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Archive for October, 2009
Saturday, October 31st, 2009
Jai and I at the Roloff Farms pumpkin patch last year
I hope everyone has a spooktacular Halloween today! If you’re looking for some frightfully frugal and fun Halloween ideas, I recommend this article over at The Dollar Stretcher. However you spend the day, have a ghoulishly good time!
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Friday, October 30th, 2009
Today’s guest post comes to us from Kristie of This Side of Eternity!
 About Kristie:
My name is Kristie and I am a homeschooling mom who is Saving Dollars and Sense by bringing you all the best deals, coupons, freebies, giveaways, and ideas that I can find on This Side of Eternity, and looking to serve the King in all I do.
One of the main areas of our budget that I have been able to scale back on considerably is our grocery budget. I should probably tell you up front that I would not expect anyone to stick to the budget we have set in place for our family at this time which is $200 a month. My husband has been out of work on and off for about a year now, so it has been necessary for us to change our shopping habits.
While I would have only bought organic all natural peanut butter or meats a year ago, I have had to adjust my thinking on these things since my husband has been out of work. My suggestion is to cut costs wherever it is possible.
There is always room for improvement.
Here are some of the easiest ways to cut your grocery bill quickly.
1. Stock up when something is on sale. There are things that we use regularly like ketchup. When I can find ketchup on sale and free with a coupon, I’ll pick up several. This saves me from spending unnecessarily on something when we run out while there is no sale.
2. Always buy marked downs. I rarely buy meat or bread unless it is on markdown. You can ask your grocer when they regularly do mark downs for the best selection. My Meijer seems to do this on Friday mornings. I plan my menus around what I find on mark down instead of planning my menu first and looking for meats after to save.
3. Learn to use coupons. I cannot tell you how important it is to use coupons. I purchase 2 papers each Sunday just for the coupons inside. I save way more that the cost of 2 papers, so it is totally worth it for me. There are also several places online to get coupons as well.
4. Make a list. But, more importantly, stick to the list! I use to make a list, but once I got to the store I would see other things that I wanted and add them to the cart thinking its only a dollar. But, can I just say that those dollars add up quickly and you’ll leave the register wondering how you spent so much more money that you had planned on spending.
5. Leave a little room. If I know that I have $50 for my weekly grocery budget, am not going to spend every single cent while planning out my list. The reason for this is that there are always great mark downs that when matched with the right coupon will be practically free. If you don’t leave yourself a couple dollars you won’t be able to take advantage of these situations which will save you money down the road.
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Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Today we have another guest post from Layla of Coupon Journey!
 About Layla:
I’m a 30 year old mother to one kitty, married and living in NC. I was layed off last year and had to resort to using coupons to survive. Fast forward 1 year, and I can’t believe I still have a roof over my head and am thankful that I stumbled into the world of couponing. My blog, Coupon Journey, chronicles my journeys to find the best deals around. I also host reviews and giveaways and am celebrating my 6 month birthday of blogging this month, by hosting many giveaways through October 31st.
Has anyone heard of Groupon? Well, basically, every day they feature a great…wait, FANTASTIC deal in select cities for huge discounts on anything from food to events! These coupons, or should I say, Groupons, are sold to a group of people who sign up before midnight each day. Once the number of people required to sign up is reached, the deal is closed.
You will not get charged UNTIL the limit of people has been reached, so if you go to purchase a Groupon and by midnight not enough people have purchased the Groupon, the deal dies. A great way to get the word out is to call your friends to sign up too, to make sure enough people sign up.
After enough people sign up for that deal, the next day you will receive an email giving you all the details and a printable link for the deal. The best part about this is that each Groupon has a different expiration date, so you don’t HAVE to use it on a certain date!
Right now they only have 17 cities, all major cities within the U.S., but they are expanding! Please come to NC!!!
Anyways, if you would like more information or to check out today’s Groupon in your city, check out their site HERE.
This would be a great site to bookmark if you live in any of the cities listed, and be sure to stop by every day to check out the new Groupon of the day!!
This post originally appeared on Coupon Journey on August 10th, 2009.
