Monthly Archives: May 2010

4 Options for Getting Rid of Old Phone books

May 31, 2010
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Those ubiquitous yellow bags started showing up on my street last week–the ones that carry this year’s batch of new phone books. Of course, with the advent of online directories, such as Switchboard.com and plain old Google, sometimes you really don’t need a phone book anymore–except if you have a small child come to dinner and you don’t have a booster seat and you happen to get a really thick phone book that you can use as a makeshift booster seat.  No disrespect to the phone book industry, but I just don’t understand for how much longer people will rely on or even find phone books useful.

In the meantime your home is probably like mine: you have phone books you don’t need anymore and aren’t sure exactly how to dispose of them. That was exactly what faced a cousin of mine in Indianapolis, who was bemoaning getting yet another phone book and her not wanting to throw it in the trash.

So to help my cousin out–and anyone else who would like to dispose of his or her phone books in a responsible way–here at 4 options for getting rid of old phone books.

  1. Put it in curbside recycling. My cousin laughed out loud when I offered her this option. “Curbside recycling. What’s that? I live in Indianapolis, not the greenest city in the country.” Wow, I had no idea that the option of curbside recycling wasn’t an easy option for the rest of us. I’ll just put my old phone books out with my other recyclables and not give it another thought.
  2. Find someplace nearby to recycle it. I suggested my cousin log onto Earth 911 to find somewhere nearby where she could recycle her old phone books. This was a fine idea since she has to haul all her recyclables on her own anyway. When I plugged in “phone books” and her zip code into the Earth 911 search engine, I found everything from a local children’s museum to a church that collected phone books for recycling. Note: if you happen to see one of those Paper Retriever Abitibi green-and-yellow recycling dumpsters on a school or church campus, they do not take phone books–which seems crazy to me since the inside of the phone books seems to be the same quality paper as a daily newspaper.
  3. Tear it into shreds and compost it. Every compost bin needs green matter with its brown, and the torn-out pages from a phone book can be the perfect complement to the organic matter that you put in your compost bin.
  4. Use the pages as weed blocker. One of my mother’s favorite and frugal ways to keep weeds out of her garden is to put down pieces of newspaper over weeds, and then cover it in mulch. If you don’t have any newspaper available–maybe you don’t get a daily newspaper anymore–you could always tear out the pages of an old phone book and use them instead. (Yeah, those pages aren’t quite as big as a newspaper’s pages but at least you’re reusing the pages in a responsible manner.)

If all else fails, do a Google search using the phrase “how to recycle phone books” and see what comes up. When I did this when I was researching what I was going to write in this blog post, I got 55,000 results. Many of these results were city-specific guides to places locally where you could recycle old phone books–good to know if you live in a place like my cousin, without curbside recycling as your easiest phone book recycling option.

P.S. I also recycle those bags the phone books come in. I use them to clean up after my dog. However, if that isn’t an option for you, you can drop them in a plastic bag recycling bin that you find outside many supermarkets these days.

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Freebie Friday (May 28-June 3, 2010)

May 27, 2010
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Some non-Memorial Day freebies for you to enjoy in the coming week and, in some instances, all summer long!

  • Get a free vanilla cone at Sonic when you print out this coupon and bring it with you on May 29th!
  • Kids can hit the lanes for free games this summer at all 93 Brunswick Zone and Brunswick Zone XL centers. Every day, starting June 1, students age 18 and younger can bowl one free game whenever lanes are available. Shoe rental is not included. To claim their games, students just need a Student Ball Pass, which you can get for free at any Brunswick center or online here.
  • Take your kids to the movies for free this summer at Regal Cinemas. Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10 a.m., you will be able to see a selected G or PG movie for free. (Note: Tickets and seating are first-come, first-served and are limited to theater capacity. Start dates vary by location. For example, where I live the free movies don’t kick in until late June but it seems like other places, where school ends earlier, the free movies start sooner.)
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Memorial Day Freebies

May 27, 2010
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This Freebie Friday post focuses exclusively on free things to do, see or get that tie into the Memorial Day holiday weekend here in the United States. Enjoy!

Free Stuff for the Military and Men/Women in Uniform

Free Food-YUM!

