Reusable Gifts Bags Might Be a Frugal Choice

One of the newest products in green living are reusable gift bags.  These bags are durable and as you can see from the picture, they are attractive as well.

There are some pros and cons of reusable bags to consider.

Pros: 

1. The gift bags are reusable.
2. They come in many attractive designs and colors.
3. You could use them for other purposes such as a tote bag or lunch bag.

Cons or things to consider:

1. You can also reuse paper gift bags that others give to you and wouldn’t need to buy any.
2. Since these bags are new on the market, you probably won’t find them on clearance.  You can find regular paper gift bags on clearance.
3. Would you hang on to the bag and use it again and again, or would it just become more useless clutter?

I’m not saying that these reusable bags are the wrong choice.  I actually like the idea.  The thing is, I have a whole under-the-bed box full of other paper gift bags so it’s unlikely that I’ll be buying any of the reusable bags soon.  Also, at $2.99 each, I probably wouldn’t purchase them.  Some people may pay $3-5 for a gift bag, but that’s not my kind of thing.  I’m sure there are other places to purchase the bags for a more affordable price.  Who knows, may the Dollar Tree will start carrying them soon.

What are your thoughts on the reusable gift bags?

image (c) Karen Weideman

Money Saving Tip: Build a Stockpile

One of the most effective ways I have found to cut our budget is through saving money on our grocery budget.  One of the techniques I use is building a stockpile, also known as the buy ahead principle.  What this means is that when groceries or other regularly used items are significantly cheaper than normal, I buy enough to last me a few months.  In my home, I try to never ever pay retail for anything!

For example, a few weeks ago Harris Teeter had their Colgate Total toothpaste on sale for $2.50 per tube.  It was also super double coupon week and I had $1 coupons. After coupons and the sale, I paid only $.50 per tube for Colgate toothpaste.  Also last week and this week, CVS had their Crest Pro Health toothpaste on sale for $2.99 and you got back a $2 Extra Care Buck (ECB).  I also had $.50 and $.75 coupons for the toothpaste.  After the sale, ECBs, and coupons, I paid $.25-$.50 per tube.  Did I need five tubes of toothpaste right now?  Of course I didn’t.  But I know that over the next year my family will need the toothpaste.  I also know that soon I will be filling shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse and our church is always collecting food and toiletries for the needy.  This allows me to get toothpaste for my family and others for less than the price of one tube at regular price.

As you can see in the picture above, I have over 10 bottles of laundry detergent.  I don’t plan on doing 300 loads of laundry this week, but I couldn’t resist stocking up because of the deal I found.  Some of the bottles were buy 1 get 1 free and I had coupons.  Many of the bottles cost me than $1 per bottle. 

I have heard others say before that they can’t afford to stockpile; that they only have money for the things that they need that week.  What they don’t truly realize is that when you stockpile, you can make your grocery budget go further and have more supplies on hand. 

If you still say you can’t afford to stockpile, then I suggest that you start small.  A stockpile isn’t built overnight anyway.  Allow yourself an extra $5 or $10 to try to purchase things while they’re at rock bottom prices so that you won’t have to purchase them later.  For me, an example of this would be when I purchase canned tomatoes.  I know that I’m going to need canned tomatoes.  I know that Target has the cheapest prices on them.  So, when I visit Super Target, I purchase 6-12 cans.  The amount I purchase depends on my stockpile at home.  And if you’re getting items for free or almost free (with sales and coupons) that will only allow your grocery budget to go that much further so that you can cut your grocery budget or purchase other things your family needs.

Stay tuned for more tips on stockpiling.  Do you stockpile groceries?

images (c) Karen Weideman

Money Saving Tip: Always Compare Prices

When shopping for groceries, normally you would think that store brand groceries would be a lot less expensive.  This is not always the case.  It is always important to compare prices and I’ll show you why.

 The White House brand 6-pack of applesauce is $1.76.

The Wal-Mart or Great Value brand 6-pack of applesauce is $1.92.  That’s about 8% more than a major leading brand.

Here we have some examples of yogurt.

The Dannon 32 oz container of yogurt is $1.96.

The Yoplait 32 oz container of yogurt is $2.14.

And the 32 oz container of Wal-Mart yogurt is $2.28, which more than any of the other two leading brands! 

