I'm the first to say that I think the costs to ship anything is downright mind boggling, in terms of how cheap it is! That we in America can mail most any standard card or letter to anywhere in the country for 41 cents and it takes 1-4 days is absolutely amazing.
What irked me very recently was a promo I got from an internet based company that designs marketing materials and offers tons and tons of their products for free. Once in a blue moon I feel like wasting time and I create and pretend to order everything I can get for free. Yesterday I racked up $50 worth of freebies...mailing labels, note pads, checks, business cards... Then I checked the shipping...$17 and it would arrive mid to late February. My point: these items are not free. Actual shipping will run about 5 bucks, so the other $12 is really what I'm paying for my stuff. 75% off is not too shabby, but it's not free, as advertised.
Always be on the lookout when taking advantage of deals...there is often something that will even everything out...for the merchant!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Free Cookie Recipe
As you can imagine, I think store bought cookies are a total ripoff! Bakery are usually ok, but homemade are best!
I took a recipe I found and then modified it with ingrediants I had in the house and used healthier (verrrry loose term in this case) ingrediants when possible. They turned out awesome (seriously) so I'm going to share my recipe now...
Peanut Butter Cookies - By The Money Saving Mama
1 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
Dash of salt
Dash of baking soda
Dash of baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in microwave. Stir in sugar and brown sugar. Then stir in peanut butter. Then stir in egg. Then stir in remaining ingredients. Roll into little balls and place on a non greased cookie pan. Take a fork and press down on the cookie ball twice, making a grid. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from pan onto a cooling rack or in my cheapo case, a sheet of wax paper.
Put a couple on a plate and hide the rest or I guarantee you will eat them...
Enjoy!
I took a recipe I found and then modified it with ingrediants I had in the house and used healthier (verrrry loose term in this case) ingrediants when possible. They turned out awesome (seriously) so I'm going to share my recipe now...
Peanut Butter Cookies - By The Money Saving Mama
1 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 cup all natural peanut butter
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
Dash of salt
Dash of baking soda
Dash of baking powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in microwave. Stir in sugar and brown sugar. Then stir in peanut butter. Then stir in egg. Then stir in remaining ingredients. Roll into little balls and place on a non greased cookie pan. Take a fork and press down on the cookie ball twice, making a grid. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from pan onto a cooling rack or in my cheapo case, a sheet of wax paper.
Put a couple on a plate and hide the rest or I guarantee you will eat them...
Enjoy!
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Check Your Services!
I wrote about this last year...call all of your service providers a couple of times a year to make sure you're getting the best bang for your buck. I know the cable company's number by heart, because they seem to be the biggest offender in this department. You can literally call the cable company every 6 months and find ways to tweak your bill...
But this gleeful post has nothing to do with cable...I've uncovered a consumer's goldmine with our phone provider. Since I last called, they offer unlimited long distance! Yesterday I had 250 minutes per month. Today I have unlimited minutes. And the best part...I'm paying less.
Oh, yeah!
But this gleeful post has nothing to do with cable...I've uncovered a consumer's goldmine with our phone provider. Since I last called, they offer unlimited long distance! Yesterday I had 250 minutes per month. Today I have unlimited minutes. And the best part...I'm paying less.
Oh, yeah!
HUH??
The title of this blog entry gets caps and two question marks because this one will just blow your mind...
We have to refinance our house. We have a balloon mortgage and at the end of a balloon mortgage you have to pay it off...so a refinance is usually the answer. I'm not thrilled about paying closing costs again, but we've had a rate of 4.625 for 5 years, so I'm not complaining!
We have enough equity in out house to not escrow for real estate taxes. This means we'll save our own money all year and pay the taxes ourselves. The alternative is we would pay 1/12 of our taxes every month to the bank, and they would send us our money back at the end of the year to pay the taxes.
The paperwork arrived to get the refinance started and the banker marked that we would escrow for taxes. I emailed the banker and advised we weren't going to escrow. She let me know that would be fine, but there would be a fee of .25% of the loan amount due from us at closing to do this.
HUH??
I've yet to receive a clear explanation as to how this is legal or ethical, but I've done checking all over the place, and this is indeed what banks are requiring when a borrower chooses not to escrow these days. I know why they are doing it...there's good money in babysitting all of our money all year, and if consumers don't let banks babysit their money, they lose.
.25%, for us, would be over $600. Now why on earth would anyone do that?