  • Get free breakfast at IKEA on Memorial Day weekend–that is one small breakfast (value $.99) and one cup of coffee (value $.99). OK, so you only save $2 on the deal but hey, free is free. (Limitations: one per customer and not valid at IKEA Hicksville, IKEA Houston and IKEA Direct.)
  • To celebrate the roll out of its new spicy chicken sandwich, Chick-Fil-A is giving people a chance to get one spicy chicken sandwich for free. By visiting the Chick-fil-A website and reserving a time to taste the sandwich–um, how’s lunch tomorrow?–you will get a coupon good to use between May 31 and June 5.
  • Hot dogs, get yer free hot dogs here. Well, at least at the free Hebrew National cookout in Boston in May 31. Called the Better-Than-a-Picnic Picnic, everyone who attends will get free Hebrew National Beef Franks, plus they can enjoy entertainment and activities for the entire family. (You can get more information about the picnic–plus the other cities it will be coming to in June and July, by visiting the Hebrew National Facebook page.)
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Don’t Forget to Stock Up with Memorial Day Deals

May 25, 2010
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I was scanning the supermarket fliers from the two grocery stores in my town, something I always do before I grocery shop. For the first time ever, the stores had comparable–if not exactly the same–prices on many of the items I keep on my master grocery list. Then it dawned on me: what I like to buy is synonymous with Memorial Day get togethers. This includes chicken breasts for grilling, watermelons for slicing and enjoying ,and condiments for using on sandwiches that you might serve at a BBQ.

So, though I did a post earlier this month on May’s steals and deals, I wanted to remind you that this is the week to stock up on anything that is remotely related to Memorial Day–and which you’ll likely find on sale between now and Friday at the supermarket. I mean, the frugal way to food shop is to stock up when stuff is cheap so you don’t have to spend more later.

In my neck of the woods, some of the items marked down for Memorial Day include:

  • Chicken breast (on sale for $1.79/pound)
  • Ketchup and mustard ($.79 a bottle)
  • Hamburger and hot dog buns ($1 per package)–bread is also on sale for this crazy good price
  • Baked beans (prices vary)
  • Watermelon (about $4 for a 16-pound one, seedless, too)

The last time the supermarket had chicken breasts on sale ($1.99/pound, sold in five-pound packs), I bought about 30 pounds of chicken. I have one package left in the freezer, which I plan to defrost and marinate tomorrow and serve for dinner. So this timing is perfect for me to re-up my supplies of chicken breast and I love that it will be at a cheaper price, too.

What about you? What do you plan to stock up on this week, to take advantage of Memorial Day sales and so you can use it in your meal planning, long after Memorial Day has passed?

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5 Financial Suggestions for Surviving Kids’ Sports

May 23, 2010
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This past weekend had at least two members of our family at a basketball tournament. Last weekend it was volleyball.

If you have kids like I do who play sports, then you know that your weekends and free time are often spent shuttling kids to games, practices and tournaments. And in the process you could be shelling out tons of money. That’s why I’ve come up with ways to save not only my family money but, in the case of my daughter’s basketball team, for which I am the manager, the team money, too. Here are my 5 tips:

