Northern Cheapskate

Get a Free* All Heart Family Cookbook

2009-07-18T08:30:00.003-05:00

*Okay, so this isn't totally free.... but it sounds like a fabulous cookbook at a great deal!

Get a free copy of WomenHeart's All Heart Family Cookbook from Sara Lee with 6 proofs of purchase from either Sara Lee Hearty and Delicious or 45 Calories and Delightful bread products. You will also need to pay $3.95 for shipping and handling and fill out this form.

The WomenHeart's All Heart Family Cookbook currently costs $19.97 on Amazon and has gotten great reviews. The cookbook has 175 heart-healthy recipes designed with healthy foods that can help reduce, prevent or even reverse heart disease.

If you regularly buy Sara Lee products (I buy lots of this stuff at my Sara Lee Bakery Outlet for dirt cheap), then this book would be a great bargain. It could also make a nice gift for someone.

Offer expires 8/31/09 while supplies last. Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Free Kids Eyeglasses

2009-07-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

If you live in the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota, listen up: Free kids eyeglasses (frame and ultralight lenses) for kids 12 and under at Eye 35 Eyecare in Lakeville.

The eye exam must be done at Eye 35 Eyecare by Dr. Fontana or Dr. Bell, and they do take most kinds of insurance for the exam. They claim to have a great selection, too. Some restrictions apply, so ask an associate there for details.

This offer runs through the end of August, so be sure to sign up for an appointment soon. (Thanks to Kiera, for the tip!)

If you don't live in the Twin Cities area, and are still looking for affordable eyeware, try Zenni Optical. You can get frames for as little as $8 and while I haven't tried them myself, several friends and Money Saving Mom have said good things about them. It may be worth trying if you're on a tight budget!

5 Things to Buy Used

2009-07-16T12:35:00.000-05:00

I like new things as much as the next person. But I also recognize that there are plenty of great reasons to buy used items. The two best reasons: It's good for the environment and good for your wallet!

There are plenty of places to find used goods on the cheap: thrift stores, estate sales, garage sales, consignment shops, pawn shops, classified ads, online sites like craigslist, and kiiji, and ebay. And don't forget Freecycle, where you can get free stuff.

Fortunately there are plenty of things you can find used. Here's my list of top things to buy secondhand:

1) Furniture. Some of the best pieces of furniture I own were purchased from a secondhand shop. If it's survived one owner already, chances are it's built to last.

2) Books. You buy a book and read it once. Is that experience worth 16.95 or more??? If you simply must own books, pick them up at used book sales, garage sales, thrift stores or through a service like PaperBack Swap.

3) Holiday decor. I have many friends and relatives who go all out when it comes to decorating for the holidays. Keep your decorating costs down by checking out garage sales and thrift stores. You can find all kinds of cute linens, accessories and decorations to adorn your living space.

4) Kids clothing, toys and baby gear. Kids outgrow clothing so fast - sometimes they barely get to wear it before they're too big for it. Garage sales have the best prices, but check out your local consignment and thrift shops, too. When it comes to baby gear and toys - make sure everything is clean, in working order and has all the parts. Make sure the item hasn't been recalled, too!

5) Gag gifts. Some of the most memorable gifts are those that make the recipient laugh. watch for good joke gifts that will have your friends and family talking for awhile... but be careful what you buy - you just may get it back someday!

7 Painless (and Frugal) Ways to Go Green

2009-07-15T07:00:00.005-05:00

Going green and conserving our natural resources doesn't mean spending a lot of money.

Here are seven relatively painless and frugal ways to go green:

1) Switch to paperless statements and online billing. I pay nearly all of my bills online. You'll save hundreds of trees, not to mention the environmental costs of sending that snail mail.

2) Refuse a bag with purchase or use a reusable tote. I hate it when I go to store and buy one small thing and they try to give me a plastic bag. It's far easier to just grab the item, the receipt and go. You can also use a reusable tote and prevent all those plastic bags from ending up in landfills.

3) Walk or bike. Human power can save a great deal of pollutants from the atmosphere. And you never have to worry about the price of gas!

4) Make your own household cleaners. Household cleaners are cheaper to make and more environmentally friendly than those you buy in a store. Many of the best homemade cleaners are kid and pet friendly and do a good job, too.