I'm dumbfounded and I'm angry about this. We work hard to maintain perfect credit, and we have more than enough equity in our house to make it worth the bank's risk to let us save for our own tax bill. If we don't pay our taxes, and the bank took our house, they would win, big time.
Hopefully I'll read about more people encountering this scam and being equally outraged. Not that misery loves company, but maybe someone else can figure out what the heck to do to put a stop to this nonsense!
We have to refinance our house. We have a balloon mortgage and at the end of a balloon mortgage you have to pay it off...so a refinance is usually the answer. I'm not thrilled about paying closing costs again, but we've had a rate of 4.625 for 5 years, so I'm not complaining!
We have enough equity in out house to not escrow for real estate taxes. This means we'll save our own money all year and pay the taxes ourselves. The alternative is we would pay 1/12 of our taxes every month to the bank, and they would send us our money back at the end of the year to pay the taxes.
The paperwork arrived to get the refinance started and the banker marked that we would escrow for taxes. I emailed the banker and advised we weren't going to escrow. She let me know that would be fine, but there would be a fee of .25% of the loan amount due from us at closing to do this.
HUH??
I've yet to receive a clear explanation as to how this is legal or ethical, but I've done checking all over the place, and this is indeed what banks are requiring when a borrower chooses not to escrow these days. I know why they are doing it...there's good money in babysitting all of our money all year, and if consumers don't let banks babysit their money, they lose.
.25%, for us, would be over $600. Now why on earth would anyone do that?
I'm dumbfounded and I'm angry about this. We work hard to maintain perfect credit, and we have more than enough equity in our house to make it worth the bank's risk to let us save for our own tax bill. If we don't pay our taxes, and the bank took our house, they would win, big time.
Hopefully I'll read about more people encountering this scam and being equally outraged. Not that misery loves company, but maybe someone else can figure out what the heck to do to put a stop to this nonsense!
Huh?
Oftentimes, I just don't get it. This year, we've made up our mind at our house to lose some weight. We're eating a lot better (which isn't cheap, I might add!). But, we're not perfect here, and like to still dabble in Subway sandwiches now and again. We stick to the "Jared Menu"...look what those sandwiches did for him! Anyway, here is how it goes:
"Hi, I would like two 6" turkey and ham sandwiches on wheat..."
You really don't care about this part, so I'll fast forward...
"I would like one bag of baked chips and a small fountain soda."
"Would you like the meal deal, which is a bigger soda?"
"No, I'll stick with the smaller soda, thanks."
"Ok, but it's cheaper to get the bigger soda, just so you know."
Huh?
Tough as it is for this thrifty gal, I stick to my guns and pay more, and get less...
Maybe someday I'll fit in the size 8 jeans again and it will all be worth it...
"Hi, I would like two 6" turkey and ham sandwiches on wheat..."
You really don't care about this part, so I'll fast forward...
"I would like one bag of baked chips and a small fountain soda."
"Would you like the meal deal, which is a bigger soda?"
"No, I'll stick with the smaller soda, thanks."
"Ok, but it's cheaper to get the bigger soda, just so you know."
Huh?
Tough as it is for this thrifty gal, I stick to my guns and pay more, and get less...
Maybe someday I'll fit in the size 8 jeans again and it will all be worth it...
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Cost Vs. Value
I have spent the better part of my working years in the real estate industry. Cost vs. value is a hot topic because people sink a lot of money into real estate, and hope to get every penny back (and more!) when they sell. Some times they do, and sometimes...
Enough with the brainy lecture! I am an avid knitter. I didn't say I am a terrific knitter, I say avid because I knit a lot. Anyway, I like creating small things that knit up fast because a project can get boring if it takes too long (my husband wonders why his wool sweater is nothing more than a front, back and a sleeve for so many months...). Recently I took on the challenge of learning to knit socks. They are small so they must be easy and quick, right? And they cost about a buck in the mega pack at Target, so they must be cheap to make, right? Nope, nope, and nope! For a beginner like me, a pair of socks will take about a week and 10 bucks of yarn to make.
This is where we get to the value part. My handmade socks are soooooooooo comfy. They are worth every penny and every hour I spent swearing over them.
Hand made items are usually no bargain to make, but the value is unspeakable, and worth the splurge!
See, I do spend some of my saved dollars sometimes!
Enough with the brainy lecture! I am an avid knitter. I didn't say I am a terrific knitter, I say avid because I knit a lot. Anyway, I like creating small things that knit up fast because a project can get boring if it takes too long (my husband wonders why his wool sweater is nothing more than a front, back and a sleeve for so many months...). Recently I took on the challenge of learning to knit socks. They are small so they must be easy and quick, right? And they cost about a buck in the mega pack at Target, so they must be cheap to make, right? Nope, nope, and nope! For a beginner like me, a pair of socks will take about a week and 10 bucks of yarn to make.