  1. Bring your own Gatorade. At every tournament we’ve been to, Gatorade costs $1.50 to $2 per bottle. Play four games in a weekend and for that money, you could have bought a couple of 12 packs of Gatorade or your favorite sports drink. (We favor the G2 drink, since it is lower in calories.) That’s why whenever sports drinks are on sale at the supermarket, I stock up and then grab a few and go on sports mornings.
  2. See about discount admission fees. The one thing I hate about the basketball tournaments that we attend is that they charge the parents to come into the gym. Then again my high school does this with varsity sports, so I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. However, our school district started a discount program, whereby if you bought 10 tickets to any upcoming varsity game, they gave you two tickets for free (or something like that). In addition, some of the two-day tournaments we attend will give you a discounted admission fee if you pay for both Saturday and Sunday upfront. (They usually give you those wristbands you get at amusement parks.)
  3. Ask if you can get a team discount. This is a discount you should ask about when you register for the tournament itself. For example, the last tournament our team (and the three others from our school) attended, you got a $20-per-team discount for registering three or more teams. When I registered those same four teams for this past weekend’s tournament, there was no mention of a discount for registering multiple teams. So I asked. And we got $150 knocked off the total registration fee, which we could put back into the teams’ funds.
  4. Plan to picnic with your team. Again, like the Gatorade, buying your lunch at a sporting event or going out to eat with the team can get pricey and fast. Last year, with my daughter’s basketball team, we made a picnic schedule, and two families took each day of the tournament. They brought bread, fixings for sandwiches, drinks and fruit. The weekend that it was my turn to contribute to the picnic lunch, I think I spent $20 or $25 on supplies. That may seem like a lot of money for a single day but if that’s all I had to spend on lunches for the whole season, that’s a good deal to me.
  5. Look into hand-me-down uniforms. My daughter started playing on her AAU basketball team three years ago, and this season was the first to have had girls “graduate” from the program. (Our league ages out in middle school.) Some of the incoming, new-to-us families were smart to ask if any of the “graduates” would mind handing down their uniforms to save those new families the cost of buying one. I think a couple of people were able to take advantage of this opportunity and offered the folks a nominal fee to cover the hand me down. So while they still spent some money on uniforms, they spend a lot less than they would have, had they bought the uniforms new. (My daughter had a growth spurt last year and needs new shorts so she isn’t out on the court, playing in Daisy Duke’s; I’m thinking of checking in with one of the graduate families myself to get replacement shorts.)

What are some of the ways that you save money at or for your kids’ sporting events–or on teams you play on yourself?

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Freebie Friday (May 21-27, 2010)

May 20, 2010
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Hoping to put together some awesome Memorial Day freebies for you for next weekend. In the meantime enjoy this week’s Freebie Friday roundup.

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How to Talk Money When the Kids Move Back In

May 19, 2010
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It isn’t just the boomerang generation that’s moving back in with their parents after college. In this day and age, many family members are moving back in together to make everything affordable for all involved. And when you put related adults under one roof–after they’ve lived apart–well, things could get dicey, especially when it comes to money.

To the rescue is Susan Newman’s new book Under One Roof Again: All Grown Up and (Re)learning to Live Together Happily(Globe Pequot, 2010).

“Money questions can either be a constant thorn or a non-issue in the relationship, depending on the family’s financial circumstances and, more importantly, the agreements you work out,” she says. “Whether your new housemates are your son and his children, your in-laws, a wealthy parent, a jobless sibling, or your penniless college graduate, once you’ve made a plan, drop the money discussions.”

Here are four tips from Newman on how to discuss the ever-sensitive topic of money, if you happen to find yourself in this situation:

  1. Talk through money difficulties early on and reach reasonable agreements so that dollars-and-cents conversations can fade into the background.
  2. Keep money issues in the family. Don’t discuss your family’s financial agreements with your boyfriend or book club.
  3. Don’t allow money to define or dominate the relationship.
  4. Separate money problems from other problems you may have with your relatives.
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3 Ways Twitter Can Save You Time and Money

May 18, 2010
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Signed up for Twitter yet? In case you don’t know Twitter is the microblogging social media site where you post messages that are 140 characters or less. These are called tweets.

I’ve been on Twitter for about three years now, and I definitely go hot and cold on it from time to time, as far a social networking or just plain chatting goes. But as far as being a frugal consumer, Twitter is a life saver. OK, it’s actually a money- and time-saver. How? Let me fill you in on a few things.

So many companies have set up shop on Twitter to deal with customer service that you can often get a question answered or a problem solved faster via Twitter than calling an 800 number. Even better? Because of Twitter I’ve been able to save money. Here are three examples of how I’ve done that and you can, too.

1. Got a refund on a clothing return. When it comes to buying shoes, I have a hard time, because I have hard-to-fit feet. Since driving to Nordstrom (which carries shoes that fit me, albeit expensive shoes that fit me) isn’t always convenient, I’ve turned to Zappos.com many times for shoe purchases. I just love that Zappos offers free shipping on orders and returns. Most recently I bought a pair of metallic flats from Zappos–and then tweeted about how much I loved the shoes when they arrived. @Zappos_Service started following me on Twitter, and we had a nice little chat about my shoes. Two days later those some flats had stretched out so much that they were flying off my feet. I tweeted my disappointment, and @Zappos_Service told me what I needed to do to get a refund: simply tell the customer-service person I called on the phone that I’d spoken with the Zappos person on Twitter and he/she/it had assured me that I could get my money back in full. “Normally, we don’t give refunds for shoes that have been worn,” the operator told me when I called later that day, “but since you dealt with our people on Twitter, I’ll credit you for the full amount.” Cha-ching! $68 back on my credit card.

