your honey with a photo of you, head on over to Glamour Shots. Sign up online for the appointment and get a free $175 package. The words Kerry and Glamour just don't go together. They don't even sound good in the same sentence. Hope you can use it though! I love Picture People! Here is a Valentine's special. Free 8x10 or 11x13.  Big savings!

Quick Brylane Home update: Use code BKSET and receive a free 10 piece salad set with ANY purchase. I ordered something and it's so summery and pretty. Well worth the cost..oh wait, it was FREE. Definitely worth the cost! I'll throw some free samples in, too. I love free samples. Here's a free sample of Caramel Fiber One cereal. Just sign up. If you sign up here you get a free floater keychain. The price is right. Free kids show dvd from Mom's World. I got this freebie and it's awesome! It's a free laptop or tower skin from HP. I am a big fan of HP products so this was a particularly great score for me.

So, again, we've had a ball and found some super savings! I certainly hope this is beneficial for all of you. I thought my vacation blog was boooorrrring. I mean, yeah, we saved money, but it doesn't come in the mailbox every day like our samples and coupons! I will post again this week and keep you all up to speed. Or feel free to call me at 242242! Until then...Happy Saving!

Sorry it took me so long to get back with you! The textChaCha has been a huge hit and I've been so busy with it. Remember, for FREE you can text 242242 and get any question answered that you need..we're here for you 24/7.  Ok, back to vacation planning.....

So, we have our airline and we have our hotel..I decided on the Runaway. It just looks so awesome. Granted, it's probably not the most frugal option but it IS a vacation, so I can afford to spend a few more of my saved pennies. So, the epitome of Florida is Mickey Mouse. The prices are OUT RAGE OUS..say it loud with me..OUT RAGE OUS. It's a necessary evil though. I happen to have my own little princess who is dying to see the Magic Castle. There are actually ways to save money on Disney tickets though. Truth be told, I think my kids are going to want to see Sea World a lot more! So, here we go with Disney World tickets. I first went directly to the Disney World official site. The cost for all of us, 2 adults and 2 kids, for a 2 day ticket is a whopping $512. I'm in the wrong business. Maybe I could open up a theme park with a singing moose and make a fortune. So, I head over to Orlando FunTickets and find that I can get my tickets at a discounted rate! More days, less cost. I don't think I want to spend 3 days in Disney though. It's a little bit of overkill. Another great site for discounted Disney Tickets is Know Before U Go. I found some great sale prices. One other thing that you can do is when you get to Orlando, if you stop at any of the hundreds of kiosks that are selling time shares, sign up, go to a 1 hour demo and they give you a 4 pack of FREE Disney World tickets. That's what I did last time. It was just my husband and I but we had a great time at the presentation (major AC) and we got our free Disney tickets.

Like I said, I can't wait to take the kids to Sea World! It was the highlight of my last trip to Orlando. So, let's see how much the tickets are for that. I head over to the official Sea World site. For all 4 of us it is $231.80! WOOHOO, great price..AND, with a 7 day advance purchase we can get a free day. So, we get 4 2-day passes for $231.80. I love it and so will the kids. We can also upgrade for a couple of hundred dollars more and get Park Hopper passes that will also get us into Wet N Wild and Universal Studios. I'll check their prices. I loved Wet N Wild and Universal bored me. It's only fair to find out though how much it would be. So, Wet N Wild will cost us $157.42 for the day for all 4 of us. Still sounds like fun and I spend that much to take the kids to Water Country up in New Hampshire. The good news is that you can very often find coupon and promo codes online prior to going and you can get the tickets for around $30 each! So, it could be as low as $120 for the day.

So, how are we going to get around while in Orlando? The obvious answer is rental car. But, you could probably skip that and either walk or take a taxi (shameless plug) while down there. It depends how far your hotel is from major attractions. We rented a car while down there the last time and I don't think we put 70 miles on it in 7 days. Such a waste at $50 a day and it was ugly neon green. I checked out the taxi service available and I am duly impressed. You can go to Orlando Sanford Taxi and find out all of the prices and amenities. 9 passengers can ride for the price of 1. When we were there last time we used Payless Car Rental. The price was fair and I shouldn't complain. It's live and learn. A good site to use is Rental Car Momma. This site has a list of all available discounts and coupons for rental cars. Check it out!

I recommend eating off property at any of these places. Go right after breakfast and leave before dinner. You can find many many family friendly restaurants available right on International Drive in Orlando. I think our best meal there was at Bennigan's.  Many of the chain restaurants have an inexpensive buffet which will satisfy everyone in the family or the have "Kids Eat Free." Free is always an excellent meal. One in particular jumped out at me..Gator's Dockside. Kids eat free on Tuesday nights. Great menu for everyone. I know IHOP also has a day where "Kids Eat Free." So, we've saved money on airlines, hotels, rental cars, taxis, food, and attraction tickets. OHHH, you should check this out..if you go without kids..last time I was there I saw a poster that said "Call 1-800-Roll-711." We called..it's a free gambling cruise. The bus picks you up for free and takes you down to Coco Beach for a gambling cruise..includes dinner! I lost a ton of cash but it was my own fault..lol. Children are NOT allowed. Until next time, keep textingChaCha and Happy Saving!