This is where we get to the value part. My handmade socks are soooooooooo comfy. They are worth every penny and every hour I spent swearing over them.
Hand made items are usually no bargain to make, but the value is unspeakable, and worth the splurge!
See, I do spend some of my saved dollars sometimes!
Saving Money Takes A Lot Of Work!
I'm a little worried that I am losing my money saving mama fire. More than once this week I've weighed out the value of my time when deciding if a money saving avenue is worth pursuing...I never dreamed I would become this person! But alas, I eventually come back to my saving sense (or maybe it's my cheap-o mentality!) and get back to work saving money here, there and everywhere...
I think the reason that I have questioned this hobby of mine lately is because I've realized that it takes a considerable amount of time and energy to police any and all accounts that we have. Add to it the "fun" stuff we sometimes pursue...like joining a gym...and saving money for your family could easily be a full time job. Here are my latest encounters:
I mention joining a gym. I have been dreading going through the process for months. My gym membership expired today and it's a better bargain for me to join the gym next door. In a nutshell, I can't stand the paperwork...voiding and parting w/ a perfectly good check to set up draft payment, posing for a pic for your new card (and the machine always seems to be broken when you are there to use it...).
The gym I joined this time around had a start up fee. Generally I would not even consider a gym with a start up fee, but I did my homework and found out that my husband's employer has a perk that the fee is waived if you produce a letter from their company to the gym. So, about 2 months ago I had my husband get me the letter. He sent me the link to his HR dept. I explained those are password protected sort of things and I can't waltz in and grab what I need (duh).
Then he was told by HR that the form had been faxed to the gym. Then the gym informed me that's not the process and no letter was faxed. At this point I thought: is this worth 50 bucks? My husband has spent a ton of his time and the HR Dept's time working on this. My time is worth something...and all together it's probably time to pay the 50 bucks, get my pic taken, and hop on a treadmill! When I get like this I put it to myself this way: 50 bucks is several small trips to the grocery store...which you will for sure take. 50 bucks is 15 lattes at Starbucks...and you will for sure consume those before Christmas. 50 bucks is a tank of gas... The list goes on, and my budget is constant...so I can use the 50 dollar savings!
Here is the kicker...I sat at the gym yesterday and went through all of the sign up hoo ha. At the end the nice man said: that will be $110...your first month plus our start up fee. I almost cried. But that would have been extreme, so I reminded him of the 8x10 sheet of gold I had worked so hard to obtain and handed to him 15 minutes earlier...and gone was the 50 bucks...
On to my latest encounter...got a statement in today's mail for a line of credit we have open. Zero balance, but somehow $100 is due. I called, sat on hold, tricked the system into putting me to a human (pressed lots of zeros), got disconnected when the human put me on hold, and called back to find the $100 due was an error and they removed it on the spot. 100 bucks. One phone call...well two if you count calling back. How many account holders will pay the computer's malfunctions this month? I'm probably naive when I predict thousands...unreal. Watch your statements, zero balance accounts or otherwise, like a hawk!!
I think the reason that I have questioned this hobby of mine lately is because I've realized that it takes a considerable amount of time and energy to police any and all accounts that we have. Add to it the "fun" stuff we sometimes pursue...like joining a gym...and saving money for your family could easily be a full time job. Here are my latest encounters:
I mention joining a gym. I have been dreading going through the process for months. My gym membership expired today and it's a better bargain for me to join the gym next door. In a nutshell, I can't stand the paperwork...voiding and parting w/ a perfectly good check to set up draft payment, posing for a pic for your new card (and the machine always seems to be broken when you are there to use it...).
The gym I joined this time around had a start up fee. Generally I would not even consider a gym with a start up fee, but I did my homework and found out that my husband's employer has a perk that the fee is waived if you produce a letter from their company to the gym. So, about 2 months ago I had my husband get me the letter. He sent me the link to his HR dept. I explained those are password protected sort of things and I can't waltz in and grab what I need (duh).
Then he was told by HR that the form had been faxed to the gym. Then the gym informed me that's not the process and no letter was faxed. At this point I thought: is this worth 50 bucks? My husband has spent a ton of his time and the HR Dept's time working on this. My time is worth something...and all together it's probably time to pay the 50 bucks, get my pic taken, and hop on a treadmill! When I get like this I put it to myself this way: 50 bucks is several small trips to the grocery store...which you will for sure take. 50 bucks is 15 lattes at Starbucks...and you will for sure consume those before Christmas. 50 bucks is a tank of gas... The list goes on, and my budget is constant...so I can use the 50 dollar savings!