2. Follow people who post links to coupons. I can’t even begin to count how much I’ve saved on grocery shopping, thanks to the people I follow on Twitter who posts links to coupons. Some of these people make it their business to share couponing information, such as @couponmom. But other folks I follow just want to share the wealth–or the savings, as the case may be–by sharing links to coupons. And I’ll often follow those links, print out those coupons and bring them with me when I go shopping.

3. Find special savings’ codes from companies you like. Big travel companies, such as Hertz and Marriott, are on Twitter, and they will often post Twitter-specific codes in their tweets that you can use to save money when booking a reservation. I know restaurants and stores also run these kinds of Twitter promotions. So here’s what I would suggest you do: find all of the companies that you favor or locations that you’re hoping to visit, and start following tweets related to them. Then, hopefully, you’ll start reaping the financial benefits of their super-secret sale tweets or something like that. (Check out how this one guy save $600 on a vacation.)

Let me know if you’ve found clever ways to save money via Twitter, too.

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7 Travel Essentials You Can Find in Your Trash

May 18, 2010
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I’m all about finding creative ways to reuse items on my quest to live frugally. I know I get that from my mother, who still saves plastic containers that something store-bought came in so she can reuse them for storage. Take one look at my rag bins and you’ll see I have a hard time getting rid of anything that could help me clean my house–for free.

This way of looking at things is why this tip sheet from IndependentTraveler.com caught my eye. (This site is devoted to providing tips and practical advice for travelers.) It’s all about taking items you might have thrown out and making them work as travel or packing accessories. Here are their 7 ways to turn trash into a travel essential:

Trash: Old Pillowcase
Travel Essential: Travel Laundry Bag or Shoe Bag
Don’t throw away old pillowcases — travel supply stores sell similar sacks and pouches for $10 or more. Use your old pillowcase as dirty laundry bags or shoe bags. (You know from my recent post on reusing pillowcases that I love this idea.) Secure the top with rubber bands if you want some closure.

Trash: Old Wallet
Travel Essential: Dummy Travel Wallet
Hang on to your worn-out wallet, and use it as a decoy when you’re traveling. Keep most of your money and credit cards in a second “real” wallet or money belt, and then put some small bills in the dummy wallet. If you run into thieves in a foreign land, throw the criminals your dummy wallet, and make a quick getaway.

Trash: Bubble Wrap
Travel Essential: Protective Wine Bottle Sleeve
To protect packed bottles from breakage, travel supply companies sell protective sleeves that retail for around $10, but you can easily make your own. Put a bottle of wine on that sheet of bubble wrap that has been hanging around in your closet. Fold over the bubble wrap so it covers the wine. Cut the wrap to fit the wine, and staple the side and bottom, leaving an opening at the top.

Trash: Sheet/Bedding Packaging
Travel Essential: Case Organizer
Most comforters, sheets and pillow cases are sold in sturdy, rectangular, clear, plastic casings. These casings, which are quite durable and usually have a zipper, closely resemble “packing cubes” — zippered containers, which cost around $20 for a set and help travelers organize luggage. (You could also reuse these in your carry on to hold any of your liquids or other items that might cause a problem when you go through security.)

Trash: Egg Carton Tray
Travel Essential: Jewelry Box/Disguise

A half-dozen egg carton tray makes a good travel jewelry box that doesn’t appear enticing to thieves and protects your jewelry during your travels. The plastic container in which wet wipes are sold also makes a handy jewelry box, without the separate compartments.

Trash: Nylons
Travel Essential: Mesh Bag, Luggage Spotter, Laundry Line…
You can use old nylons to bind up a broken suitcase, to tie around your luggage for easy identification at baggage claim, to use as a laundry line in your bathroom or to use for washing delicate items (instead of a mesh bag).