5) Line dry your clothes. By hanging your clothes out to dry instead of using your dryer, you can save a ton of energy. And if you do a lot of laundry, that can add up to a big savings on your monthly utility bill.

6) Change your thermostat. Just adjusting your thermostat by a few degrees can yield huge energy savings.

7) Recycle. I'm not just talking about paper, plastic and aluminum. I'm talking about passing on things you don't need to folks who could use it (think Freecycle). I'm talking about taking an old pair of jeans and turning it into a quilt. You can save money by repurposing old things, and you can even make money by recycling things like aluminum cans.

Free Job Search Resources

2009-07-14T07:03:00.002-05:00

The following is a guest post written by Denise Felder. Denise is a Job Coach, Writer and Web Editor dedicated to empowering people to make positive career choices that better their lives and society.

Denise writes this post from a Minnesota-perspective - but pay attention, non-Minnesotans - there's good info here! You may find that your state has similar resources.

When you are unemployed or underemployed, saving money is a top priority. So why does it seem like so many essential parts of job searching cost money?

Professional resume writers. Private career coaches. Registration fees for workshops. Membership fees for professional associations. Beverages and meals at networking events. You could easily spend $100 before you get your first interview!

The frugal — and savvy — Minnesota job seeker know what to do to get essential job search help for free.

Resume and Interview Help
The purpose of your resume is to get you interviews. So if employers are not calling you (or you're getting calls for jobs you don't want), you need to redo your resume. Instead of trying to create a resume on your own, ask a job coach who can help you present your skills and experience in a way that will get employers to notice you.

A few nonprofit employment services in Minnesota that provide resume and job search assistance:

Employment Action Center
EAC has several locations, mostly in the Twin Cities. They offer resume, job placement, training and other services for women, youth, welfare-to-work participants, immigrants, dislocated workers and others.

HIRED
HIRED administers 70 programs to help adults, youth, people with disabilities, immigrants, veterans and others with employment and job training. They have more than 10 locations in the Twin Cities.

Lutheran Social Services
LSS has a lot of services for families, youth, older workers and people with disabilities, including financial counseling, adoption and foster care resources and housing. Their employment services are available to low-income job seekers across Minnesota.

Minnesota Resource Center — Duluth
Minnesota Resource Center — St. Cloud

Twin Cities Rise
Twin Cities Rise provides job training and empowerment classes for job seekers, primarily men from communities of color. Their skills development program is designed to lift people out of poverty and help them find fulfilling work.

WomenVenture
WomenVenture helps women to start or grow their own business, find a new job, or develop a new career path.

Community and Faith-Based Organizations
Minnesota is fortunate to be home to many social service agencies. There is probably a community center, church or adult education program near you that offers job search help. Any of them can connect you with resources and employer information for free or low cost.

Contact the United Way to find these resources:
·    Central MN: www.unitedwayhelps.org
·    Northeast MN: www.unitedwaynemn.org
·    Southwest MN: www.unitedwayswmn.org
·    West Central MN: www.unitedwaykc.org
·    Twin Cities: www.unitedwaytwincities.org

Minnesota WorkForce Centers
Minnesota WorkForce Centers are "one stop shops" that help people with all aspects of job searching and career planning. You can go to a WorkForce Center just to use their computers and phones to job search, attend their job search workshops, or talk with a job coach for specific help.

WorkForce Centers are managed by the state so their staff can connect you with the services, programs and resources you need to find fulfilling employment. They also have services for dislocated workers, people with disabilities, youth, older workers and veterans.

There are dozens of WorkForce Centers located across Minnesota. For more information about locations and services offered at WorkForce Centers: Call 1(888)GET JOBS or 1(888) 438-5627.

But Wait, There's More!
Like I said, Minnesota is home to too many valuable employment resources to name here. For a longer list of employment training programs, as well as services to help with child care, transportation and other support services, go to ISEEK.

If you know of any useful career development or job search resources (in-person or online), I'd love to hear about them. Send me a note on my blog at http://denisempls.wordpress.com/ or tweet at me: http://twitter.com/denisempls.

Keep looking up!

