'Cause there are so many helpful posts out there right now!
Frugal Dad has some great ideas on making extra money:
http://frugaldad.com/2008/10/27/seven-unique-side-hustles-to-keep-your-family-finances-afloat/
But be sure to go to FD's home site, too...he argues for taking a part-time job when you can't find a full-time position, especially when that job is on the weekends. (So you can keep on looking for work during the week.) He's got a point.
Don't miss http://www.moneysavingmom.com She's consistently a good spot for freebies and coupons. One of this week's posts is downright terrific...a free year's subscription to Organic Gardening! Go to my other site, http://www.cindybrick.blogspot.com for specifics.
And finally, another blog I've found consistently helpful: The 99 Cent Chef.
http://wwww.99centchef.blogspot.com
His food sounds (and tastes) great -- for a minimum price.
Enjoy!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Free Roll of Recycled Aluminimum Foil
...on April 22nd, Earth Day!
Go here to register, and get a reminder e-mail: http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com/rebate.aspx
It's a breath of fresh air on today, the most hated, the TAX DAY.
(Not that we're sweating it...we've filed for an extension. Putting off the inevitable.)
Go here to register, and get a reminder e-mail: http://www.reynoldsrecycled.com/rebate.aspx
It's a breath of fresh air on today, the most hated, the TAX DAY.
(Not that we're sweating it...we've filed for an extension. Putting off the inevitable.)
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Ten Steps to Get Out of Debt
http://gradmoneymatters.com/2009/03/10-steps-i-used-to-get-out-of-debt.html
...or in other words, Stop Spending So Much Money and Pay For What You Already Spent!
I'd also add:
Find a way to get paid for what you normally spend on.
I've tried Mystery Shopping -- that pays for food out. For years, I was one of the mystery critics for the Traildust Restaurant chain. A steak dinner for me AND Husband, paid for after I filled out a critique form on our visit? What a burden that was! :)
Also, for normally a year now, I've been a member in an investment club. Once or twice a week, I go online, check their subjects, post my own comments and take a survey or two...and I get a $20 Amazon gift card every month I do it, plus some extras. Has this paid for books I needed for research? Presents? Specialty groceries that were already on sale?
You bet.
...or in other words, Stop Spending So Much Money and Pay For What You Already Spent!
I'd also add:
Find a way to get paid for what you normally spend on.
I've tried Mystery Shopping -- that pays for food out. For years, I was one of the mystery critics for the Traildust Restaurant chain. A steak dinner for me AND Husband, paid for after I filled out a critique form on our visit? What a burden that was! :)
Also, for normally a year now, I've been a member in an investment club. Once or twice a week, I go online, check their subjects, post my own comments and take a survey or two...and I get a $20 Amazon gift card every month I do it, plus some extras. Has this paid for books I needed for research? Presents? Specialty groceries that were already on sale?
You bet.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Random Stuff
Frugal Mom has some simple, yet tasty house seasoning mixes to offer...perhaps a nice present for Mother's or Father's Day?
http://thefrugalmomblog.com/2009/02/two-tasty-house-seasoning-recipes/
I also found Being Frugal' s rants on customer service very enlightening -- and you have a chance to add your own here, too:
http://beingfrugal.net/2009/04/10/companies-with-good-customer-service/
Not to mention using the Good Guys, and avoiding the Bad Ones!
And a tax-time bargain: Come into TGI Fridays on April 15, and get a $5 gift card when you spend $15 - 25.... $10 gift card when you spend $25 or more! Don't you love specials like this?
http://thefrugalmomblog.com/2009/02/two-tasty-house-seasoning-recipes/
I also found Being Frugal' s rants on customer service very enlightening -- and you have a chance to add your own here, too:
http://beingfrugal.net/2009/04/10/companies-with-good-customer-service/
Not to mention using the Good Guys, and avoiding the Bad Ones!
And a tax-time bargain: Come into TGI Fridays on April 15, and get a $5 gift card when you spend $15 - 25.... $10 gift card when you spend $25 or more! Don't you love specials like this?
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Do You Really Want to Save Money on Groceries?
It all started at Safeway's meat counter. Ooh, boneless chicken breasts -- $1.77 a pound. I was picking over packages and chortling to myself when a woman next to me looked at the sign. Looked at the chicken. (Which was quite fresh and plump.) Looked at the sign.
