Tag Archives: frugal living

Earning Extra Holiday Money

If the finances are tight, then figuring out how to gain the money to be able to afford the holidays can be daunting. Besides the presents, there is food, decorating, charity gifts and more. Sometimes the solution is to simply earn some extra money in order to afford the holidays. I like this idea much better than going into credit card debt. If you find yourself in this situation, or if you simply want to be able to sail through the holidays without extra bills, try one of these ideas for earning extra holiday money. Have a yard or virtual … Continue reading →

Save on Baby Items

It is a fact that babies need stuff, lots of stuff. And all of that stuff winds up costing lots of money. Fortunately, with a few frugal practices, you can spend much less. Here are some ideas on how you can save on baby items. Announce it to the world If you are lucky, as soon as you announce that you are expecting, you will be inundated with offers for free baby stuff, such as equipment, clothes and toys. Friends, family and even casual acquaintances often have a ton of baby stuff that is sitting there waiting to be used. … Continue reading →

Creating a Meaningful Christmas on a Budget

So many families are struggling right now with the economy and are wondering what to do about Christmas and gifts for the kids. The stores are still screaming about deals, deal and deals. The kids see commercials for the latest hot toys that seem to cost more than my first car ever did. Examining the family budget, many of us are deciding to spend less this year, including on Christmas gifts. I think this is a blessing in disguise. What better time is there to make a meaningful Christmas for the kids, and well, for everyone. Participate in Operation Christmas … Continue reading →

Frugal Freezer Breakfast Meals

Want to cut down on your breakfast expenses? One way to do it is to avoid the convenience cereal and create your own delicious breakfast meals that you can just grab on those hectic mornings. We talk a lot about creating freezer meals in order to take advantage of sales and stocking up on great coupon deals. But often, breakfast gets forgotten when we consider creating and having freezer meals. This is a shame. Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. On top of that, making breakfast in bulk is pretty easy, and breakfast foods tend … Continue reading →

5 Savings Questions Ask Your Store Manger

The next time that you go out to shop, you can use that time to “earn” extra coupons and discounts. It is all a matter of simply asking your store manager certain questions. Jot down the answers and then take advantage of the bounty of coupons that you will get. 1. Do you have a loyalty program? Loyalty programs allow shoppers to earn points or even cash back on their purchases. Most stores have some sort of loyalty program, although many don’t advertise this. Even thrift stores, such as GoodWill often have loyalty programs. You can also earn free products … Continue reading →

Store Returns: What You Need to Know 5

Do you think that if you purchase something either for yourself or as a gift that it will be easy to return? These days, stores are getting more and more picky about accepting returns. This includes gift cards. You can’t usually turn them in for cash. So what can you do with those unwanted gifts if you have followed all of the advice in the previous posts and still can’t make a return? Don’t worry there may be a way of getting some or even all of your money back, even if the store policy is against it. First, I … Continue reading →

Affording Toys for the Holidays

If you are having a lean year, like many of us, you might have started getting concerned about the holidays and how you will be able to afford getting toys and other gifts for your children. Yes, we all know the real meaning of the holidays does not involve material gifts, but what parent doesn’t want the pleasure of giving toys to their children? This will be a two part series on affording toys for the holidays. As I look around our living room, which has been turned into a playroom for the kids, I feel blessed that we are … Continue reading →

Start Looking for Those Games and Puzzles

Now is the time to take a look at the games and puzzles that you may like to buy for the holiday season or for upcoming birthdays. This is because starting now through the beginning of November, you should get the greatest bargains when you purchase certain toys. The stores are trying to get a jump start on the holiday season, so they are starting to test the waters with certain toys. You may find some particular character toys being testing in promotion, but you will really clean up if you focus mostly on the board games and the puzzles. … Continue reading →

Six Questions to Ask Your Self Before Buying Something New 2

If you want to get ahead financially, you have to spend less. One great way to do this is to avoid purchases that aren’t really wanted or needed. To do this, it is helpful to ask yourself six different questions before you actually purchase something. This will help you determine if you really want or really need the item, or if there is a way to get the item for free or for a lower cost. You can also find out if the item is worth the expense. In yesterday’s blog post, I counted down the first three questions to … Continue reading →

More Ways to Cut Your Grocery Food Bill

In my previous post, listed four top ways to cut your grocery food bill. But did you know that there are even more ways to do this. Practice all of the strategies, and you will really slash your bill. here are some more ways to save money on groceries. 5. Practice meal planning. I have to admit that I am not the greatest meal planner in the world, but I do make some meal planning concession. By planning out your meals, you can take advantage of groceries that cost less for that particular week. I’ll give you a recent example. … Continue reading →