Many people assume that the generic/store brand will be less expensive than other brands and so they automatically grab the store brand products.  As you can see here, store brands are not always cheaper.  And I have to tell you folks, these are just two examples.  I have seen many other products done this way. 

If you’re a coupon user, you can get the leading brands for even less money when you use your coupons.  I frequently receive coupons for $.50 off the large Yoplait yogurt.  You can’t get coupons for store brands, which means there’s even less savings.

Today a friend of mine posted a facebook link to this story, Wal-Mart Quietly Raises Prices.  Honestly, I had originally planned to title this article, “Watch for Rising Prices at Walmart” but decided to make this more of a money saving tip about comparing prices, no matter where you shop.  I will say though that I have done less and less grocery shopping at Wal-Mart during the past year.  It is so much cheaper for me to shop the grocery store sales for items that our family frequently uses.  I also try to stock up during triple coupon and super double coupon sales. 

Have you found store brands to be more expensive than other brands?

Our Thrifty Luau Party

My two youngest children’s birthdays are in the month of July.  For now, while they are young, we combine their parties into one.  (FYI: They are also best friends.)  It also works out to combine the parties because some family members drive a few hours to attend.  Sorry if you didn’t need to know all of that.  The information just helps to set up the story behind all of this.     

With a combined party, I try to come up with a theme that will work for both of them.  One year we did Dora and Diego. Another year we did the princess and the frog.  This year it was a luau.  The luau theme was decided because the kids wanted to have a pool party.  And who doesn’t like a pool party?

A few months back I found these nice beach themed supplies at Walmart.  The large plates, napkins, and small plates were on clearance for only $.50 per pack for a set of 20.  At Walmart I also found a box of 30+ leis on clearance for $3.

Later I found some luau straws at Walmart for about $2.50.  They had little flowers around the top.  For music, I found a two-pack of Luau cds at Walmart for $5.  Yes, Walmart was my go-to store for the party theme.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, one of the way I cut back on the party expense is to make my own cake/cupcakes.  I surf the internet looking for ideas of easy things that I can do.  I ended up making these cute beach/luau themed cupcakes using miniature Teddy Grahams, fruit rolls ups, candy, and tiny umbrellas.  I even found a $1 tear-off coupon for the Teddy Grahams at Food Lion.  You can see more pictures of the luau themed cupcakes and also some links to other luau/beach themed cakes and cupcakes.

Of course, a Luau needs to have a cookout.  As you probably know, July is the time to get cookout supplies on sale. 

Here’s approximately what I spent on this party:

• paper plates, napkins, leis, table cloths, straws - $9
• luau cds – $5
• cupcake supplies (I made two batches.) – $9
• hotdogs and buns – $10
• chili - $0 (my aunt brought this)
• potato salad – $0 (my aunt brought this)
• chips – $3 (bogo)
• veggies (carrots, cucumbers, celery) and dip (used triple coupon sale for the dip)- $4
• sodas – $3
• pasta salad – $3

All in all, I spent less than $50 on everything and fed lots of people, plus we had leftovers to eat.  By taking advantage of clearance deals, July cookout savings, making the cupcakes myself, and taking advantage of other sale promotions, I was able to give a nice party for a small fraction of what others might have paid.

How do you save money when throwing a party?

How to Save Money on Children’s Gifts

As a young child, I watched my mom use many methods to save money.  One of the things I remember her doing was buying items on sale and clearance for gifts.  Whenever she saw something on sale or clearance that someone would like, she would purchase it and put it away for that occasion. 

Yesterday was my daughter’s birthday (yes, she’s a 4th of July baby) and she turned seven.  Here’s a picture of the things I got for her. 

And, here’s what I paid:

• pink shirt with scarf reg $24.99, $4.99 (Purchased at JCPenney last week.)
• 2 animal shirts reg $14.99, $1.97 (Purchased at JCPenney last week.)
• butterfly tie-dye shirt $14.99, $4.99 (Rugged Warehouse)
• 2 Juku dolls reg $10-12 each, FREE (I won these in an online giveaway.)
• Juku clothes reg $10, $2.50 (Bought this a few months ago at Target.)
• Holly Hobbie dvd reg $10, $5.99
• hair kit $2.88, $1.44 (Purchased after Christmas during the after Christmas sale.)
• OP flip flops $5.99, $1 (Purchased these in the winter.)
• set of clothes for her stuffed dog $12.99, $3.24 (Found this at Target a few months ago.)