Here is the kicker...I sat at the gym yesterday and went through all of the sign up hoo ha. At the end the nice man said: that will be $110...your first month plus our start up fee. I almost cried. But that would have been extreme, so I reminded him of the 8x10 sheet of gold I had worked so hard to obtain and handed to him 15 minutes earlier...and gone was the 50 bucks...
On to my latest encounter...got a statement in today's mail for a line of credit we have open. Zero balance, but somehow $100 is due. I called, sat on hold, tricked the system into putting me to a human (pressed lots of zeros), got disconnected when the human put me on hold, and called back to find the $100 due was an error and they removed it on the spot. 100 bucks. One phone call...well two if you count calling back. How many account holders will pay the computer's malfunctions this month? I'm probably naive when I predict thousands...unreal. Watch your statements, zero balance accounts or otherwise, like a hawk!!
Monday, October 08, 2007
Affordable Trips To The Grocery Store
I really wish I could recall where I read an article about a lady who, as part of her research to determine if she could quit her job and stay home with the kids, offered the following tip to cut grocery bills: In addition to clipping coupons, use the sale ad that comes weekly in the mail to plan menus. This is the part I was missing...I was clipping coupons like mad, and then spending a fortune on, say, meat. If you think about it, there is always meat on sale. Today it was ground beef and chicken...as well as a host of frozen chicken and fish.
So, I made my grocery list using the sale ad, I clipped coupons, and off I went this morning. This is no joke...my total was $86. Then I ran my grocery store savings card through and the total reduced to $76. And then I ran the coupons and the total was...$65. I saved 20 bucks just like that. I don't feel I skimped a bit...I bought fresh fruit, I bought organic veggies, I bought meat, I bought 2 loaves of bread, I bought two gallons of milk...my cart was full!
Try it...you will not believe how easy it is to save money at the grocery store!
So, I made my grocery list using the sale ad, I clipped coupons, and off I went this morning. This is no joke...my total was $86. Then I ran my grocery store savings card through and the total reduced to $76. And then I ran the coupons and the total was...$65. I saved 20 bucks just like that. I don't feel I skimped a bit...I bought fresh fruit, I bought organic veggies, I bought meat, I bought 2 loaves of bread, I bought two gallons of milk...my cart was full!
Try it...you will not believe how easy it is to save money at the grocery store!
Sunday, September 23, 2007
I'm Back, And Ready To Share The Savings Again!
Oof, it's been a while! I don't have any legitimate excuses...which is good. No illness, nor did we win the lottery and take off around the world. Life just got in the way...and that's ok sometimes.
I have actually launched a couple of other blogs during my hiatus. They are called MomAppeal and MadisonMomAppeal. I co-write and edit both with a mom friend, and it's a ton of fun to post product reviews on family friendly "stuff". I have also learned more web/techy stuff, so the look and feel of this blog should change for the better too!
I got the itch to rejuvenate this blog a few days ago when I found myself planning another overnight to Chicago. I logged on and found a night at my hotel of choice the day after Thanksgiving was running $229. I actually almost considered taking it. Being a holiday weekend, I was prepared to pay more than I'm usually willing to pay. Just before I dug into my wallet for my credit card, I decided to check the rate for the night before Thanksgiving. Same room, 2 days earlier. $116. I just double checked my work and I did type that correctly. We will be saving $113...which is roughly what we'll spend on 1.5 days of meals and treats anyway.
I should add that I found lower rates for my hotel of choice on the hotel's web site, rather than on a site like Expedia. I always check both, and while Expedia's rates were also available on the hotel site, there were some promotional prices available on the hotel site. I did not have to prepay, and we can cancel within 24 hours prior.
Several months but one thing remains the same...I love to save money!!
I have actually launched a couple of other blogs during my hiatus. They are called MomAppeal and MadisonMomAppeal. I co-write and edit both with a mom friend, and it's a ton of fun to post product reviews on family friendly "stuff". I have also learned more web/techy stuff, so the look and feel of this blog should change for the better too!