One of the fastest ways to watch your money become separated from you is to plan a family vacation. They love to take advantage of the one week a year we don't work and make it as costly as possible. In our infinite wisdom, my husband and I have decided to take the children to Disney World this year. I'm going to plan out my entire vacation in my blog so that you can save as much as I will save and have access to my resources also. What makes a vacation great is spending uninterrupted time with your family, what makes it even more fantastic than that is not going into debt to do it! So, as I always say, my way isn't for everyone. Some people like to contact a travel agent, give them the dates that they're looking to vacation on, and sign off with a credit card. I actually prefer to do my own planning because I know I can do this cheaper than a travel agent. I'm going to do it in two parts though (ohhhhh, a series!) because after awhile, your brain turns to mush. So today I'll cover transportation and lodging. I know our ChaCha guides write a blog for Disney also so you should most definitely check those out, too!

One of the best ways to save money on vacations is pick a time when you're are flexible on dates. I am self-employed so it's nothing for me to change my travel plans by a day or so in either direction in order to get a better rate. Do not try to go during a school vacation, it's twice as expensive and it's beyond crowded...Ok, let's get down to planning this vacation. All prices are going to be based on 2 adults and 2 demons..lol!

Transportation is the most expensive part of any trip. I have my choice of plane, train, bus or automobile. Ok, we're not even going to attempt automobiles. One of my deep, dark secrets is that though I own 6 taxi companies, I get violently car sick after half an hour. How's that for your daily dose of irony?

Greyhound:  For all 4 tickets round trip it is $632 and that is with a 7 day advance purchase. Not a horrifying price but the length of travel time is 1 Day, 7 Hours & 5 Minutes. I'm thinking that being trapped on a bus with 2 small kids for that length of time would make me wish I were dead.

Amtrak:  Ok, with the exact same info as used above, I got a price of $843! Now, to me, that's kind of steep. It does offer more amenities than the bus. Travel time is 1 Day, 3 Hours, 40 Minutes. It offers a dining car and more space than the bus but again, I think we can definitely do better for our money.

Skybus:  I absolutely LOVE this site. It has limited routes and I happen to live near one of them. They have fares as low as $20 per person round trip based on availability! Let's see what they can offer me. Ok, for 4 round trip tickets it will cost me $748...not bad but still...I know I can do better. They're definitely on my list of possibilities though. Total travel time: 2 Hours, 21 Minutes. That alone is worth the money!

SpiritAir: The ultimate in deals. Every so often they will offer fares for a nickel per person. I once bought us 4 tickets to go to Myrtle Beach for a needed weekend getaway for less than $40! And they don't disappoint! WOW..$664 for 4 round trip tickets from Boston to Orlando. Can't beat that..and, I found an online coupon for a free upgrade to their version of first class. We have a winner! It may not be the "best" price but it's the most practical. I spend $20 more but arrive 24 hours earlier. Yep, a definite plus.

On to hotels. Now, I'm not picky about a hotel. It has to be clean and since it's Florida, must have a pool. I don't care too much about amenities here because on vacation you'll spend relatively little time in your hotel room.

Radisson Worldgate Resort and Convention Center: It's a 4 star hotel. It has 2 swimming pools (YAY!), a refrigerator in my room, FREE shuttle service to Disney (which is only 11 blocks away), Starbucks in the lobby and a fitness center. All of this for $65 per night! WOW..not bad at all. I wonder if I'll find something comparable at a better price.

Country Inns & Suites:  Nice. They offer free breakfast as an amenity. They have a pool and a gift store. Nothing about free shuttle service though. The rate is $83.66 per night. Not so great, although the free breakfast is kind of a hook. Where else can you get breakfast for 4 people for $19? That's the price difference between here and the Radisson. I'm not convinced though.

Mike Ditka Runaway Beach Club Resort:  This is a different twist on a hotel stay. You can get a 1 bedroom suite with a full kitchen for $99 per night. Now, that may seem high, but ultimately, it will save you a ton of money. I'm no stranger to cooking. I have picky kids and eating in restaurants isn't that much fun. I'd rather grab a box of Eggo Waffles and a dozen eggs for breakfast than to go sit in a restaurant with the kids. Dinners could be done much more cheaply also. The amenities are incredible. Free shuttle, pool, fitness center (like I need to care about THAT), a sun deck overlooking a man made lagoon. How incredible does that sound? I think that's what I'm going to choose. I get free transportation, a DVD player in our room (great for small kids), a lagoon, a full kitchen, all for $99/night.

Knights Inn Escape: This truly fits the bill for frugal! It has a free continental breakfast, free shuttle, mini-fridge and they offer mini-suites for additional fee. The price blows me away..literally! Off-season is $32.95/day and regular season is $39.95/day. This may actually be the best deal out there. They offer a weekly rate of $199. I can't stay in my own house for $199/week. My mortgage is triple that every week. So, what I'd save at the Runaway Hotel with a full kitchen, I'd probably save just as much, if not more, at this hotel. Now I'm on the fence. I'm seriously going to have to sit down and figure out what I would spend on meals and see what my savings would be.