~ By Denise Felder

Earn Some Pocket Change with You Data

2009-07-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

I'm a big believer in the idea that little things can add up. I pick up pennies off the sidewalk and squeeze the last little bit of toothpaste out of the tube.

So I love the idea of YouData. YouData pays you for checking out websites targeted at your interests. It only takes a couple minutes a week, and the best part is, you get paid every Friday via Paypal.

Simply sign-up for YouData and enter some information about yourself in your "Me-File" (or profile). You Data will then show you websites or advertisements that you may be interested in based on your responses. You get paid for every website you visit. You can also earn additional funds for each person you refer to You Data.

All you need to collect your money is a PayPal account. You'll get paid every week you view the ads.

The money isn't a lot...I've made just over $20 in the last two months. But it only took me a few minutes of time, and I found some interesting websites, too. It's money I didn't have before and it didn't take any work to get it, so why not? I love that you don't have to wait until you meet a certain pay threshold before you get your money. The money I earn each week is deposited into my Paypal account every Friday!

Don't forget, once you sign up for YouData and start earning money, you can refer your friends and family and earn some extra cash.

Happy Saving!

Real Simple Magazine Subscription Only $5

2009-07-12T21:07:00.003-05:00

Get a one-year subscription to Real Simple magazine for just $5 through Amazon.This is a savings of 91 percent off the cover price!

You won't pay any shipping either (and you don't even have to meet the $25 minimum).

This is a great magazine full of ideas to simplify your busy life. Normally this magazine subscription costs upwards of $20, so this is a good bargain!

And if you are a member of Swagbucks, you could get this for just 45 Swagbucks.

This deal ends July 18, so don't delay!

Thanks to Deal Seeking Mom for the tip!

Frugal Reading Round-Up

2009-07-12T07:30:00.001-05:00

I was just asked to be included in a new site called The Frugal Warehouse. It's a collection of websites, blogs and online resources for people who want to live frugally. It's still pretty new, but I think it will be a good resource to check out as it grows.

I love having a long holiday weekend because it gives you a chance to get caught up on blog reading. Here are a few great posts I thought I'd share with you.

I've talked about Mechanical Turk on this blog a long time ago, but Trent at The Simple Dollar has one of the best reviews of Mechanical Turk, I've seen. Whenever you take on a money-making venture, you have to decide what your time is worth.

I've definitely been in this situation: What to do when you're tired of couponing? Money Saving Mom has some great advice when you're burned out on deal hunting.

Wise Bread has a clever little trick for home security.

I also enjoyed No Credit Needed's post Breaking Bad Financial Habits - It's Only.

Click on FabulousSavings.com to Save Some Bucks

2009-07-11T12:17:00.001-05:00

The following is a guest post written by Matthew of FabulousSavings.com

Everybody knows that killer deals exist on the web. But how do you find the best deals and how to shop with coupons online? Let me introduce you to FabulousSavings.com. We have free online coupons for top retailers you know and trust. No more roaming aimlessly online for great deals!

Out of respect for our retailers, all our coupons are merchant-approved. Plus, you benefit because this ensures that our coupons are always working properly. And we have a team that updates our coupons constantly to ensure that you always get the best deals. If you come across an issue, feel free to call our customer service rep!

How to Save Money with Coupons
So how to save with coupons at FabulousSavings.com? First step: finding a merchant. You can jump straight to a particular merchant with our scroll bar. Or pick from the handy categories to find deals on the type of products you want. Our categories include Apparel, Auto, Business, Electronics, Entertainment, Health & Beauty, Home and more!

How Do Coupons Work Online?
At FabulousSavings.com, we have two types of coupons - ones with no coupon codes, and ones that require codes. In both cases, all you have to do is find your retailer and click on the desired coupon. You'll be automatically redirected to the merchant's site in the background. A new pop-up window also opens with all the coupon info you need.

How to shop with coupons without codes:
1.    Click on the coupon you want to use.
2.    If the pop-up says No Coupon Code Required, then shop & check out at the merchant like you normally would.
3.    Discounts are automatically applied!

How to save money with coupons that require codes:
1.    Click on the coupon you want to use.
2.    Shop & check out - look for a field in the retailer's checkout page where you can enter coupon or promo codes.
3.    Copy the code from the pop-up info window into that field & continue with checkout.