Trash: Yogurt Container
Travel Essential: Tie Protector
Save $7, and make your own tie protector. Roll up a tie, and pop it in the empty pot to prevent it from getting creased in your case. Just make sure you wash the container thoroughly. (This assumes you buy large yogurt containers with actual tops to them. The smaller ones, with the foil top, probably wouldn’t work well in this regard.)

What about you? What kind of creative uses do you find for things when you pack?

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5 Ways Not to End Up a Statistic on Memorial Day

May 16, 2010
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Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial beginning of summer and, as I know from a trip one May weekend a few years ago with my daughter, a busy time for emergency rooms nationwide. (The triage nurse congratulated me for getting to the ER before sundown, because it seems that after dark is when most of the accidents that lead to ER trips occur.)

So that you don’t end up a statistic on Memorial Day weekend, I thought you would be interested in these five tips from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) on how to stay safe and healthy over the holiday weekend. (Full disclosure: I used to write for the ACEP magazine Vital Care, which folded last year.)

Tip 1: Food Safety — To avoid food poisoning, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recommends cooking fresh poultry to 165 degrees, hamburgers to 160 degrees and beef to at least 145 degrees. Refrigerate all perishable food within 2 hours, 1 hour if the temperature outside is above 90 degrees. To guard against cross-contamination of bacteria, keep uncooked meats away from other foods. (Here is a link to a story I wrote for Vital Care on just this topic--avoiding food poisoning.)

Tip 2: Grill Safety — Emergency physicians see firsthand the dangers associated with an outdoor grill. Consumers should thoroughly clean a grill of any grease or dust. Check the tubes leading into the burner for any blockages from insects or food grease that can cause an uncontrolled fire. Replace any connectors which can lead to a gas leak and keep lighted cigarettes, matches or open flames away from a leaking grill. Do not use a grill in a garage, breezeway, carport and porch or near any surface that can catch fire. Also, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions that accompany the grill. (Personal note: be very, very careful when using one of those automatic lighter “guns,” which can get very, very hot and cause a very, very bad burn if you accidentally put the very, very hot tip against your arm. Ask me to see my scar sometime.)

Tip 3: Water Safety — To prevent drowning, avoid alcohol when swimming or boating. Wear a life jacket whenever you are on a boat. Make sure young children are supervised at all times when near the beach, on a boat, or by a pool or hot tub. Don’t swim alone or in bad weather. Learn to swim and teach your children to swim. We also recommend that you learn CPR in case of an emergency.

Tip 4: Sun Safety — Protect against sunburn and heat stroke. Wear sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 or higher and apply it generously throughout the day. Wear a hat outdoors and a good pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes. Drink plenty of water, especially when in the sun or if you are sweating heavily. If you feel faint or nauseous, get into a cool place immediately.

Tip 5: Travel Safety — Do not drink and drive or travel with anyone who has been drinking. Wear your seat belt at all times. Make sure your vehicle has been properly serviced and is in good working shape before a long road trip. Familiarize yourself with your surroundings if you are in an unfamiliar place and know where the nearest emergency room is to you at all times in case of an emergency.

I pay $50 co-pay for a trip to the ER–cheap by market standards, I realize, but a cost I would like to avoid at all costs. I hope that you are able to follow this advice and not only stay healthy on this upcoming holiday weekend but also not end up spending money on accidents or illnesses you could have avoided.

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Freebie Friday (May 14-20, 2010)

May 13, 2010
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A few freebies to get your weekend started.

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4 Ways to Shop for Prom on the Cheap

May 12, 2010
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Prom outfit secured entirely at a thrift store.

Prom is right around the corner, and in today’s economy, not every teen–or parent–has the cash to spring for a pricey outfit. That’s where thrift-store shopping comes in–especially if you can find a store in an upscale area. You may be able to secure a high-end, special-occasion dress for a low-end price.

For those who are new to the thrifting scene, here are four tips to enhance your shopping experience this prom season:

1.  Know what you’re looking for. Thrift shopping can be overwhelming and sometimes a challenge to find exactly what you need. However, if you have a good idea of what you want in advance, it can cut down on the time it takes to rummage through the racks, capitalizing on the eyeball method while shopping.