I got the itch to rejuvenate this blog a few days ago when I found myself planning another overnight to Chicago. I logged on and found a night at my hotel of choice the day after Thanksgiving was running $229. I actually almost considered taking it. Being a holiday weekend, I was prepared to pay more than I'm usually willing to pay. Just before I dug into my wallet for my credit card, I decided to check the rate for the night before Thanksgiving. Same room, 2 days earlier. $116. I just double checked my work and I did type that correctly. We will be saving $113...which is roughly what we'll spend on 1.5 days of meals and treats anyway.
I should add that I found lower rates for my hotel of choice on the hotel's web site, rather than on a site like Expedia. I always check both, and while Expedia's rates were also available on the hotel site, there were some promotional prices available on the hotel site. I did not have to prepay, and we can cancel within 24 hours prior.
Several months but one thing remains the same...I love to save money!!
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Great Coffee For $.85/pound?
Yep, it's true...for a limited time and for one pound only. So here's the story (if you read this blog you know that most everything around here comes with a little story attached!)...
New York City is my favorite city in the United States. Maybe my fav city anywhere, but for sure in the US. As I'm getting older and little lazier, I'm content to accept Chicago as my NYC experience on a much much much smaller scale. But every decade or so I'm lucky enough to head to New York.
So my last visit was in late 2003 on my honeymoon. One of the coolest touristy things we did was take a walking and eating tour of Greenwich Village. It's one of those things, looking back, that I don't know how I stumbled across the tour or why I booked it (who am I kidding, because it was an EATING tour!). The tour company is called Foods Of New York Tours, Inc. and the web address is http://gonyc.about.com/od/toursbr/gr/foodsofny_green.htm. Highly, highly recommend.
While on this tour, the guide said to us, totally as an aside, that Porto Rico Importing Co. was a spot to buy great coffee for cheap. I am a coffee freak, so I tucked this info away for later. I never got back to the store on Bleecker Street, but checked it out online after I returned home. Cheap is right. A typical price for a pound of beans (or ground) is about $6.99. But here is the best part. Twice a year they have these amazing sales. One is in late Fall and is called Peter's Birthday Sale and one is in the spring (NOW!) and is called the Springtime Sale. I buy Christmas gifts during the fall sale and I just buy during the spring sale. Prices are about $4.99-$5.99/lb during the sales. And right now, the first pound of Special House Blend is $.85/lb!
Now I know there is such a thing as baaaaad tasting coffee. But I promise you, this isn't it. You don't get what you pay for in this instance. The coffee is shipped as fresh as fresh could be, and it is darn good stuff.
Get your orders in: www.portorico.com.
New York City is my favorite city in the United States. Maybe my fav city anywhere, but for sure in the US. As I'm getting older and little lazier, I'm content to accept Chicago as my NYC experience on a much much much smaller scale. But every decade or so I'm lucky enough to head to New York.
So my last visit was in late 2003 on my honeymoon. One of the coolest touristy things we did was take a walking and eating tour of Greenwich Village. It's one of those things, looking back, that I don't know how I stumbled across the tour or why I booked it (who am I kidding, because it was an EATING tour!). The tour company is called Foods Of New York Tours, Inc. and the web address is http://gonyc.about.com/od/toursbr/gr/foodsofny_green.htm. Highly, highly recommend.
While on this tour, the guide said to us, totally as an aside, that Porto Rico Importing Co. was a spot to buy great coffee for cheap. I am a coffee freak, so I tucked this info away for later. I never got back to the store on Bleecker Street, but checked it out online after I returned home. Cheap is right. A typical price for a pound of beans (or ground) is about $6.99. But here is the best part. Twice a year they have these amazing sales. One is in late Fall and is called Peter's Birthday Sale and one is in the spring (NOW!) and is called the Springtime Sale. I buy Christmas gifts during the fall sale and I just buy during the spring sale. Prices are about $4.99-$5.99/lb during the sales. And right now, the first pound of Special House Blend is $.85/lb!
Now I know there is such a thing as baaaaad tasting coffee. But I promise you, this isn't it. You don't get what you pay for in this instance. The coffee is shipped as fresh as fresh could be, and it is darn good stuff.
Get your orders in: www.portorico.com.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Energy Efficient?
You will recall that I was sick to my money saving stomach last month when our gas/electric bill was nearly $300. This is normal for the Midwestern season, but that fact doesn't make it any easier to process. So, I worked extra hard (You're chilly? Put on a sweater!), and coupled with a few days of nice, mild temps, this month's bill came in at...$170. Still nothing to scream with glee over, but a definite improvement!
FREE Ice Cream Today!