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3 - free discounts!

Some Juicy Examples
So now that you know how to shop with coupons, just what can you look forward to? Sink your teeth into these offers:

Eastbay coupons - Save 20% off everything
Target coupons - Get $5 off orders of $50 or more
1800Flowers coupons - Get 15% off $49.99 or more
Orbitz coupons - Take an additional 10% off your hotel stay

If you need more help, watch step-by-step video guides on how to save with coupons for these and other merchants at FabulousSavings TV Videos.

Remember - we update our coupons frequently, so the offers change often. That's why you need to jump on a good deal right away! Check back every day so you never miss a thing.

Happy saving!

Matthew of FabulousSavings.com

Book Giveaway: If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay

2009-07-10T08:39:00.001-05:00

Five lucky people will win a copy of Dr. Lara Zibners new book, "If Your Kid Eats This Book Everything Will Still Be Okay: How to Know if Your Child's Injury or Illness is Really an Emergency."

This is a great resource for parents who have ever faced a medical situation where they've questioned whether they should bring their child to a doctor. (So... for every parent). Read my full review of this book.

To enter to win this giveaway, simply fill out the form below before 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 17. If you're reading this in a feed reader or your e-mail and you can't see the form, please click here.

You must be a US Resident ages 18 years or older. Please only one entry per household. Duplicate entries will be deleted. The information I gather will only be used to notify the winners.

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I will randomly draw FIVE winners and notify them by e-mail once the contest is over. I'll also announce it here. The winners will have 48 hours to claim their prize, or I will draw a new winner.

Disclosure - I was given a copy of this book to review by Hachette Book Group. In addition, they will also allow me to give away five copies of this book to my readers. I was not compensated in any other way for this post or giveaway. The opinions reflected in my review are entirely my own, honest thoughts on this book, and were not edited by the book's author, publisher or distributors.

Restaurant and Beverage Deals Abound

2009-07-10T08:04:00.000-05:00

From fast food to fast beverages to sit-down restaurants, there are lots of deals out there now.

Here are just a few that I've seen:

Today only - Friday, July 10 - dress up like a cow and get a free combo meal.

On Saturday only (July 11), get a free 7.11 oz Slurpee at participating 7-11 stores.

Get a free Sausage McGriddle Sandwich at McDonalds. Note: My local McDonald's restaurants weren't participating, but it's worth a shot anyway.

Sign up for the Taco John's e-mail list and get a coupon for free Potato Oles with purchase. You'll also get e-mail alerts for other deals and coupons.

Sign up for the Give Me More Stripes program at TGI Fridays and get a free appetizer. Once you've signed up you'll get regular coupons for things like buy one entree get one free and other drinks and appetizer deals.

Sign up for Ruby Tuesday's So Connected list and get coupons and offers in your inbox. You'll also get something for your birthday.

Get great deals on coffee on Mondays at Caribou Coffee. I've also heard that you can still get a free Wild Cooler on Facebook, so check that out, too.

McDonalds is offering free McCafe Mochas on Mondays between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

If you have an iPhone you can get a free tall coffee at Barnes and Noble.

Be sure to stop by Wednesdays for free food at Arby's. Every week they give away something different.

Fast food not your thing? Check out Restaurant.com for significant deals on gift certificates to your favorite local restaurants. And if you're a member of Swagbucks, you can now use Swagbucks to get Restaurant.com
gift certificates. I do like eating out for free!

Enjoy!

Book Review: If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay

2009-07-10T07:00:00.010-05:00

When I was first asked to review If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay: How to Know if Your Child's Injury or Illness Is Really an Emergency by Lara Zibners, MD, I kind of chuckled to myself.

I mean, I'm the mom of three boys. Life is loud and full of cuts and scraps and bangs and bumps. What do I need this book for? I mean... I think I have developed some serious Mom instincts.

But after reading this book, I realized it is a book every mother should read. I learned a lot about taking care of babies, toddlers, and kids. This is a great reference for those of us who are worry warts. I wish I had this book when my boys suffered through miscellaneous rashes, stomach flu, fevers, and nursemaid's elbow.