Ok, that's enough for today. I'll let you know what I've decided on my hotel in my next post..which won't be far behind this one. Must keep your interest! I'm off to the casino tomorrow, with enough luck, I can buy Disney! Until then...Happy Saving.

Welcome back, my Frugal Friends! Have you been doing the right thing and saving money? I've been trying oh so hard to pinch my pennies. Every penny I save can go right into the piggybank. I did a little bit of online scouring and found a bunch of free samples to share with you.

Let's start with a free Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention Kit. Just sign up and they'll send you valuable info. You can never be too careful and a heart attack can strike even the healthiest of people. Warning signs are different for everyone, so read up about it!

In the Health and Beauty section I came across a free sample of Eucerin Calming Cream . I am a huge fan of Eucerin products. I live in the Northeast and we have very dry weather. The Eucerin keeps my skin from cracking. What else, what else? Remember I said that I haven't had to buy shampoo or deodorant or toothpaste for a  year? Well, here's why. Stop in here to get your free sample of Head and Shoulders Shampoo and Conditioner. I love their new scent. If you don't have dandruff (does anyone ever admit that?) then you can sign up here for the Dove Hair Care sample. I never got into that whole "Beckham fever" that took over when they moved here to the US. I do, however, love free perfume samples. I put them near the heat vents in my car and voila, free air fresheners. So, I signed up to try intimately Beckham. I also stopped in at House of Gosh for some more free perfume samples. Gotta love those freebies.



As always, food. My favorite. I found a free sample of Meyenberg Goat Milk. I am not lactose intolerant so I haven't ordered this. It looks pretty straight-forward though. Besides, it's healthy. Not exactly up MY alley. I also found a free sample of South Beach Granola Clusters from Wal-Mart. I also found a free sample of NutraSweet. Not for me, I'm a sugarholic, as if you didn't know.

I love cookbooks. I kind of collect them and they're sort of a running joke around  here. Whenever I need a recipe I go right online..lol. I just cruise right by the shelves that are stuffed with cookbooks. I found the Gooseberry Patch Raisin and Dried Fruit cookbook. For free. Super-Savings! I also found a free downloadable eCookbook from Nancy's Kitchen here online. For you healthy people, a free downloadable cookbook from Vitalita chock full of vegan dishes and desserts.


I have savings and coupons and freebies for every member of our household today. Even our loyal fur friends. Let Fluffy try a sample of Dine With Your Canine. You can also sign up here to get a free sample of Flint River Ranch Pet Food. There's also a free sample of 
Cyberdog food available! If Fido's been a good doggy (aren't they always?), then he deserves a treat! Let him try a free sample of Yappy Treats. Go Fido, Go Fido, Go, Go, Go! Let's face it, our pets are like children to us, so we want to make sure that they too are getting the best that they can get. Of course, if we can get it discounted, even better. Fido's worth full price but why pay it if you don't have too?

OH, here's something to add to your free services list. If you have a question that you need answered and don't have the time to find your own answer, grab your cell phone and text 242242. That will bring  you to a live textChaCha Guide who will answer your questions FREE OF CHARGE..um, hellllooooo...free. The free trial period is for a limited time but enjoy it! I am having a blast with it! Until next time..Happy Saving!

I spent all day thinking about this. How to live the "simple" life. There's nothing wrong with the simple life. We all get so caught up in being able to afford the most expensive toys that we forget to enjoy the toys. By the time we remember, it's too late. I came up with some tips to share on how to simplify our lives and save some money in the meantime. I always said my husband should have been an adult in the 1950s. He's so old fashioned. Doesn't think his wife should work, women shouldn't swear, and I should never contemplate getting a tattoo. I guess my point to that statement is that he thinks that back then, life was much more simple. I agree with him.

Remember when I said I needed to cut out the premium channels in my cable package to save some money? I thought about this all day and realized that I need to cancel my cable package altogether. Just call up and tell them "No, thank you." I'm going to invest in some board games for me and the kids. Too many Americans spend too much time in front of the tv. I rarely watch television and the kids could do without it. Just say goodbye to it and don't look back. Don't panic, you'll still have basic cable if you have a cable ready tv, but you won't have to go crazy with a $190 a month bill for channels you never watch. Invest in a VCR or DVD player and sign up for Netflix. I was spending $2.99 to rent movies from Comcast's On Demand service. At Netflix, movies are $1 each and they deliver them to your home with no shipping charges. That's a 200% savings right there.

Which brings me to family vacations. The last family vacation I went on is a blur. 3 or 4 days in Maine which was such a nightmare I think my subconscious has blocked out, to spare me more pain. The kids were 2 and 3, Maine broke a record that week for rainfall, and we stayed in our log cabin (pictured) in a town in the middle of nowhere. The closest hospital was 60 miles away. I'm from just north of Boston..NOTHING is 60 miles away. Buying that log cabin was not one of my smarter purchases. Either way, sometimes we don't truly "see" what is right in front of us. I was born in the first city in the United States to use water power. Lived here all of my life. Last year was the first time I ever took one of the free tours they offer. We took a boat down the Merrimack River, walked around inside of mills that are hundreds of years old, rode the trolley, and truly experienced history. The tours are offered by the National Park Service and are free of charge! Sometimes we don't see the beauty and history that's right under our noses. Check with the Travel and Tourism department in your state and see what hidden gems it has to offer. I just read that in Dillsburg, PA on New Year's Eve, instead of dropping a ball, they drop a huge dill pickle. I'd drive to see that. I don't need a plane ticket or a rental car or a limo to the airport if I'm staying in relatively close proximity to my home. All I need is my car and a hotel room. Huge savings. We all dream of these really exotic vacations..we daydream about Paris and Italy and Rome and Switzerland and the Caribbean and Aruba. What we don't daydream about is Mass and NH and ME and VT and NY. Which is a shame..because there's just so much here to see and do.