A FREE ice cream cone has your name on it today from noon - 8pm if you stop in to a participating Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream shop. This is an annual event, and I accidentally stumbled upon it with my son last year (lucky me!). That was a day when I thought: am I a bad mom? They had all of these wonderful, kid friendly/popular flavors available, and I chose...sherbet? What kid wants sherbet? Give me some chocolate, ma!
Anyway, here is the link to B&J's web site to find a participating location near you:
http://www.benjerry.com/index.cfm
Enjoy!
Anyway, here is the link to B&J's web site to find a participating location near you:
http://www.benjerry.com/index.cfm
Enjoy!
First Shipment of Expired Coupons - Out The Door!
For the money saving mama, this is a verrry exciting day. I am mailing out my first batch of expired coupons to an overseas military base! The $ amount of the coupons I'm sending today totals $32, and I am sending them directly to a US Army Base in Ansbach, Germany. My husband was in the Army and stationed in Germany in the 80's, so I wanted to send my coupons there for that reason (nostalgia!). I've decided to send a batch every month, and I have a May pile growing by the minute!
The web address for the organization I am working with for this project is:
http://www.ocpnet.org/
I encourage you to check it out if you are interested in participating!
The web address for the organization I am working with for this project is:
http://www.ocpnet.org/
I encourage you to check it out if you are interested in participating!
Monday, April 09, 2007
DIY, ASAP
Abbreviations...shortening things up. Sort of a metaphor for deals and steals.
Anyway, if you know me, you know I love to try and make whatever it is I need/want before caving and buying it. If you don't know me, but have read even one of my entries, this likely doesn't surprise you! So, here is a list of my fav sites to gather diy (do it yourself) ideas/patterns/directions:
DIY Network - www.diynet.com - There is A TON to deal w/ on this site, but everything is pretty cool.
Martha Stewart Living - www.marthastewart.com - Even if you are not a Martha fan (I am), you must admit, at the very least, that the colors on this site are AWESOME.
Lion Brand - www.lionbrand.com - LB is a brand of yarn and other craft "stuff". I love the section for free patterns.
Purl Soho - www.purlsoho.com - The next time I am in Soho, I am so going to this store! The blog on this site, called The Purl Bee, has some great project ideas.
Ask - www.ask.com - Remember when this site was called "Ask Jeeves"? Anyway, type in your how to question ("How to create and organic garden...") and the options are plentiful.
Etsy - www.etsy.com - Loooove this site. It's a shopping site for 100% hand made products. You name it, someone has made it. It's sort of like ebay, but not really. Your place to buy diy goodies and to sell your diy treasures once you've completed that next big thing.
That's enough to get you started...
Anyway, if you know me, you know I love to try and make whatever it is I need/want before caving and buying it. If you don't know me, but have read even one of my entries, this likely doesn't surprise you! So, here is a list of my fav sites to gather diy (do it yourself) ideas/patterns/directions:
DIY Network - www.diynet.com - There is A TON to deal w/ on this site, but everything is pretty cool.
Martha Stewart Living - www.marthastewart.com - Even if you are not a Martha fan (I am), you must admit, at the very least, that the colors on this site are AWESOME.
Lion Brand - www.lionbrand.com - LB is a brand of yarn and other craft "stuff". I love the section for free patterns.
Purl Soho - www.purlsoho.com - The next time I am in Soho, I am so going to this store! The blog on this site, called The Purl Bee, has some great project ideas.
Ask - www.ask.com - Remember when this site was called "Ask Jeeves"? Anyway, type in your how to question ("How to create and organic garden...") and the options are plentiful.
Etsy - www.etsy.com - Loooove this site. It's a shopping site for 100% hand made products. You name it, someone has made it. It's sort of like ebay, but not really. Your place to buy diy goodies and to sell your diy treasures once you've completed that next big thing.
That's enough to get you started...
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Shampoo Mystery
I'm torn when it comes to shampoo. Do you get what you pay for? I have used Suave for 99 cents (remember when it was 99 cents?) and I have used Aveda for a lot more for a lot less. I don't believe my hair has looked any different, either way. As I've mentioned before, I make no claim to be any skills in the hair styling department. So what will the $15 tube of shampoo do for me that the $3 bottle won't? And another burning question I have always had...if I buy Paul Mitchell at Shopko (Midwest department store) or Walgreens, is it really NOT the real thing? It's priced like it's the real thing, but I have seen salons post warnings that products purchased anywhere but the salon are not real...such important things to contemplate on this Monday morning (NOT!).