Posted in Guest Posts | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for a special announcement:
I just got some incredibly exciting news today. I have been chosen as one of 16 finalists in the “Delicious Moments” ConAgra Foods contest on Facebook. The person who receives the most votes will win $10,000! Click here to vote for “Submitted by Beeb Ashcroft”. The photo shown above is a screenshot of my video. One vote per person. The voting period runs now through November 9th.
Thank you so much!!!!
Posted in Life | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
Today we have another guest post from Layla of Coupon Journey!
About Layla:
I’m a 30 year old mother to one kitty, married and living in NC. I was layed off last year and had to resort to using coupons to survive. Fast forward 1 year, and I can’t believe I still have a roof over my head and am thankful that I stumbled into the world of couponing. My blog, Coupon Journey, chronicles my journeys to find the best deals around. I also host reviews and giveaways and am celebrating my 6 month birthday of blogging this month, by hosting many giveaways through October 31st.
Has anyone used YouData? Well, I posted about this when I first started this blog, and wanted to let all you new readers know about it. Basically, you create a free account, here, and fill out 1 survey. They are trying to convince consumers like us that we should be the ones controlling our own data and selling our own attention, not third parties like broadcasters, newspapers, and spammers.
After you fill out the survey, click the Adgets tab or you can download the player onto your desktop. In the beginning, you will get alot of ads on the player (you never get spam, which I LOVE!!). I think I made about $6.00 up front. You just click the load button at the bottom of the adget, and a random website will show in the list. Then you can Click to Collect, and the website will open in a new window.
So for my 4 seconds of work, I can make about $0.10-0.15 for one ad. This doesn’t seem like alot, but for each ad, this adds up, those pennies have allowed me to purchase extra coupons from Ebay and other coupon clipping sites.
The one drawback was that I had to enter my social number, and my PayPal account information. I figured I would sign up since other notable bloggers had mentioned the program. I haven’t had a problem with it, and have even signed up for an account through my bank to monitor my social security number!
EVERY week, no matter how much you have in your YouData account, the money will be deposited into your PayPal account. I kid you not, I just got paid $0.02 earlier today.
You can also refer people, and get paid on their ads. I think that is why the $0.02 was the amount paid today. I just checked now, and collected $0.11 for another ad!
Anyways, if you are interested, check it out. Link to offer.
If you have any questions or concerns, you can use my contact form and I will be happy to walk anyone through it.
If for anything else, I maybe should have re-titled this post, FREE Money, because really, that is what it is!
This post originally appeared on Coupon Journey on August 21st, 2009.
Posted in Guest Posts | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
When you think of being frugal, “Taking a trip to the Caribbean” isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. But there are ways to save money on everything, and if you’re currently planning a Caribbean vacation, check out these tips from Melissa of BestTravelDeals.net – and if you do find a bargain basement fare, take me with you!!
 Tips for Finding the Best Bargains on Caribbean Vacation Packages
The Caribbean is an idyllic paradise that offers travelers the opportunity to soak up some sun, spend time on stunning beaches, enjoy water sports, and much more. Purchasing Caribbean vacation packages is typically the best and most affordable way to enjoy the region. It is not uncommon to find that a vacation package which includes airfare and hotel is cheaper than airfare alone. As such, the Caribbean is friendlier to package travelers than independent travelers, unlike other major vacation destinations.
A simple online search will yield a vast number of Caribbean vacation packages. However, to ensure that you get the best prices and the most value out of your trip, keep the following tips in mind.
Travel during the Off Season
May to mid-December is the best time to travel to the Caribbean. You can get discounts of up to 40 percent on standard hotel rates if you travel during the off season. Rock bottom prices can be had between June and August whereas May and September through December are considered the shoulder seasons.
Travel to Destinations Served by Multiple Airlines
When you travel to Caribbean destinations served by multiple airlines, you can get the best bargains. Some highly frequented destinations in the region that are served by multiple carriers include Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Nassau in the Bahamas.