Family entertainment is no longer cheap..unless you're doing it right! I am a huge Red Sox fan (don't hate me, now). To take my small family of 4 to a game it would cost me about $300 between tickets, parking, food and souvenirs. Instead, look for things to do with your kids that are free or discounted. Boston Children's Museum is just an amazing place to take your kids. The regular price is $10 for adults and $8 for kids. It would cost me $36 for admission for us to take the kids there. On Friday nights I found out that it is $1 admission for everyone after 5pm. Now, we go on Friday nights. Nothing is different, you don't miss out on things because it's Friday night, you just save a lot of money. On Thursdays at the local library they have story hour. The kids love it and it's free. We have a Quilt Museum that has shows and exhibits and it is all free of charge. You just need to do a little bit of research on what you have near to you that you'd enjoy exploring. How about some bowling? I signed up with Brunswick Bowling for their newsletter and they send me some great coupons. Free bowling for an hour, highly discounted lane rates, etc. It's so funny to watch my kids learning to bowl. Don't forget library hour, either. Every Thursday at noon our local library has story time and cookie time. The kids all gather around while someone reads them a story and then they socialize and have cookies and punch. It's free. Doesn't cost anything and it's so great to see your kids interacting with other kids. Instead of an expensive meal at a restaurant with your kids, how about planning a picnic? My kids adore that. We have a lot of fun packing our picnic basket with foods we all love and finding a great spot to sit and eat. Sometimes, it's as simple as sitting on the big rock in our backyard. We lay our blanket out, unwrap our food and have a fun lunch. We don't disturb other patrons (a big no-no) and they learn how to help make their own lunch. Doing fun things doesn't have to cost anything. You can take half a loaf of bread (cost of about .50 cents) and go to your local pond or lake and feed the ducks. Saving money isn't about sitting in your home with the lights and heat off while you remember the "good ole days" of when you spent a quarter on a bag of chips. Being frugal just means being aware of where your money is going and how well you are spending it!

One quick tip on how to save on your electricity bill is laundry. Probably the chore I dread the most. I do love the smell of clothes that were hung out to dry. When we moved into our new house a couple of years ago, our "old" washer and dryer didn't have the newly required 5 prong plug. Instead of having my brother put a new plug on, my husband surprised me (Oh yes, yes he did) with a new front loading washer and dryer. I want to get as much mileage out of this as I can since he doesn't shop on sale and I almost fainted when I saw the price. So, during the spring and summer months I hang most of our clothes out to dry on a clothesline. Some of my best memories are helping my Nana hang out her clothes on the line with the basket and the clothespins. No one in my neighborhood hangs their clothes out..lol. I always make a remark like "Oh look honey, it's that nice young Boure couple hanging out their clothes. How passe." I save money on my electricity bill, it doesn't heat up my house in the summer making the a/c work harder and I'll get more life out of my dryer.

Thanks for all of the support and great comments you all leave! They are truly appreciated. Until next time....Happy Saving!

Happy 2008 to all of my Frugal Living followers. As I sit back and reflect upon my life this year, I find myself pondering how to simplify my life...not even so much for money, though it doesn't hurt, but for peace of mind. I find that I work and work and work so I can earn and earn and earn...but why? So I can have THE prettiest funeral because I didn't stop to enjoy what I'd earned? Well, anyone who knows me knows that I am a person who is determined to enjoy my life to the fullest. Oh, there will be the regrets one day of "I wish I had...or I really SHOULD have.." but well, that's because I'm a coward and as much as I want to try sky diving, I want to try crashing even less. I was thinking of ways to simplify my life and in the course of doing that, how could I save money? Here is what I came up with...

Cable television. I have one of those bundle packages where I get the phone,  internet and cable tv for one price. That price was SUPPOSED to be $99 a month for life. Typically, it was $99 for about 3 minutes and then it jumped to around $197.00 a month. I mean, come on, I'm paying that much for tv? So, I took out the bill and started to go through it. I was furious. They're charging me over $25 a month just for "rental" fees of their boxes. Oh, I don't THINK so. So, I pack up the 2 boxes we had and the 2 remotes and return them. Then I start looking at the "premium" services I'm paying for. I'm paying for movie channels that not only do I not watch, I don't even know who signed up for them. I rarely have time to watch a movie and if I have that much free time, I prefer to read a good book. So, cancel all of these lame channels that no one ever watches (except for Nickelodeon and Playhouse Disney, can't have a mutiny), and all of a sudden my bill is almost $90 a month cheaper. Basic cable costs pretty much nothing. Invest in a DVD recorder or even a VCR at Wal-Mart for around $25, and you've got a really decent yearly savings. Close to $1000 a year.