Author Lara Zibners is a pediatric emergency room doctor. She's seen just about everything during her career, and has a lot of excellent advice on when to go to the emergency room and when to wait to bring your child to the doctor.

She's quick to remind her readers to use their instincts: "If you don't know if it's really an emergency, err on the side of caution. Please. Your child's health and safety are at stake."

She writes with a sense of humor and a common sense practicality that I thoroughly enjoyed. For example, Zibners has a great section about falls. She writes:

"One place kids love to fall is on the staircase. Parents always want to know, "How many steps are dangerous when falling?" The answer is, "It doesn't matter." The first step is the most important. After that one, the number becomes largely irrelevant. Either you hurt yourself or you don't."

This book covers all aspects of your child's health - covering everything from fevers and injuries, to vomiting and rashes and much more. I love the quick wit and wisdom in Zibners' writing style. This is a great read for all mom's - but especially new moms!

Disclosure - I was given a copy of this book to review by Hachette Book Group. In addition, they have also allowed me to give away five copies of this book to my readers. I was not compensated in any other way for this post or the giveaway. The opinions reflected in this review are entirely my own, honest thoughts on this book, and were not edited by the book's author, publisher or distributors.

Tips for Stockpiling Kids Clothing

2009-07-09T07:04:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite blogs, Baby Cheapskate, recently asked her readers if stockpiling clothing for their kids is a smart idea.

I think it's a great idea! I'm a BIG proponent of stocking up on kids clothing when I see a good deal. I buy clothing for my whole family for the following year at the end-of-the season closeouts. I also stock up on kids' clothing at garage sales during the summer months. I save a ton of money by doing this.

But while I save money doing this, there is a risk involved. If you don't time it just right, your kids may outgrow the clothing before they get a chance to wear it.

Here are some tips to help you stockpile children's clothing.

Know your child's current growth patterns. Yes, kids go through crazy growth spurts, but you have a rough idea of how fast they grow. For example, my kids always seem to be about one size ahead of their age when it comes to shirts, but one size behind when it comes to pants. This helps me guess what sizes they will be in during the next year's season.

Know how the different brands run for sizes. I've noticed that certain brands (like Target's Circo brand, for example) tend to run small. Pay attention to how different brands fit and you'll have a better chance of the item fitting next year. Check out the discussion at Baby Cheapskate on this topic.

Stick with classic clothing. Avoid character shirts or trendy clothing. Styles change, and characters can fall out of favor with your child. I also stick with themes for winter clothing. It makes mixing and matching from one winter season to the next a piece of cake.

Stick with quality clothing. Make sure all the zippers and snaps work. Make sure no buttons are missing. If the item is used, look to see that there are no stains or tears. Check the quality of the fabric. If it feels thin when it's brand new, it will be practically transparent after a few washes. Check the care instructions to make sure that you're not buying a high maintenance garment (i.e. dry clean or hand wash). Buy the best quality at the best price so that you'll be able to hand the clothes down to other children or sell them at a sale.

If you're buying new items on clearance, save the receipts and don't cut the tags off. Some stores will let you return the items later if they don't fit. But if the store will not take a return, you can sell the item online or in a consignment store. You'll make back your money (or maybe even make a profit) because people like to buy new things at a bargain price. That's what you did, after all! You could also give the item that doesn't fit away as a gift.

Keep an inventory. You need to know what you have so that you know what you need. I find it very useful to sort clothing by size, but you need to find a system that works for you. I keep a list of things I'm looking for in my purse, so that when I come across a good sale I can focus on what we really need.

Do you stockpile clothing for your kids? What are some of your tips?

Share Recipes with Family and Friends Easily

2009-07-08T07:00:00.003-05:00

Have you ever been to a family potluck and your aunt made the best potato salad ever?

And everyone wanted the recipe, but your aunt didn't want to write it down 20 times.

Check out Sharecipe. Sharecipe is a free website that allows you to share your recipes with friends and family.

Think of it as a simplified Facebook for those who love to cook and are always looking for new recipes. You can share recipes, request recipes, and connect with family all in one location. Have a cooking question? Post it at Sharecipe and a friend or relative can help you.

What I like about this site is that it's not just another recipe site. This is a site that links you with people you know. So you know that if you love Aunt Selma's cooking, you won't be disappointed with a recipe she shares.