I have discovered a shampoo and conditioner that I really really like. It's sort of like the little bears story...it's not too cheap and it's not too pricey. I learned about it in Good Housekeeping Mag, and it's called Paves. The name is for Ken Paves, who apparently is a hair stylist to the stars a la Jessica Simpson. $5+ at Walgreens for the shampoo and the same price for the conditioner. It smells like a salon product. Doesn't lather much, but according to Paves, lather isn't all that necessary anyway. If this is a salon guy selling his wears at pharmacy prices, it sounds like the best of both worlds...count me in!
I have discovered a shampoo and conditioner that I really really like. It's sort of like the little bears story...it's not too cheap and it's not too pricey. I learned about it in Good Housekeeping Mag, and it's called Paves. The name is for Ken Paves, who apparently is a hair stylist to the stars a la Jessica Simpson. $5+ at Walgreens for the shampoo and the same price for the conditioner. It smells like a salon product. Doesn't lather much, but according to Paves, lather isn't all that necessary anyway. If this is a salon guy selling his wears at pharmacy prices, it sounds like the best of both worlds...count me in!
I Can't Stress Enough...It Pays to Ask!
Once again, this weekend I encountered an opportunity to save money for my family. Actually, it's something I have posted about previously, with a twist. I have previously noted that Direct TV will turn off your service if you will be out of town more than 7 days. It's a very simple process that can be accomplished via their automated system.
Well, about 2 weeks ago I turned off our service via the automated system. This past Friday, when I turned on our tv, POOF, we had service. Not a good sign. I called D TV and was informed that my request 2 weeks ago never processed. Now, I could have left it at that, but I didn't. I explained that I turned off our service via the automated system. I was told they do not have a tracking system for requests made that way, and if I would hold a few minutes, they would credit my account the said number of days I had wished to not have service. Just. Like. That. After about 10 minutes (can't say D TV is lightening quick in the customer service department), my account was credited $20.
Maybe you don't have satellite tv. Maybe you don't have a tv. Really, it doesn't matter. The point is that if you keep track of your expenses, you will find areas to save...stretch those dollars just as far as they will go!
Well, about 2 weeks ago I turned off our service via the automated system. This past Friday, when I turned on our tv, POOF, we had service. Not a good sign. I called D TV and was informed that my request 2 weeks ago never processed. Now, I could have left it at that, but I didn't. I explained that I turned off our service via the automated system. I was told they do not have a tracking system for requests made that way, and if I would hold a few minutes, they would credit my account the said number of days I had wished to not have service. Just. Like. That. After about 10 minutes (can't say D TV is lightening quick in the customer service department), my account was credited $20.
Maybe you don't have satellite tv. Maybe you don't have a tv. Really, it doesn't matter. The point is that if you keep track of your expenses, you will find areas to save...stretch those dollars just as far as they will go!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
A Really Good Day in the Freebie Department
Several weeks ago, I mentioned that I have a little trick for getting a free Sunday newspaper. Here it is:
One of the grocery stores I shop at offers a free Sunday paper with any $5 purchase. On any given day, anyone can find something they need at the grocery store totaling at least 5 bucks. So every Sunday I do a bit of my needed anyway shopping and score my free paper. $1.75 value, and tons of coupons to save with in subsequent weeks.
Then, I luckily decided to dig out the $5 off my purchase coupon that I got about 2 weeks ago at/from Walgreens. It's one of those coupons that spits out of the cash register once in a while. No strings, just 5 bucks. So I got some goodies to fill my son's Easter basket. He is only 2, so $5 goes pretty far.
Then on to Office Depot. This is no joke, I found a $3 off your purchase coupon on the sidewalk when I was taking a walk earlier in the week. I used to work in the office supply field back in my high school days, so I know just how to get the most for my office supply (3) bucks.
Then on to JC Penney. Time to use that $15 they sent me for my bday. Today was the day because tonight was "friends and family night" which meant an extra % off. I get a kick out of "friends and family" night. I have no family, nor friends, that work at JCP. I doubt anyone that gets the invite (perhaps everyone that has a mailbox?) does.
That's roughly $25 saved tonight. Not too shabby!
One of the grocery stores I shop at offers a free Sunday paper with any $5 purchase. On any given day, anyone can find something they need at the grocery store totaling at least 5 bucks. So every Sunday I do a bit of my needed anyway shopping and score my free paper. $1.75 value, and tons of coupons to save with in subsequent weeks.