Stay at All-Inclusive Resorts
By staying at all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, you can avoid sticker shock. There are all-inclusive resorts ranging from modest to luxurious in the Caribbean. Activities like water sports and local tours are sometimes included in packages offered by all-inclusive resorts.
Choose Packages for Islands That Are Known for Their Bargains
Islands that have the reputation of being budget-friendly and delivering the most bang for your buck include the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Eat Like the Locals
Instead of eating in all of the overpriced tourist joints, go to independent local restaurants near tourist areas. You can also try different types of local specialties at roadside food stands.
Use Public Transportation
Taxis are expensive in the Caribbean. Use public buses in order to save when you go from place to place during your vacation.
Check Online for Travel Deals
Sign up for email alerts on travel deals sites as well as resort and hotel email newsletters to keep up with the latest online bargains being offered. Some hotel chains claim to offer the best rates on their own websites.
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Monday, October 26th, 2009
Today’s guest poster is Layla of Coupon Journey! She shares a makeup deal currently running at E.L.F. – keep in mind that shipping starts around $6.00, but if you like this makeup, it might be a fun deal for you. And don’t forget that you can also get 4% cashback by shopping through Ebates!
About Layla:
I’m a 30 year old mother to one kitty, married and living in NC. I was layed off last year and had to resort to using coupons to survive. Fast forward 1 year, and I can’t believe I still have a roof over my head and am thankful that I stumbled into the world of couponing. My blog, Coupon Journey, chronicles my journeys to find the best deals around. I also host reviews and giveaways and am celebrating my 6 month birthday of blogging this month, by hosting many giveaways through October 31st.
Make any purchase from e.l.f. (yes, even a $1.00 lip gloss purchase) and you will also receive a FREE 27 piece mini makeup kit! Just make sure to enter code: LOYAL at checkout!
Hurry, this promo expires 11/13/09.
Free kit includes:
- 9 eye shadow shades
- 1 cream eye shadow shade
- 1 blush
- 1 bronzer
- 10 lip gloss shades
- 1 brow powder
- 1 eye liner pencil
- 1 dual ended eye shadow applicator and brush
- 1 face brush
- 1 lip brush
Purchase a $1.00 product to stuff in a stocking, and receive a FREE gift for yourself!
Enjoy!
This post originally appeared on Coupon Journey on October 15th, 2009.
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Sunday, October 25th, 2009
 Over the next week and a half, I’m going to be working behind the scenes on some exciting things for my blogs. Since I will be fully immersed in these projects, I have enlisted some fabulous bloggers to guest post in my place while I’m otherwise occupied. I will still be checking in periodically – I may not be able to respond to emails and comments right away, but I will get back to you as soon as possible. See you in November!
Posted in Guest Posts, Life | No Comments »
Saturday, October 24th, 2009
I mentioned recently that I just planted my second crop of garlic. Planting garlic was my first real foray into growing my own food, and I’ve been eager to do more of it – so I made some time last week to plant a few more fall crops.
 I bought these three seed packets because they are recommended for planting in the fall and are supposed to do well in cold coastal weather: Radishes, Fava Beans, and Corn Salad. The seeds cost a total of $5.57, which I count as part of my grocery budget. Since I’m just starting to experiment with gardening, I will let you know how much food I end up getting back for that $5!
We had wood left over from recent construction projects, so Jai and I built our own planter boxes from the scraps. This was an economical alternative to buying planters new, which can be expensive.
 The 2 bags of potting soil we purchased cost just under $20. I consider this a good investment, since I will be able to plant lots of other things in the soil once this initial crop is harvested.
 Here is the final product! I already have some plants starting to sprout:
 This has been a fun little experiment so far – I will keep you posted on my results!
Posted in Produce Deals | No Comments »
Friday, October 23rd, 2009
 Click here to sign up for a free “BeingGirl Sample Kit”. Not only does it contain samples of Tampax and Always products, but the kit I received also included a coupon for a free 18-count box of Always Infinity. Although the coupon is not mentioned on the sign-up page, many other bloggers have reported receiving the same thing, so it’s definitely worth signing up for.
Posted in Free coupons | No Comments »
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