2.  Keep an eye out for the quality brands. They do exist. And best of all, they’re affordable. You may need to take a little extra time to really dig in, but if you’re patient enough, there is plenty of high-class clothing hiding in thrift stores.

3. Talk to the sales associates; they can be a great resource for information. If you’re looking for a specific item, it can’t hurt to ask an employee to keep an eye out for you, especially if you’ve been a regular in the store the past couple weeks. The employees may get busy and forget with all the items that come through their doors, but they may just remember your specific item next time you come in.

4. Shop often. Thrift stores like Savers gets new merchandise on a daily basis and introduces new items to the floor regularly. What isn’t there one day may very well be the next. Persistency can pay off in big ways.

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5 Financial Tips for College Grads

May 11, 2010
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Many college grads are about to become responsible for themselves financially, but who knows if they are ready for the challenges of finding work, sticking to a budget, furnishing an apartment and managing student loan payments.

To the rescue: today’s guest post, courtesy of Dan O’Malley, CEO of PerkStreet Financial, a progressive online bank that offers debit card rewards. Here are his five financial tips for college grads.

  1. Student loans: First thing to consider is how many student loans you have. If you are able to consolidate multiple loans with a single-loan provider, you can often get a lower interest rate. Some lenders also offer discounted interest rates for setting up automatic payments. Once you’ve secured all the discounts you can get, you’ll need to decide how much you are able to pay down your debt each month. According to the College Board, in 2007 the average debt per borrower was $22,700. And loans typically range from 10-30 years, depending on type and amount. It’s important to figure out how much you can pay off given your paycheck. Consider different scenarios on payment amounts to determine how much interest you can save by paying a little more on your loan each month.
  2. Using credit: Credit cards make spending money easy and therefore lead to more spending. A Dunn & Bradstreet study showed that people spend 12-18% more when paying with a credit card. Switching to debit only can help keep you aware of spending, and some debit cards even offer rewards, such as the ones that PerkStreet street offers and which give 2% cash back. If you still choose to use a credit card, make sure to pay off your balance on time each month.
  3. Finding your first apartment: Moving into your own place is exciting, especially if you’re finally moving out of a dorm or leaving a place that had too many roommates. But it’s important to bear in mind all the costs. Beyond the obvious things, such as rent and utilities, there are other less obvious costs. For example, there’s the question of transportation. If you’re looking at a place near public transportation, that could mean you won’t need a car, which could save you $5,600 annually–the amount 25-34 year olds spend on car-related costs.
  4. New vs. used car: This is all about depreciation. When you purchase a new car, you pay a heavy price for that new car smell. Let’s say you decided to purchase a Ford Focus for the list price of $16,290. Edmunds calculates that in your first year the car would depreciate $3,400 and $9,000 over the first 5 years. With a used car you’re still going to have depreciation, but by avoiding the first year of ownership, you save a fair amount. Buying that Ford used will result in the first 5 years depreciation coming to $6,000. That saves you $3,000. Is that new car smell worth three grand? Another option: many cities now have car share programs that let you drive a car when you need it for a reasonable monthly subscription fee plus mileage. This way you have a car when you need it, avoid paying maintenance costs and don’t need to rent a space in a garage.
  5. Save early, compound often: Carving out money to save is good and is a habit that once you start, you’ll benefit from for as long as you keep it up. Say you invested $10,000 when you turn 21, make no other deposits and get a constant rate of return of 7%. When you retire you’d have $196,000 in the bank. But if you wait until 35 to start? You’d have only $76,000 in the bank. Ouch! You’d be leaving $120,000 on the table because you missed out on all those early years of interest.
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Steals and Deals in May: The Video

May 10, 2010
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Here is the video version of yesterday’s post, which grew out of my appearance on Monday on the “10! Show” on NBC10 in Philadelphia. (Looks like I’ll be going back in June to do another segment!)