At regular price, these things would have cost about $130, but I only paid $28!  That’s a savings of over $100!  No, I would not dream of paying $130 on my daughter’s birthday presents, but since I shop throughout the year and pick up things on clearance, she is able to get some nice things.

Some of you may say that your child would not go for this.  For us, it’s working so far.  My kids get money from their aunts, grandparents, etc and they can use the money to buy things that they’ve been wanting.  Sometimes other people in the family will specifically ask for something to get them that they want.  My children have been very pleased with the things that I buy for them.  I know that my daughter is a girly girl.  I know anything with fur, rhinestones, etc will be a hit. 

My youngest has a birthday coming up soon.  He is athletic and he likes trucks, cars, dinosaurs, and figurines.  I also have his birthday items ready.  He is getting a soccer goal and two G.I. Joe large figurines that have sound.  There are a few other small things I have for him too.  These are things that I have purchased at 50-75% off. 

This is how I purchase my children’s birthday and Christmas items.  Buying for extended family isn’t as easy.  Many times I give the other children in the family money (which they prefer) and that’s ok too. 

How do you save money on gifts?

10 Tips for Hiring a Plumber

As a homeowner, I understand the frustration of having to call in a professional.  How much will it cost? Will it set me back financially this month?  You want the job done right without it costing you a small fortune.

Here are a few tips for hiring a plumber:

1.  Get references.  Word of mouth from friends, church members, co-workers, and family is a great place to start.  If someone likes someone, or if they don’t, you’re sure to hear about it.  Ask around.

2.  Search for reviews.  Use a free website such as servicemagic.com or a paid service such as angieslist.com.  I have also found other reviews online just by doing an internet search.

3.  Give as many details as possible about the problem.  Where is the leak?  What kind of pipes do you have?

4.  Ask if the plumber charges for travel time.  For some plumbers, their time starts when they walk in the door.  Others  may charge when they get into the car.  It’s good to know if you’ll be paying extra for their commute.

5.  Ask if the plumber will have the parts on hand.  Does the plumber keep a supplied truck or will he need to make trips to the hardware store.  Will you need to pay him for these extra trips?

6.  Is there a minimum charge?  Just like going to the doctor’s office, some contractors have a minimum rate and that includes a certain amount of time, such as 30 minutes.

7.  Inquire about insurance.  Many contractors have their own insurance which will cover them in case of injury or damage to your property.  Find out if they have insurance.

8.  Find out their credentials.  Does the person have any accreditations?  How long have they been doing this type of work?

9.  Try Craigslist.  If you’re a real cheapskate (like me) you might want to put out a “help wanted” ad on Craigslist.  Some professionals may not like this advice, but here goes . . . Unfortunately, times are rough for the self-employeed.  Put an ad on Craigslist, tell in detail what the repair issues are, filter through the responses based upon credentials, estimates, etc.  You’ll be surprised at the responses you will receive from this ad.  Some may even offer to come out and give a free estimate.  People are looking to work.

10.  Consider hiring a professional to work after hours.  Perhaps you know of someone that works for a major company.  Many times these individuals will moonlight on the weekends to make some extra cash.

Do you have any tips for hiring a plumber?

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How to Save Money on Food While Vacationing

School just ended here. It’s hot outside and I know many of you will be heading out on vacation soon.  Hotels are expensive enough, but the cost of eating out can cost you as much or more than your accomodations. 

Here are some tips for saving on food while on vacation:

1.  Eat out only once each day.  Try to pack something for the other meals.  (Some ideas are listed below.)

2.  Check the visitor’s center. Sometimes you can find half price coupons for restaurants.

3.  Give Restaurant.com a try. I have used their gift certificates in several different cities.  Browse their site for your vacation destination.  Many times you can pick up $25 gift certificates for only $3.  I post regularly on these so be sure to check out their sale info.

4.  Try to find a hotel with complementary breakfast. Many times their rates are the same as other hotels.  I have eaten as some hotels that offer bacon, eggs, sausage, cinnamon rolls, cereal, and the works.  It really saves a lot on your food bill.

5.  Consider staying in a room with a kitchenette.  If it’s too pricey, try some of the ideas below.

6.  Precook and freeze meals that can be reheated in the microwave.  Some ideas are quiche, meatloaf, spaghetti, burritos, soup, homemade macaroni and cheese, pancakes and waffles, muffins, bacon, and casseroles.  What dishes do you freeze that reheat well in the microwave?