I've already shared one of my favorite recipes at Sharecipe, and I'm looking forward to sharing more. The site is simple to use - and simple is good. I need all the help in the kitchen I can get!

If you'd like to share your recipes with me, just search for me by my e-mail address (found under "contact" here .

Sharecipe is also planning to host a pretty cool giveaway for those who add new recipes to their site, so stay tuned.

Great Printable Coupons Available

2009-07-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

This month has been a little slow for coupons in the Sunday paper.

Fortunately there are a some good printable coupons lurking on the internet.

Check out some of the coupons available from Coupons.com:

$.55 off Cheerios
$1 off Filippo Berio Olive Oil
$1 off 32 oz Wisk laundry detergent
$2 off Dry Idea Antiperspirant
$1.10 off Romano's Macaroni Grill Dinners
$5 off Hasbro's Pictureka game

To print these great coupons and more click here.

And don't forget the printable coupons at RedPlum:

$1 off any Eggo BakeShop product
$1.50 off any 2 Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats
$1 off DelMonte Fruit Chillers

To print these great coupons and more click here.

And finally, SmartSource has some good coupons, too:

$2 off Huggies Overnights diapers
$1 off any two Tony's multi-serve pizzas.
$1 off any two pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream
$.50 off one tub of Betty Crocker frosting

To print these great coupons and more, click here.

Freebies and Deals

2009-07-06T12:43:00.002-05:00

Here are a few of the freebies and deals I've found recently. There are definitely a lot of great photo deals lurking around. Enjoy!

Freebies
Get a free pint of Starbucks ice cream on Facebook. Read how to get your free ice cream at Freebies4Mom.

Get a free sample of NatureMade TripleFlex liquid softgels.

Get a one-week free trial to ListPlanIt. This is a great resource for those of you who liked to stay organized while making lists. (Thanks, Money Saving Mom).

Get a free Acne Complex Sample from Murad. This sample includes clarifying cleanser, exfoliating acne treatment gel, and skin perfecting lotion. (Thanks to NWA Deals).

Get a free sample of Kotex overnight pads.

Create a Share Site on Shutterfly and get 30 free 4x6 photo prints. Post your picture to Shutterfly and get an additional 10 free prints. Post a photo book to the share site and get another 10 free 4x6 prints. Offer ends September 1, 2009.

Register for SeeHere.com and get 100 free photo prints as a new member.

Deals
Looking for a hot diaper deal? Check out Common Sense with Money's tip on two sweet Pampers and Huggies deals. She also has some Kmart coupon price match-ups if you're one of the lucky folks whose Kmart is doubling coupons this week.

Get 50 photo prints for 50 cents at Snapfish before July 10. Just use the code PENNY.

Buy 5 Kodak Gallery Photo Cards and earn 25 free photo prints. Use the code 25FORFREE. If you're new to Kodak Gallery, you can also get 20 Free 4x6 prints when you join the Kodak Gallery!

Find Used Book Sales Easily

2009-07-06T07:01:00.000-05:00

I love using my local library to read books for free.

But sometimes I just like owning books. When I splurge on books, I try to get the best deal possible. One of the best places to buy books are at used book sales.

Many non-profit groups (such as libraries) hold these used book sales as fundraisers. The books are donated to them, they sell them, and use the proceeds to support their cause. Most used book sales charge anywhere from 10 cents to $3 per book. Some sales will even have a $1-a-bag deals! It's a great way to get a lot of books for a little bit of money and feel good about helping people in your community.

And now, finding those sales is even easier!

Check out Book Sale Manager - a new site that allows you to search for non-profit used book sales in your area. The site is free and easy to use - You can search by city, state, or zip code. You can also find non-profit organizations that have used book stores in your area, too.

It's also free to list a used book sale at Book Sale Manager. So if your library or other non-profit organization is holding a used book sale, you'll have one more free way to publicize your event.

If you sign up for a free account, you can take advantage of cool features like creating a calendar of sales you are interested in.

Happy Reading!

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-03T08:00:00.005-05:00

This weekend while we are celebrating our country's independence, I challenge you to celebrate your independence from a life of debt.

May this be the weekend you say, "No more debt."