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Steals and Deals in May

May 10, 2010
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April showers may bring may flowers but May also brings along some pretty good deals in the stores. Here are five categories where you’re likely to find a bargain if you go shopping this month:

1. Athletic equipment/sports clothing
May happens to be National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Plus, during May there are tons of road races and other athletic events going on. So it’s no surprise that during May, you can often get great deals on athletic equipment and workout gear, including clothing. Champion clothing, for example, has marked down all kinds of its workout clothing, including yoga pants that are more than 50% off. It’s a great time to stock up.

2. Spring clothing for kids and adults
Believe it or not, camp is right around the corner–feels like I just got finished registering my own kids for summer camp. But soon enough I’ll need to stock up on camp gear. Starting tomorrow (May 12), Down 2 Earth Kids in Lafayette Hill is offering 20% off all camp essentials. From camp logo sweatshirts to laundry bags to blankets, sheets, stationary, tanks, and shorts, you can get it all marked down to a lower price. I like that.

Even if your kids are too little to go to camp, you can still find them stylish yet budget-friendly clothing, such as the new Kidgets private label line from Family Dollar stores. I checked out some of these adorable outfits and they look and feel just like the stuff you would buy at Gap or Gymboree, but for a lot less.

Finally, women’s spring clothing is also starting to get marked down to make way for summer duds. Last week I went into Dressbarn to take advantage of their “buy two dresses, get $10 off” promotion. (I wore my new dress and cardigan on today’s “10! Show” segment. It’s on May steals and deals, and I’ll post the video later.) I saw many dresses that could easily work as a frugal bridesmaid option, for brides with a wedding party on a budget!

3. Vacuum cleaners
Miele vacuums never go on sale but for the month of May they are extending their Earth Day promotion. Bring in your old vacuum cleaner and depending on its condition, you’ll get anywhere from $50 to $100 off a new Miele vacuum cleaner and the store will recycle your old vacuum for free or refurbish it and donate it to charity. These are the vacuum cleaners sold at the mom-and-pop vacuum stores–that’s where I go to stock up on vacuum cleaner bags. Vacuum cleaner prices start at $289. You’re likely to find vacuum cleaners from other brands on sale at big-box stores nationwide.

4. Grilling and BBQ supplies
With Memorial Day around the corner you would think stores would be marking stuff up for backyard barbecues. But now is actually the best time of the year to stock up on everything you need for BBQ–from grilling tools and supplies to condiments and fun summer toys. Stores like TJ Maxx and Marshall’s have these supplies at half of what you would pay at a regular department store. As far as grills themselves go, we just got a great deal on grill at Sears by buying the floor model–it was about $90. Remember that tip: when in doubt, buy the floor model. It may be a bit dinged, but it’s going to be way cheaper than the grill (or other appliance) that’s still in the box.

5. House paint and other weekend projects
Also for Memorial Day, people tend to use that weekend to do around-the-house projects. So stores like Lowe’s run promotions. In fact, at Lowe’s you’ll find low prices on everything you need for painting your house–from blue tape to red paint trays (I picked up a few over the weekend)–and you can get $5 back when you buy Valspar Signature Colors Paint or Olympic Premium Paint. (Check the dates at your local Lowe’s store for when this rebate is running.) We love Lowe’s. It’s where we bought our Kraftmaid cabinets when we redid our kitchen!

Now if I could just find a deal on a new front door, that would make my May complete!

Please note: Companies occasionally send product for me to consider when writing posts like this or making TV appearances. Whenever possible I ship product back after I’m done with it.

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5 Ways to Fight a Spring Chill

May 9, 2010
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The wacky weather is at it again. After feeling like summer last week, the thermometer is reading like fall/almost winter.

I’m sitting here in long pants, long sleeved shirt and a down vest, typing this blog post. Yet I refuse to turn the heat back on. I feel like we’ve passed that threshold of needing heat and can only consider the air conditioning on really hot days. Nonetheless, everyone in our house was freezing today. So what’s a frugal family to do? Here are five ways we’re fighting this spring chill:

1. Dress in layers. Sounds so simple yet people often forget that the more layers you put on, the warmer you’ll be. And it’s important to layer your core (you know where those six-pack abs should be? Yeah, that’s your core). All winter long I live in Gap undershirts under my regular clothing, and now that the mercury has plummeted once again, I’m back to my undershirts.