It's no secret that gas prices are astronomical. If you live in an area that has public transportation, invest in a monthly bus pass. I found out that for my personal car I was spending around $500 a month for gas. That's just ridiculous considering that I don't go far. I called the local MBTA and found out that a bus pass is $34 a month and there's no charge for kids under 5. So, if I bought 2 bus passes for me and the 2 kids, it's $68 a month for transportation costs. The kids get to ride the bus (a treat for them) and I am saving not only the wear and tear on my car, but $432 a month on gas. So, I figured that the savings for the year is $5184. That's a decent chunk of change to put in your piggy bank for a rainy day. If you don't live in an area that has reliable (that's very important when you have small kids) public transportation, how about buying some bicycles? Not only is it great exercise but it's a great way to spend some time with your family.

Have you heard about Freecycle.org? Freecycle is a group in your community that is dedicated to keeping unnecessary trash out of our landfills. We offer items that are in perfectly good condition, at no charge, so that we can also help our environment. Freecycle is a great way to save money. I have given away all of my kids' baby clothes, toys, computers, etc. In return, I have also gotten a television, some dress up clothes for my little girl and a laptop computer for my son. Freecycle is such a great organization where I live. You can save hundreds of dollars on items you'd buy just by posting a note to your local group that you are looking for something. When my Dad passed away unexpectedly we were left with so much of his stuff. We gave away his 2 wheelchairs, crutches, clothing with tags, etc. We saved someone a LOT of money...and that's what it's all about.

There is nothing I like more (other than chocolate) on a breezy summer morning than to get up, grab the newspaper, and see where the yard sales are. You can find some of the coolest stuff at yard sales for pennies. Some people don't like "used" items but I don't care. If I can clean it up and get some use out of it and save some money, then it's been a successful day. I can pay $25 for a new book at a large chain store or I can get up at 7am on a Sunday morning, armed with a purse full of dollar bills, and buy tons of books for a quarter a piece. I can also buy pictures for the walls, a sugar bowl to replace the one I dropped, and still not spend $5.

Phone service. Ok, I admit, I'm a sucker for a phone with a lot of buttons. I keep changing my cell plan. At this rate, I will have to live to be 112 years old to fulfill the terms of my contract..lol. Ever since phone companies were deregulated they're offering you everything but to come over and do the dialing for you. You could check around and compare pricing plans. I changed over from one company ::coughverizoncough:: to a different company and instead of $350 a month I am paying $138 a month. Sounds high but I have a LOT of lines here. Or, compare your monthly cell bill with your monthly land line bill and see which one has the better deal. Usually it's the cell..then consider just dumping your land line altogether.

Well, if I gave you all of my tips today you wouldn't come back, I'd miss you, there'd be no reason for me to be here, and I'd be sad...so, I'm going to hold onto some more of my tips until next time. Living a simple life isn't a bad thing. It's...simple. Until next time..Happy Saving!

Happy 2008 my frugal friends!

     As the New Year approaches, why not make some changes for  you and your family that will result in saving  serious money?                                                   

     Now most people cringe when you mention living on a budget. It can be tough, it takes discipline and you have to be willing to commit to the change. But there are some simple money saving techniques that you can use and still enjoy your life. You can save money, be thrifty and still have fun! You don’t have to give up on restaurants and eating out. You don’t have to give up on movies, travel, fun and other forms of entertainment. You just have to do it the right way, you can eat cheap, travel cheap and most of all still enjoy your life! Now then… let’s save some CASH!         

 

Coupon Offers

 

Your biggest resource is at your very fingertips, your computer. The internet has made it possible to research 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Whether or not you like to shop, you still have to, so get the best discounts before you do.

 

If you shop online, make sure you have a coupon code to enter at the end of your order  for a discount and check for  FREE shipping codes.

Never pay for shipping unless you absolutely have to. If you have to buy a minimum amount it pays for you to do so, rather than pay for shipping.

 

These are a few websites for coupon codes.

Simply look up the name of the store to see all current discount offers.

www.couponmountain.com

www.couponheaven.com                                     

www.keycode.com

 

     If you shop in a store make sure you have a printed coupon that you either got in the mail, or printed from the store’s website or the links above. Think of the stores that you regularly visit. Sign up on their websites with your email address. You will get advanced notice of sales, and exclusive money saving coupons that do not go out to the public.

Hello lets face it, living cheap these days are a thing of the past, as we all know most Americans use coupons when grocery shopping to cut down on price, for this post we don't need to think about them. I will have many more posts for retail shopping and mass merchants so watch for those! We will also look at buying non food items for clearance and selling for profit in another post.This is my fist post to my blog so i apologize if it seems a bit rough. Something that will come in handy now that you are a reader of my blog is an extra freezer.You can check for a local Internet trading-selling group for a free or cheap freezer, old or new any kind will work, throw it in the garage or basement and get ready to fill it up. You will have a lot of groceries to store up when we are done! If this is not your ideal way to save on groceries come back for more ways in the future. 