I hope you put away the plastic and pull out a pencil and start your budget. May this be the weekend you no longer blame fate for your situation and recognize that it's time to take responsibility for your personal finances. It's time to get out of the clutches of consumerism.

Happy Independence Day! Be Happy! Stay Safe! Remember that the best things in life aren't things... it's your family and friends. Enjoy the weekend!

I'll be taking the weekend off to celebrate. You can start your celebration of independence from debt with my series on budgeting.

Budgeting 101: Start by Tracking Your Expenses
Budgeting 101: The Guts to Change
Budgeting 101: Cutting Expenses
Budgeting 101: Boosting Income
Budgeting 101: The Resources

I'll be back next week with more posts and a giveaway so stay tuned!

Utility Usage Blues

2009-07-02T07:02:00.000-05:00

My local utility company recently sent me a letter saying that I was one of 10,000 randomly selected customers chosen to receive a "Personalized Home Electricity Report."

The report contains information and analysis about our electricity consumption and includes comparisons to my neighbors' electricity usage. The report also contains tips to make my home more effecient and to help me "make smart choices to reduce [my] electricity use and bills."

When I got this little note in my mailbox, I was excited about it because I thought I would be able to find new ways to save on my electric bill.

And then I read the report. And then I got angry.

According to the report, we use 35 percent more electricity than our neighbors. Now, I don't know who they consider my "neighbors" - probably other randomly selected people - but I can tell you that my actual neighbors are all summer cabin owners, so of course, my consumption will be higher.

We also have a duel fuel hot water heat system. Which means that we use off-peak electricity to heat our house most of the time, and fuel oil at other times. I wonder if that fact is even considered in their comparison with our neighbors' usage.

But what really got me angry was their "Personalized Action Steps:"

Heat water at a reduced rate. I am already on the utility company's program for off-peak water heating - something they could have easily found by looking at my records.

Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). I just spent the last two years replacing every single light in our home with CFLS. I also claimed all the rebates through my utility company that I could for those bulbs. Once again... they could have checked their records.

Look for the Energy Star label. We don't buy any appliances that don't have the Energy Star label. We replaced our last big energy-sucking appliance last year. And we also got a rebate from our utility company for that. Once again, they need to check their records.

Looks to me like this entire report was a giant waste of energy for them. And since it is a rural electric cooperative - that means they're wasting my money, too.

Tell me something I don't know.

Now Earn Cash with Swagbucks

2009-07-01T20:08:00.001-05:00

Now you can earn cash from Swagbucks!

Swagbucks is an internet search engine that rewards you with "swagbucks" for searching the web. You can trade your Swagbucks in for all kinds of things such as gift cards, electronics and sports memorabilia.

And now you can trade them in for cash via Paypal! You only need 80 Swagbucks to earn $5 cash. This is a great alternative to the other swag you can earn because there's no temptation to spend money above and beyond your gift card amount. Use your Swagbucks to pay bills or beef up your savings. All you need is a paypal account!

Earning Swagbucks is easy. You simply sign up for an account and use the Swagbucks site to search. You can also add Swagbucks toolbars to your browser to make it even easier to search the web and earn Swagbucks.

The Swagbucks search engine is powered by Google and Ask.com so I've gotten great results when searching. My favorite thing to spend Swagbucks on are the Amazon.com e-gift cards because it only takes 45 Swagbucks to earn a $5 e-gift card. The customer service is outstanding, and they have a great referral program (you earn Swagbucks when your referrals earn Swagbucks!)

If you haven't already signed up for Swagbucks, I highly recommend doing so before July 6 because you can earn an extra 2 Swagbucks using the code CASHISKING (the code is case sensitive). This will start you out with 5 Swagbucks instead of the usual 3 you get for signing up!

Happy Earning!

YoBaby Yogurt Giveaway Winner

2009-07-01T14:42:00.002-05:00

It sure has been fun having lots of giveaways lately! I hope you have been enjoying them, too!

Today I get to select one lucky winner of a YoBaby Yogurt Gift pack. The winner will receive a YoBaby big, bowl with lid, and five coupons for FREE YoBaby yogurt!

I used the random number generator from Random.org to select my winner.

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-07-01 19:33:37 UTC

And the winner is..... Leann B!!!