2. Throw open your shades and sit in the sun. You don’t have to go outside to sit in the sun–might be too chilly for that. But there’s nothing stopping you from opening the shades or curtains on your windows, and warming yourself up in a pool of warm sunlight. There’s a reason you find cats and dogs napping in these spots–they’re onto something when it comes to keeping warm.

3. Boil up some hot tea, cocoa or coffee. The date on the calendar may say it’s time for iced coffee, tea or some other cold drink. But when you’re chilled to the bone, as I was this past weekend, there’s nothing like a cup of a hot beverage to warm you up. Now that we’ve got our kitchen back and functioning, I was able to dig out a teapot and put it to good use.

4. Get moving. A day that’s too cold to go outdoors is the perfect day to stay indoors and get something done. Once you get moving, you’ll warm up. Just vacuuming or sweeping the floor may be all you need to get your blood flowing, and I’ll bet that after 10 minutes of activity, you won’t be cold at all.

5. Find someone or something to cuddle and snuggle with. You could put your warm, furry friend on your lap, or snuggle up with your significant other on the couch. Your body heat will work together to keep you guys warm, and it’s a lovely way to spend time together, too.

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A Different Kind of Freebie

May 6, 2010
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Enjoy this free video from my friend and fellow author Jen Singer, creator of MommaSaid.net. It encourages moms to trust their gut:

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3 Off-Beat Ways to Package a Gift

May 4, 2010
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Recently, my daughter’s soccer coach and math teacher (she’s the same person) did my daughter a favor, and I told her that I would have my daughter make her cookies as a thank you. I think the teacher thought we were kidding, but that night I had my daughter bake a dozen chocolate chip cookies.

The next morning we were running around, trying to figure out what to put the cookies in, since a plastic bag seemed too ho hum and all the cookie tins I had were festive holiday and so wrong for giving a teacher gift. Instead, I dug into my school supply box (the place where I stockpile school supplies after I find them on sale) and pulled out an empty, unused plastic pencil box.

And voila, instant gift box for cookies for the teacher.

This got me thinking about other off-beat ways I like to package gifts, some of which I’ve discussed on the blog here.

  • Put the gift in a reusable shopping bag. At $.99 each these reusable shopping bags are a bargain compared with the disposable and traditional gift bags. So why not go green and save yourself some green by using this very practical gift-holding solution.
  • Find a basket you can use. It’s so easy to wrap up a housewarming gift in a cloth napkin inside a basket. Like school supplies I stockpile baskets that I can get dirt cheap, and either use them as props when I do a product table on TV or as the aforementioned gift holder.
  • Transform something practical. I really love this idea of using a plastic pencil box to hold a teacher gift, and I think I’ll tap into this next year when giving gifts at the holidays.

What about you? What are some off-beat ways you like to package a gift?

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Thanksgiving in May

May 3, 2010
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Forget Christmas in July. Around these parts we’re having Thanksgiving in May.

You see last November I had accumulated enough points at my local grocery store to qualify for a free turkey. However, since I was not hosting Thanksgiving that year, I didn’t actually need to cook the turkey right away. So I got the free turkey and put it in the freezer.

Fast forward six months and I was reading a great article in a magazine about getting yourself organized. One piece of advice was to create a list of everything you had in your freezer and post it on the freezer door. This would help you to meal plan based on what you’ve already got frozen, which should help you save money in the long run. While inventorying the freezer, I found the turkey.

Lucky for us not too much time has passed–according to the USDA, you can safely freeze a whole, uncooked turkey for up to one year. I’d actually thought that this number was closer to six months, which is why you found us cooking a Thanksgiving turkey this weekend.

We’ve got lots of plans for working that turkey into meal plans this week. Today, I might make turkey salad, by chopping the meat, and adding mayonnaise, chopped celery and dried cranberries, and serving it as sandwiches. On Wednesday, Cinco de Mayo, we’ll likely have shredded turkey tacos to celebrate the day. And one night we may have a traditional Thanksgiving-like dinner, with warm turkey, canned cranberries I have leftover from the fall (canned goods last for years) and cooked vegetables.

Do you have anything sitting in your freezer that you ought to work into your meal plans this month before it goes bad? Let me know what you find and how you ended up using it.

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