    Today we are going on a journey to the supermarket in search of the elusive clearance and discontinued items! Some of these products are close to being expired but when you go home and put some meat in the freezer its usually expired by date anyways by the time you get to it! As long as it is frozen the day you buy it it will be just fine. The grocery cannot sell food that is not fit for human consumption, so if its still on the shelf consider it good. First what we need to do is make a general shopping list so you don't go overboard and buy a lot of what you don't need. Choose general categories such as snacks,breads,meats etc.. Keep in mind what your family will eat. Now lets step into your local grocery store and have a look around. The key here is to look, a good place to start is in the produce department. Here you have to keep and eye out for managers specials or similar tags. These products are usually marked with a bright tag and easy to spot once you look around a bit. They tend to be in the end of cases or displays. A few weeks ago I snagged up some dehydrated fruits in a small round deli style container in produce. Original price was $5.99 they were marked down to $0.25 a container, so you see that was a significant price drop. I bought a lot of them for my toddler to enjoy and that he did! You can also find a lot of nice snack like pre-cut fruits on clearance and bagged salad mix. With produce you cant usually freeze them but if you know your family will eat the fruit by its expiry date go ahead and grab some up! The possibilities are endless and that is just one department to look in.

 Moving on to meat department. Once again look at the ends of the cases for the managers special tags. Here is where you can really stock up and save and freeze the products you buy. You can find roasts and steaks for about %50-%70 off the original prices. A few weeks ago I got two new york strips original price was $9.00 per steak my price was around $4 each. I took them home and froze them immediately and thawed them when ready and oh were they yummy! You can usually find a good selection of meats that are not expired by any means yet very cheap. Now something i don't recommend is buying fish products that are on managers specials. If you smell the package and it smells of fish don't buy it. You want to pick fish that has little or no smell. I have found a few items that were acceptable but not many.

Now lets journey to the deli department. In the deli I would stay away from lunch meats as they tent to go bad very fast anyways but there is a lot there that you can still buy cheap! Look around for pre-packaged potato salads and deli style side's. They are usually good but use them within a few days of buying them and don't stock up to much on these items as they aren't usually freezable. You can also find fresh baked breads and rolls on clearance if you look around. Breads are freezable so stock up if you can. Also look for cookies and cakes, those are great because you can freeze them or if you need some snacks for a function buy them up and save a lot. Another great time to look is after Christmas or other holidays where themed holiday foods are being sold. After the holiday is over all the products go on sale very cheap.

Now some stores have a certain isle  or table for general clearance items like bagged snacks and wine's and candy. These areas also can have some hidden jewels for mom. You can find makeup or hair products, deodorant or some vitamins.

Baby isle is always a must check place. I have found diapers on clearance and also wipes but most important is baby foods. Some stores will stop carrying certain flavors and brands of baby foods so they put them on sale for very cheap to get rid of extra stock. A few weeks ago i found some berger graduates diced green beans for $0.13 a jar orig was nearly $0.50 a jar. So you know i cleared it out I looked at the expiry date and calculated how many jars i thought he would eat in a week and went by that. Then i looked up above that on top shelf and they had Oral B toddler tooth brushes with training toothpaste for $1.00 each they were pushing $6.00.

So as you see this is just a start to the world of pinching pennies to the maximum. Using these ideas will not only allow you and your family to save money you are able to eat more,spend less, have more money for bills and have name brand food instead of bland generics. In the end you can really save on food items and not even have to touch a coupon. Just set a trip twice a month to search for clearance foods, stock up and enjoy! Everyones local grocery will be different, but if you look you are bound to find some real hidden treasures! I hope you enjoyed my first post to my blog, now get out to the store for some AFTER holiday food shopping, grab up that %50 off pumpkin pie or some holiday cookies after all everyone likes some festive holiday foods for new years!

Thank you for reading and I hope you come back and learn even more of my methods for living cheap and happy!

We just bought around 5 products and already saved $50.93!!!!

First and foremost, let me wish you all a beautiful and merry Christmas!  I hope you've enjoyed time spent with your friends, family, and/or loved ones.  As for us, we had a grand evening and I look forward to gorging myself tomorrow on all the fabulous food!  Not to mention the leftovers - free food for nearly a week or more!  (*^_^*)

Get a head start on Christmas 2008 and save money on next year's expenses!  Every year I go shopping every few days or once per week at least, right after Christmas.  This is the best time to buy Christmas decorations, cards, and even gifts.

Christmas decorations usually start off at 25% off and gradually work their way to up to 90% off in some stores.  Some of my favorite finds are at drug stores, Like Walgreens and CVS.  Since these stores don't typically sell a high volume of seasonal items (compared to places such as Target or Wal-Mart), they have to give an even deeper discount to attempt to rid themselves of the extra stock.  I've snagged outdoor icicle lights for 50 cents per strand.  I've purchased an entire kitchen set including plates, cups, tablecloth, and accessories for under $10

Most places don't mark down typical greeting cards (like Hallmark cards purchased individually), but you can find good deals on the big boxed sets after the holidays.  Again, some of the best places to find these deals are the smaller type shops mentioned above.  I've easily bought hundreds of Christmas greeting cards for as cheap as 25 cents per box.

