Another Way to Get Money for Your Stuff

There are a few ways that you can turn unwanted “stuff” into money. Yard sales, consignment stores, and eBay are all popular options. Today I decided to look at another way to turn “stuff” into cash. Well, not really cash, but Amazon.com gift cards. I consider those to be rather valuable because you can buy pretty much anything that you could want or need on Amazon.com. Amazon.com offers a trade in program where you can send in items from a handful of categories – books, movies, video games, and electronics – and receive Amazon.com gift cards in return. This is … Continue reading

Three Quick Money Saving Ideas

There are many ways that people can save themselves some money on things that they use every day. Today, I came across a few simple things that you can do if any of the situations involved are relevant to products or services that you use in your day to day life. The more quick and simple ways that you can find to save a little here and there, the faster your savings will add up. If you pay an annual fee for a credit card, why not take a little time to look around online and see whether there is … Continue reading

Six Ways to Save Money on Makeup

Looking good really doesn’t have to cost a fortune… though you might not know it from walking the beauty counters at a department store, or a specialty makeup store. Talk about sticker shock! (Some of those places need to keep smelling salts by the door to revive folks after they faint from looking at prices!) It’d be easy to say: skip the makeup entirely and save a ton of cash. But sometimes, a touch of makeup is the icing on the cake! The cake is pretty good already, but frosting goes the extra mile into stunning. If wearing makeup makes … Continue reading

Home Blog Month in Review: October

As I sit here looking out my window at the backyard, the birds are hovering in the pine tree against a strong wind and steady rain. The temperature is chilly today, and the calendar reminds me that we have left October behind. October 1st Buy a Home for $1.75 It seems that the housing crisis has made some interesting news lately. Home Month in Review: September 2008 Has the weather turned cooler now that September has passed? Pretty soon, it will be time to get that heat turned back on! Meanwhile, check out all of the articles that were posted … Continue reading

Save Money on Butter

Butter can be one of the most expensive staples in the refrigerator. we tend to use a lot of butter in our household, so much so that we have labeled ourselves the “Buttertons,” just as in that margarine commercial. We eat pretty healthy elsewhere and are of a good weight, so I am not yet too concerned about the extra fat and calories of butter. I am concerned, however, at the increasing cost of butter. So here are some ways I am trying to save on butter. The first and most obvious way to save on butter is to use … Continue reading

How I Saved Money By Meal Planning

As I mentioned in the previous article, I have spent the greater part of this year utilizing meal planning to help stay more organized and save some extra cash. I was able to show you yesterday, that I did indeed begin saving money after practicing meal planning. And here is how I did it each month, what it included and my own brief review of each month. Month 1: $543 (average out to about $18/day in food) This was when I realized we obviously had a huge problem with food spending. I knew we had a large family, but there … Continue reading

The Three Biggest No No’s People Do With Their Photographs

There are so many things that people do with their photographs or have done with their photographs in the past, that sincerely make me cringe. Of course, it is not just me that is cringing. The people who are dedicated to archival quality of photographs are cringing too. These three no-no’s are so common, it is scary. Please avoid these three horrible ideas at all costs. Marking the Photograph Do not, I repeat, do not mark on the back of your photograph with anything other than a photo pencil that has been created and designed to keep your photographs safe. … Continue reading

Frugal Back to School Ideas

Back to school time is rapidly approaching and for many, it is already here. Not only can this time be extremely stressful, but it can put a huge damper in your family budget. Supplies, clothing and other items needed for school are expensive and can add up, even when you think you are shopping at sales or getting a good deal with a coupon. Here are some great articles that will help with your back to school needs. Frugal Places to Shop For School Supplies As I mentioned yesterday, my children go back to school on Thursday, which just seems … Continue reading

How Small Temptations Can Ruin Your Budget

Sometimes it’s not the big expenses that shatter your resolve to save money, it is the small temptations that will get you. It is those small temptations that I, personally, most have to guard against. For example, although my husband and I often like to stop at the Apple store and look at the iPads whenever a new one is released, we aren’t in danger of purchasing one any time soon. It just doesn’t make that much sense to spend that much money when our emergency fund isn’t, well, as fully funded as we would like and we still owe … Continue reading

Don’t Pay Too Much For Car Insurance

You already know that safe driving can score you a discount on your car insurance. Unfortunately, accidents can and do happen. The good news is that there are plenty of other things that you can do to keep your car insurance costs in check. For example, when you do your annual comparison shopping for car insurance, ask for quotes to insure all of your household’s vehicles. You do comparison shop for car insurance annually, don’t you? Insurance companies offer better rates when more than one vehicle and/or driver is insured. Some companies may even be able to meet your other … Continue reading