Then, I luckily decided to dig out the $5 off my purchase coupon that I got about 2 weeks ago at/from Walgreens. It's one of those coupons that spits out of the cash register once in a while. No strings, just 5 bucks. So I got some goodies to fill my son's Easter basket. He is only 2, so $5 goes pretty far.
Then on to Office Depot. This is no joke, I found a $3 off your purchase coupon on the sidewalk when I was taking a walk earlier in the week. I used to work in the office supply field back in my high school days, so I know just how to get the most for my office supply (3) bucks.
Then on to JC Penney. Time to use that $15 they sent me for my bday. Today was the day because tonight was "friends and family night" which meant an extra % off. I get a kick out of "friends and family" night. I have no family, nor friends, that work at JCP. I doubt anyone that gets the invite (perhaps everyone that has a mailbox?) does.
That's roughly $25 saved tonight. Not too shabby!
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
DIY Food
I just got my order in for my fruit and veggie plants and seeds. First of all, seed catalogs are the adult equivalent to what the JC Penney Christmas catalog means to kids...so, cool. Gorgeous pics of fruit, veggies and flowers that you never dreamed you could grow in your yard. And maybe you can't...if you don't have enough sunlight, warm temps, or a yard (decks count).
Anyway, I ordered a lot of stuff. I mean a lot. So much that I may or may not be able to keep up. Cost: less than $100. If I can get through most of the summer strictly using my garden for fruits and veggies, growing your own is an absolute bargain coup!
Anyway, I ordered a lot of stuff. I mean a lot. So much that I may or may not be able to keep up. Cost: less than $100. If I can get through most of the summer strictly using my garden for fruits and veggies, growing your own is an absolute bargain coup!
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Pay Attention!
I'm often amazed that I can find deals, or almost miss deals, every single day. I don't go out of my way to create deals. Just by going about my day, I constantly encounter money saving opportunities. Here is another one...
I decided our new bed mattress deserved a new set of sheets. My husband gave me one condition: 100% cotton. Simple enough. Well, now that I'm home, I can tell you that all sheets are not 100% cotton...so pay attention if that's important to you!
Anyway, I settled on a set of sheets that were $100, on sale for $50. It's an entire set, 100% cotton, and 600 thread count (whatever that means), so I felt the price was fair enough. Got to the self check out (LOVE self check out, btw) and the sheets rang up: $100. Yep, I became the person waiting behind me's worst nightmare...I waited for assistance and told the associate that the sheets were on sale. Associate checked it out and honored the sale sticker posted on the shelf. A manual adjustment was made to my bill: $50 off.
Don't assume that you read a sign wrong, don't rush off because you think 5 minutes of your time spent double checking is worth spending $50. You must pay attention to everything you purchase.
Happy shopping!
I decided our new bed mattress deserved a new set of sheets. My husband gave me one condition: 100% cotton. Simple enough. Well, now that I'm home, I can tell you that all sheets are not 100% cotton...so pay attention if that's important to you!
Anyway, I settled on a set of sheets that were $100, on sale for $50. It's an entire set, 100% cotton, and 600 thread count (whatever that means), so I felt the price was fair enough. Got to the self check out (LOVE self check out, btw) and the sheets rang up: $100. Yep, I became the person waiting behind me's worst nightmare...I waited for assistance and told the associate that the sheets were on sale. Associate checked it out and honored the sale sticker posted on the shelf. A manual adjustment was made to my bill: $50 off.
Don't assume that you read a sign wrong, don't rush off because you think 5 minutes of your time spent double checking is worth spending $50. You must pay attention to everything you purchase.
Happy shopping!
Hang Dry
I love to hang clothes on the clothes line. Love, love, LOVE it. I can't decide if it's because it helps me in my never ending quest to lower the gas/electric bill, or because I think sheets and towels seem fresher if they have been flapping around outside for much of the day...
It's probably because of that pesky energy bill. We're in the Midwest, so we just came out of what I feel are the two worst months for the heat bill. And we have a gas fireplace. Ouch. Upwards of $300 for one month makes this money saving mama woozy.
I do draw the line at hanging socks, undies, and bras. So my dryer still gets a work out, but one cycle versus three.
I'll post my next energy bill amount when I get it...we'll see how I do this month.
It's probably because of that pesky energy bill. We're in the Midwest, so we just came out of what I feel are the two worst months for the heat bill. And we have a gas fireplace. Ouch. Upwards of $300 for one month makes this money saving mama woozy.
I do draw the line at hanging socks, undies, and bras. So my dryer still gets a work out, but one cycle versus three.
I'll post my next energy bill amount when I get it...we'll see how I do this month.
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