How do you know if you've won? I've sent Leann an e-mail telling her how to claim her prize. If I don't hear back from her within 48 hours, I'll pick another winner.

Thanks to all of you who entered this giveaway.

Be sure to visit YoBaby to learn more about their great line of organic foods for your baby. You can save money on YoBaby, too, when you sign-up for their email list.

Month in Review: The Splurge and Purge Edition

2009-07-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

June went by so fast. It feels like I blinked and it was gone.

This month was quite a bit different from other months for me. At the beginning of the month I gave myself permission to shop. This was also the first time my husband and I spent a night away from our kids out of town, and so we splurged a bit more than we normally do. We stayed in a whirlpool suite, ate all our meals out, took in a baseball game, and did some shopping. It was a much needed mini-vacation and we came back feeling relaxed and recharged.

And while it was fun to deviate from our normal frugal nature, it's much more comfortable to head back to our frugal ways.

I cooked from home a bit more toward the end of the month, which made up for our splurge in the beginning of June. My monthly coupon savings of $99.87 is indictive of two things: first I bought more fresh ingredients this month for which there were no coupons, and secondly, that I was a bit lazy when it came to coupon clipping. Our stockpile is still pretty strong, so I haven't felt the need to shop for many incidentals.

We also did a great purge this month. We joined our family's garage sale and were able to sell a lot of baby stuff and old electronics, plus make a little cash and have fun doing it! And we hauled a carload of items to Goodwill to be donated, which also felt good.

My husband is currently teaching two summer courses, which means a bit of a pay increase on top of his regular salary. Our biggest challenge for the summer is to not get too frivilous with that money, and instead use it to build up our emergency fund.

We feel very blessed this month, and look forward to getting back into the frugal zone in July.

How was your month? Were you able to stay on track? Did you get rid of any clutter in your life?

Free Wild Cooler from Caribou Coffee

2009-06-30T21:01:00.006-05:00

Become a fan of Caribou Coffee on Facebook and try out their new "Wild it Up" photo application.

When you create a silly picture of yourself using the "Wild It Up" application, you'll be able to print out a coupon for a free medium Wild Cooler from Caribou Coffee. Check out my funny profile picture on the right! You can add everything from antlers to tattoos to any photo you choose!

My coupon says it expires on July 6 - not sure if that's the standard or if it's based on when you create your "wild" photo.

The Wild Cooler comes in 8 different flavors - Vanilla White Chocolate Mocha, Campfire Mocha, Lite White Berry, Mint Condition, Chai Tea, Apple Blast, Turtle Mocha, and Carmel High Rise.

And don't forget to check out their great deals on Mondays!

Enjoy!

Winners of the $100 Alice.com Giveaway

2009-06-30T13:10:00.000-05:00

I'm thrilled to announce FIVE lucky winners of my Alice.com giveaway. Each winner will get $100 to spend at Alice.com.

Alice.com is the hot new place to shop for all your household essentials. With free shipping and fabulous coupons, you may never have to visit a big box store again! You can read more about Alice here.

I've randomly selected the five winners using the random integer generator at Random.org.

Here are your random numbers:

75 37 27 125 63

Timestamp: 2009-06-30 17:44:54 UTC

And the winners are:

#75 - Jennifer T.
#37 - Cynthia H.
#27 - Sarah N.
#125 - Dierdre S.
#63 - Gina C.

How do you know if you've won? I've sent each of the winners an e-mail telling them how to claim their prize. They will have 48 hours to respond or I will pick a new winner!

Thanks to the nearly 200 people who entered the drawing! Remember, that if you even if you didn't win, you can still score some great deals at Alice.com.

BOGO Minor League Baseball Tickets

2009-06-30T06:33:00.000-05:00

Bring a Kraft Singles package wrapper to your local minor league baseball box office and you'll get one free ticket with the purchase of a ticket.

Ticket offer is only valid on Tuesdays through September 1, 2009, at participating Minor League Baseball teams' home games. This deal is not available at Allentown, Dayton, Indianapolis, Lake Elsinore, Pasco, Portland, OR, Reno, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver.

Minor League games are just one way to save on America's favorite pastime. Read more ideas on how to save at the ballpark.