Last but certainly not least, you can get huge discounts on nearly any kind of gift set.  Keep in mind - the items in these gifts sets may be things that you could use around your home, or things you can put up for birthday gifts throughout the year.  For example, Wal-Mart always has several gift baskets and sets for sale during the holidays - baskets of toiletries, sets of hot sauces, cocoa and coffee lovers gift boxes, and so on.  Since these items are marketed more for the Christmas crowd, they are usually included in the big Christmas discounts, too.  I love buying these items and stashing them away - sometimes for gifts throughout the year and other times I will put them up for next Christmas!

I normally don't go until a few days after Christmas.  I may be frugal, but I don't like the huge shopping crowds you have to deal with in order to get first picks on the merchandise.  I usually wait a few days, then try to go back a few days later, etc.  I hate to pay 50% for something, only to see it drop down to 75% off a few days later.

Get out there & snag those deals!  I'm rooting for you!  (*^_^*)

     Well, the holiday season is winding down...so, instead of some online deals today, how about some tips on how we save money here in my household? There's nothing better than having decent things AND money left over after buying it.

     I am a carb hound. I love carbs and don't even understand how people can actually cut breads out of their diet. I could live on a loaf of bread and a stick of real butter for 3 meals a day if I had to do so. I love bread from the bakery at my local grocery store. I do not like to pay full price for it though. They bake it on Sunday night and put it out fresh on Monday morning for $3.50 a loaf. So, I wait until Tuesday and I buy it as "day old" and they take 50% off. They also do this with birthday cakes that weren't picked up and other pastries. I figure, I was going to make pasta on Wednesday and make French garlic bread. So, isn't it "day old" on Wednesday even if I bought it fresh (at full price) on Monday?


     I was reading one of the other Frugal Living Blogs..they all write such excellent articles. One that really caught my attention was the one about serving leftovers! She had some totally great ideas for that. My way here though is that I don't make enough to HAVE leftovers. If you can't package it up pretty in this house to serve it again, I guarantee no one is going to eat it a second time. When you're shopping, buy just enough for each meal. If you cook using recipes, figure out serving size and buy your packages of meats and vegetables accordingly. You may end up with one extra piece of chicken but ultimately someone will eat that during the meal and you won't have leftovers.

     One thing I do like to do though, is when I grocery shop, I buy a lot of "store brand" items.  Store brand is nothing more than the same as a "premium" product but at a lower price. There are only 2 items I flat out refuse to purchase the store brand and one of them is mayonnaise . I was raised on Cain's All Natural and I will  never again try store brand. Ick.  I also buy packages of meats that are much bigger than I'd need and when I get  home, break the packages down to smaller packages and freeze them that way. I will buy a whole cut up chicken and then separate it into freezer bags with the right amount of meat for a meal. In my grocery store you can buy "previously frozen" hamburger. Nothing personal but since I'm going to take it home frozen, stuff it in the freezer, shouldn't I be GLAD it's been previously frozen? I can usually get around 4 pounds of hamburger for around $5. That can last for a whole lot of meals in this house. Shopping store brand is really smart. I remember my Nana sitting on her porch doing piece work for a very large jeans manufacturer. They had sent her 500 pairs of jeans and 500 labels. One batch of the labels was to a major jeans company and the other was to a much lesser known jeans brand. Notice I said brand and not "company?" There's a reason for that...it was the same company! Ever since that day I haven't been skeeved out by store brand. Well, except that mayo thing. Some things you just can't compromise.

     To save money on your electric bill you need to turn out the lights in the room that you aren't using. Buy a small night light if the kids need a light on at night (this is the voice of experience!) and don't leave their closet light on, which will save you about $75 a month. Just trust me on this one. You don't really need the bathroom light on at 3 o'clock in the morning. Keep a small battery powered flashlight
on your headboard. It sounds stupid, but it works. I was getting electricity bills of almost $350 a month. I was not impressed with this. When I was single, my light bill was always around $40 a month. Imagine the shock I went into the first time I saw triple digits. So, we started turning off the lights in rooms not in use, turning off the extra televisions upstairs that no one was watching and keeping the air conditioning a little lower. My light bill is now back down to around $180 a month. I figure for 4 people and 6 taxi companies working out of here, it's not bad at all.
     As I've mentioned, I have 2 small kids, and with that brings video game consoles. They fight over everything (one boy, one girl) so we tend to double up on everything in order to avoid Ninja Baby Toddler Wars. So, instead of buying 2 of the same new  video games I hit GameStop and buy the games used. Instead of paying $40 or $50 per game, I buy them used and spend around $10-$20 a piece. They have a great selection this week with their weekly deals. You should check them out..I still need 2 stocking stuffers, so I guess this was a good reminder.

     Well, I'll be out for the next couple of days doing that whole holiday thing with my husband and Bonnie and Clyde..lol...So, keep the comments coming, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Chanukkah and anything else you may celebrate. If you don't celebrate, happy day off. Until next time, Happy Saving!

     Ok, so the title isn't very unique..but it's true. I never did the coupon thing. I found that I was buying more stuff at the store or online than I would typically because now I had a coupon. I'm sure you recall an earlier post about me finding out that shopping online is so much FUN..and I have found that I save a decent chunk of change because these retailers want me to buy online, so they offer us discounts.