7.  Pack an assortment of snacks and convenience foods or stop by the local store.  Granola bars, trail mix, apples, bananas, Easy mac, microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal, bagels, yogurt, cheese sticks, and precut veggies are good choices.

8.  See if the hotel has a grill that you can use.  You can cook all sorts of stuff on a grill. Some of my favorite grill sides are potatoes and cabbage.  Simply cut up the potatoes or cabbage and wrap them in tin foil with some butter and seasoning.  Yummy!

9.  Eat out for lunch.  For the most part, it is a lot less expensive to eat out at lunch than dinner. 

10.  Take a steamer, crockpot, or toaster with you.  Depending on the hotel’s rules, you might be able to make your dinner in the crock pot or steamer.  I have also heard about people using a coffee pot to cook their food. I have never tried that one before, so if you’re interested in that method, you might want to do some internet searches for information.

11.  Check the grocery store for inexpensive precooked foods.  Perhaps you could pick up a rotisserie chicken or fried chicken, some bagged salad, or potato salad. 

12.  Schedule at least one inexpensive dinner outing.  I’m thinking of something like Cici’s pizza.  If you get water, you can eat for about $5/person.

Well, I know that these tips only scratch the surface of ways to save on food while on vacation.  Tell us your tips. 

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Reader Question: CVS Extra Care Bucks

I received a question from one of our readers, Tanesha.  I was going to answer her question in the comments, but realized that many others of you probably have the same questions.

At first, I too was overwhelmed and confused by the CVS Extra Care Buck sales.  It does take some getting used to and some strategizing, so at first you may want to take it slowly.

How do the ECBs work at CVS?

CVS offers something called Extra Care Bucks, commonly known as ECBs.  Basically, you purchase the ECB sale item and then at the end of your transaction you will receive your ECBs which you can use on another transaction.  The Extra Care Bucks work like cash within the CVS store.

Example:  Last week, Colgate was $2.99. The sale stated that you would receive $2 in ECBs. Technically, that makes your cost $.99 since you got back the $2 to use in the store, but to get the ECBs you have to pay for the item out of pocket. 

Some items are free with your ECBs.

Example:  Last week, CVS had Dove shampoo or conditioner for $4.50. When you purchased the Dove product, you received $4.50 in ECBs. You had to spend the initial $4.50 but you got it back at the end of your transaction to use on a future purchase.

Can you use coupons with ECBs purchases?

Ok, she didn’t really ask this question, but I thought I’d throw it in there because it’s important.

Yes, absolutely! You can combine coupons with ECB transactions.

Example:  Dove shampoo is $4.50 and you’ll get back $4.50 in ECBs.  On your transaction, you can hand the cashier your Dove hair care product coupon for $1 off. You’ll pay $3.50 (instead of $4.50) and you’ll still get back the $4.50 in ECBs.  It’s like making money!  Isn’t that exciting?!

Isn’t there a limit to bucks like so many per card?

Yes, there is a limit on ECB specials. Last week, the limit on the Dove shampoo was 1 per CVS card. Sometimes there is a limit of 2 or 4.  The CVS ad will state the limits.  And if you’re not sure how many you’ve purchased that week, you can check the bottom of your receipt and it will state if you have fulfilled the maximum on the offer.

Do you purchase all your ECB things first?

There are a few ways to handle the ECB transactions.  I’ll tell you some options and then give you the one that I choose most often.

1.  Ring up all of your merchandise in one transaction and save your ECBs for the following week to use on more sale items.

2.  Ring up all of your merchandise in one transaction and use your ECBs on splurge items such as make-up, hair care products, cool office supplies.

3.  Split up your merchandise into separate transactions to utilize your ECBs as quickly as possible. This avoids you losing your ECBs or them expiring for you use them.  This is the method I choose but it does take some strategizing.

If you’ll notice my previous CVS posts, you’ll see that I sometimes have multiple transactions.  That’s because I’m trying to leave the store with the littlest out of pocket expense (OOP) possible while utilizing my ECBs.