Then reached up on the next level and picked up a package of chicken breasts from a competing brand.
For $5.99 a pound.
After I'd picked myself up from that one, I headed over to the produce section. Wow -- Granny Smith apples, 3 pounds for $1.99! Our fruit bowl was full. (Wallymart had a stunning 29-cent-pound sale on Gala apples a few weeks back.) But I couldn't help admiring how fresh and crisp those apples looked. Headed toward the cash register -- and there was a lady pawing through a bin of the same Granny Smiths. Only these were $1.99 a pound.
"Excuse me, there's a whole bin of Grannys in bags -- 3 pounds for the price of those. Thought you'd want to know."
She looked at me, then at the three apples in her hand. "Oh, I only want a few." I blinked. "These keep for weeks in your refrigerator, and..." Voice trailed off as I realized she wasn't listening.
If this was a rare occurence, then I could just smack myself for fussing. But nearly every time I buy groceries, there is yet another person who cheerfully pays double, triple or even quadruple the amount for the same produce, meats or milk I get for less! (Last time, it was a girl at Wal-Mart who thought nothing of buying 18 eggs for $1.88...when she could get a dozen for $1. I got a polite 'who cares' response when I mentioned it to her. )
None of these people seem particularly wealthy. (In fact, the girl in Wal-Mart looked a little hard-up.) They're not stupid, either. No doubt they wouldn't mind saving some money. Wouldn't anyone, right now?
So what gives?
Wish I knew. But from on, in grocery stores, I think I am going to just keep my money-saving opinions to myself.
MoneySavingMom has a nice post or two on grocery shopping right now. At least she isn't wasting any money:
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/04/super-savings-saturday-my-76-shopping-trip.html
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/04/guest-post-three-rules-to-remember-when-grocery-shopping.html
You won't, either...if you don't want to.
P.S. During the same Safeway's trip, I would have paid for the same package of BOGO smoked sausage I was supposed to get free. If I hadn't caught it, that is. Did the customer service clerk apologize? Mention she was going to note it, so no one else got to pay double? Naahhh...
Then reached up on the next level and picked up a package of chicken breasts from a competing brand.
For $5.99 a pound.
After I'd picked myself up from that one, I headed over to the produce section. Wow -- Granny Smith apples, 3 pounds for $1.99! Our fruit bowl was full. (Wallymart had a stunning 29-cent-pound sale on Gala apples a few weeks back.) But I couldn't help admiring how fresh and crisp those apples looked. Headed toward the cash register -- and there was a lady pawing through a bin of the same Granny Smiths. Only these were $1.99 a pound.
"Excuse me, there's a whole bin of Grannys in bags -- 3 pounds for the price of those. Thought you'd want to know."
She looked at me, then at the three apples in her hand. "Oh, I only want a few." I blinked. "These keep for weeks in your refrigerator, and..." Voice trailed off as I realized she wasn't listening.
If this was a rare occurence, then I could just smack myself for fussing. But nearly every time I buy groceries, there is yet another person who cheerfully pays double, triple or even quadruple the amount for the same produce, meats or milk I get for less! (Last time, it was a girl at Wal-Mart who thought nothing of buying 18 eggs for $1.88...when she could get a dozen for $1. I got a polite 'who cares' response when I mentioned it to her. )
None of these people seem particularly wealthy. (In fact, the girl in Wal-Mart looked a little hard-up.) They're not stupid, either. No doubt they wouldn't mind saving some money. Wouldn't anyone, right now?
So what gives?
Wish I knew. But from on, in grocery stores, I think I am going to just keep my money-saving opinions to myself.
MoneySavingMom has a nice post or two on grocery shopping right now. At least she isn't wasting any money:
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/04/super-savings-saturday-my-76-shopping-trip.html
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/04/guest-post-three-rules-to-remember-when-grocery-shopping.html
You won't, either...if you don't want to.
P.S. During the same Safeway's trip, I would have paid for the same package of BOGO smoked sausage I was supposed to get free. If I hadn't caught it, that is. Did the customer service clerk apologize? Mention she was going to note it, so no one else got to pay double? Naahhh...
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Free Food at Denny's!
Order a Grand Slam tomorrow at Denny's from 6 a.m. - 2 p.m....and you get a Slamwich FREE! The Grand Slams taste great and are priced competitively to start, so an extra deal is just gravy (er, sandwich). Yum.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Working from Home
Do you work from home?