     I have this "thing" about household items. I tend to over shop and buy everything that I want. I'm a total impulse shopper and I work hard to curb it. I wanted new bedspreads last month and went shopping. I hit Kohl's and Wal-Mart and didn't find what I really wanted. So, I happen to open up my email that day (like I don't check it 500 times a day) and there was an ad for 40% off. Hmmm, 40% off of WHAT, may I ask? So, I open it. I have found my new home away from home. You have simply GOT to check this site out. It's called Brylane Home  and they are always offering a coupon. Right now they have FREE (ding ding ding) FREE Express Shipping, 25%-60% off of regularly priced items, and the quality is really decent. I bought a new bedspread that is usually $89 and with the coupons and sales, I got it for $14.99 with FREE shipping. This is something that you just don't want to miss. They have bedding, kitchen items, and lots of really neat things. I've now placed 5 orders with them and they send me their catalogs and even MORE coupons!

     Lots of people don't know what to get their tweens or teens. Most of that generation owns an iPod of some type. When I made my first pay at ChaCha.com the first thing I bought myself was a video iPod. Oh, don't panic, I certainly didn't pay full price. I hit the Apple Store  and checked out their certified and refurbished section. I got my iPod, that is regularly $399 (at the time) for $173.99 plus free shipping! Right now they're running a sale on selected iPods with $100 off. Some people are leery about pre-owned. Let me tell YOU, it was like brand new. It's now over 1 year old, and runs like I paid full price. Then I needed accessories. Of course, right? Well, I found this great site that sells iPod accessories and they're always running an online sale with a coupon. I signed up for their email and they sent me a sweet pink skin for my video iPod...for free. Right now they're offering 40% off of every single item in stock. So, I totally recommend you hit the iFrogz store! Great gift ideas for people that own an iPod. Matter of fact, I think I could use a new skin for mine.

     There are so many people that I never know what to buy for them. They have "everything" or they want "nothing." I found this deal and thought I'd pass it along. It's a wine club. You buy 6 bottles at $4.99/each and you get 6 bottles free. You DO have to pay for shipping (usually a no-no in my book) but with your order they are offering a free Vintner's Reserve Opener with Table Stand (value $135!!), free tasting notes and binder. You MUST remember to cancel after your first order though or they will continue to send you a case of wine every 3 months. So, for around $70 you get a case of wine and a $135 free gift. Head on over to 4 Seasons to take advantage of this offer. If holidays are particularly painful with your in-laws, get them wine. You may have to spend time with them, but you'll be too drunk to care.

     I already posted about Restaurant.com but I wanted to update! They're now offering $25 gift certificates to local restaurants for $4 each! Can't beat that with a stick. Take advantage while you can. 

      I love to buy clothes. I have zero taste but I love to buy them anyhow. I usually look like the Partridge Family bus threw up on me, but I love bright colors. Come On, Get Happy! So, I found this online close-out catalog. Right now they're offering a 25% off coupon, free upgrade to express shipping, and fantabulous prices. Women's Apparel prices start at $1.99! So, check out CCO for some great money saving clothing. Uh, you may not want to tell them I sent you, I'm not exactly the poster child for "well put together" clothing!

     Do you like to give flowers? I do. Especially in the cold and dreary weather. There's nothing more spirit lifting than someone knocking on your door and saying "These are for you" and they're just gorgeous flowers. They brighten my day just to see them...I wish my husband would read this blog...I digress. Florist.com has an online coupon for 15 stunning tulips, with FREE vase, that are usually $45.99. Even at $45.99 I'd buy them. They're so pretty. Oh, their sale price? Hurry over there now and get everything for $19.99. You save more than 50%. Don't they just LOOK cheery? They also have a dozen red and white roses, free vase (do you say vAse or vahz? I'm a vAs person) and Godiva chocolates for $29.99, marked down from $48.99. Did I mention that I wish my husband read my blog?

 

     Well, those are my deals of the day. If I gave them all to you today you wouldn't have a reason to head back over here to visit me, now would you? I hope that these offers come in handy for some of you. Quite honestly, I've purchased from every single one of these retailers (except for wine) and been quite satisfied. I love all of your comments. I saw that the AOL Penny Pinching Board weighed in! Nice to see you here. Come more often. To answer the question in my comments about the photographer and videographer. NEVER skimp on the videographer. Pay full price. Pay double. Whatever it takes. Did I get those pre-wedding candids and photos? Alas, I did not. My way isn't for everyone. Now that I've been married almost 7 years (and he doesn't read my blog?), I find that the memories in my head are more important to me than any material thing I can reach out and touch. Maybe I will post some of my own wedding photos at a later time...My advice for the day? Don't be skimpy, be savvy! Until next time...Happy Saving! 

Five Simple Techniques to Get your Family to Eat Leftovers and Actually Like Them!

The antithesis of frugal living is throwing away food.  As we're striving to save money, such waste is practically painful.  Also, we've all heard the merits of "cook once, eat twice," and we all know the savings in time and money that come with buying and cooking in larger portions.  But honestly, whose family wants to see an encore of last night's fare?  Unless it'