Example:  Dove shampoo is $4.50 and you will get back a $4.50 ECB. Softsoap body wash is $5.50 and you will get back a $4.50 ECBs. Pampers Easy Ups are on sale for $7.99.  I would do this:

Transaction 1:
Dove shampoo $4.50, plus receive $4.50 in ECBs
use $1 manufacturer coupon
OOP = $3.50 and received $4.50 in ECBs

Transaction 2:
Softsoap body wash $5.50, plus receive $4.50 in ECBs
use $.75 manufacturer coupon
use $4.50 ECB sale from transaction 1
OOP = $.25 and received $4.50 ECBs

Transaction 3:
Pamper Easy Ups $7.99 sale
use $2 manufacturer’s coupon
use $4.50 ECB from transaction 2
OOP = $1.49

As you can see, it does take some strategizing to use method #3 but the out of pocket expense is very limited.

How do I get the most ECBs?

1.  You can get ECBs on specially marked items. You can find these items listed in the CVS flyer. Sometimes you might find some unadvertised ones in the store. If I have a few extra minutes, I’ll cruise the store looking for ECB sales and clearance items. 

2.  Scan your card at the coupon machine during each visit to CVS. You might receive special coupons or ECBs. 

3.  Get a CVS reusable bag and tag. For every 4th visit, you’ll receive $1 ECB.

If this doesn’t answer your questions, please let me know. Also, feel free to submit your questions in the comments or by using our contact button. Thanks for your questions, Tanesha!

5 Tips for Using Leftover Candy

We have a candy basket at our house. Every now and then it gets full and I have to clean it out. I find candy from Halloween, Christmas, Easter, and any other holiday inbetween.  Truthfully, I don’t buy much of the candy.  It trickles in from school, Sunday School, church activities, and it multiplies somehow. 

Here are some tips for using up your leftover candy:

1.  Use your candy to decorate cupcakes, cake, cookies, or as an ice cream topping.  This week the kids are out of school.  We made cupcakes and I let them help decorate them.  We pulled out the candy basket.  Some of the cupcakes have conversation hearts on top.  We even opened some pixie sticks and sprinkled it on like it was colored sugar.

2.  Take the candy to a group gathering.  If I want to get rid of my candy quickly, I just take it to the youth group at church.  It will be gone in one meeting.  I’ve sent some in to Sunday School classes and brought some to my small group. You could also put a bowl on your desk at work or put it in the breakroom.

3.  Give it to the needy.  Send your candy to the local food bank.  To help out, you could put it into little ziploc bags before you take it.  They could easily stick a small bag of candy into each family’s box.

4.  Put it in your cake batter or make ice cream.  Have you ever had Snickers ice cream, Milky Way ice cream, or Butterfinger ice cream? I know someone that likes to make her own ice cream and these are some of their favorites.  You can also cut up chocolate pieces and put it in to your batter.  For more information, do an internet search for recipes.

5.  Use it for shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse.  Each year, our family puts together a few shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.  I try to include a zipper baggie with a little candy inside.  I usually don’t have to purchase any candy to do this. I just search through our candy basket and I can find lollipops, gum, and other hard candy. 

What tips do you have for using leftover candy?

image (c) Karen Weideman

Tips for Comparing Price Per Unit

When shopping, it’s important to compare price per unit.  Many times it’s commonly thought that the larger the item, the better the price. That’s not necessarily true. Here are a few comparison shopping tips:

1.  Pay attention to the shelf tags in the store.  Some stores will break down the price per unit and put it beside the price of the item.

2.  Try to take a calculator with you. Even though some stores will break down the price by units, sometimes they are not equal comparisons. What I mean is that sometimes you’ll find items compared by ounces and then a similar item compared by the piece.  It can be really confusing, so taking a calculator is the best way to compare.

3.  Keep a log of the best prices you find per unit.  This doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. It can be a piece of paper that you keep folded up inside your coupon pouch.  Simply write commonly used items on the list and a target price to look for.  This way you’ll know when a good deal comes around.

4.  Be sure to factor in the coupon amount when comparing price per unit. Just today I was at Wal-Mart shopping for catfood.  Normally, it would be cheaper to purchase the 16 lb bag of cat food, but this time I had two $3 coupons.  It ended up being cheaper to purchase two small 3.5 lb bags of cat food with the $3 coupons rather than to purchase the large 16 lb bag with a $3 coupon. 

5.  Determine the need for the product.  Sometimes it is less expensive to purchase the larger item, but it’s not such a great deal if you’re not going to use the product before it goes out of date.

What tips do you have for comparing price per unit?

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