I do...sort of. The basement floor of our house is dedicated to Brickworks -- not only my office, but a sewing/storage room, a library area (which I hope to clean up and use for classes this summer), and a HUGE open area with a fireplace at one end, and stacks of drawers, shelves, etc. all the way down the walls. A cutting table, put on sort-of stilts/bricks by my dad, who realized his 5' 7" daughter was leaning over too much, and hurting her back. Bolts of fabrics lining the wall, and a huge schrunk (wardrobe with mirrored doors) that houses most of my teaching quilt collection. (That's somewhere between 150-200 quilts and tops. whew.)
My problem -- stuff is scattered EVERYWHERE. Particularly now that I'm trying to finish up this book. So when the book's submitted -- guess who's dedicating at least 3 DAYS to picking up and putting stuff away! Even one day will make all the difference.
Gather Little by Little has some excellent tips for working from home:
http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2008/11/tips-for-working-from-home/
I can add:
*Double dishes -- if you're doing a casserole, make double -- put one in the freezer. (Those have really saved my life this past few weeks.)
*Spend at least 15 min. a day putting things away or cleaning...the upstairs looks better, even with this bit of care!
*Don't answer the phone. Return your calls at the end of the day.
*Don't check e-mail more than once -- and if you can, don't check on the weekends. Gives you a nice break.
*Take a day off, even if you're self-employed. I try hard to reserve Sundays just for life -- taking an afternoon nap, maybe doing some cooking, reading a book I want to read. This lasts, for me, from daybreak through nightfall. (I broke the rule today and did work -- and will work tonight. But that's unusual.)
The most important thing to remember: no matter how important your biz is, it's NOT as important as your family and friends. And your faith. They count. The most.
I do...sort of. The basement floor of our house is dedicated to Brickworks -- not only my office, but a sewing/storage room, a library area (which I hope to clean up and use for classes this summer), and a HUGE open area with a fireplace at one end, and stacks of drawers, shelves, etc. all the way down the walls. A cutting table, put on sort-of stilts/bricks by my dad, who realized his 5' 7" daughter was leaning over too much, and hurting her back. Bolts of fabrics lining the wall, and a huge schrunk (wardrobe with mirrored doors) that houses most of my teaching quilt collection. (That's somewhere between 150-200 quilts and tops. whew.)
My problem -- stuff is scattered EVERYWHERE. Particularly now that I'm trying to finish up this book. So when the book's submitted -- guess who's dedicating at least 3 DAYS to picking up and putting stuff away! Even one day will make all the difference.
Gather Little by Little has some excellent tips for working from home:
http://www.gatherlittlebylittle.com/2008/11/tips-for-working-from-home/
I can add:
*Double dishes -- if you're doing a casserole, make double -- put one in the freezer. (Those have really saved my life this past few weeks.)
*Spend at least 15 min. a day putting things away or cleaning...the upstairs looks better, even with this bit of care!
*Don't answer the phone. Return your calls at the end of the day.
*Don't check e-mail more than once -- and if you can, don't check on the weekends. Gives you a nice break.
*Take a day off, even if you're self-employed. I try hard to reserve Sundays just for life -- taking an afternoon nap, maybe doing some cooking, reading a book I want to read. This lasts, for me, from daybreak through nightfall. (I broke the rule today and did work -- and will work tonight. But that's unusual.)
The most important thing to remember: no matter how important your biz is, it's NOT as important as your family and friends. And your faith. They count. The most.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
One Yummie Freebie
Want to try out Quaker Oats' Mini Delight Rice Cakes?
http://www.startsampling.com/sm/100545/captureAddress.iphtml?item=100545&source
These are not just good. They're wonderful. As is downright, freakin' "I could eat the whole bag right HERE" wonderful.
A great source of freebies and other info is Money Saving Mom:
http://www.moneysavingmom.blogspot.com
I try to visit her every day, if possible.
http://www.startsampling.com/sm/100545/captureAddress.iphtml?item=100545&source
These are not just good. They're wonderful. As is downright, freakin' "I could eat the whole bag right HERE" wonderful.
A great source of freebies and other info is Money Saving Mom:
http://www.moneysavingmom.blogspot.com
I try to visit her every day, if possible.
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