Writing the manufacturers of your favorite products is a great way to get coupons.  It only takes a few minutes to find an email address or contact form for a company and then provide them with feedback on an item you use and love.  The emails that I write to companies are brief and typically compliment a specific product.  Sometimes a short email will get no response or an automatic “thanks for your feedback” email in return, but companies will often mail you high value coupons to thank you for your input.

I have received coupons for free items like Chobani Greek yogurt, popchips and Glade candles in response to my emails.  The best response to an email I wrote was from Petmate, a company that made one of my dog’s favorite toys.  I wrote them to let them know how much Cookie loves her Dalmatian toy and to compliment them on how durable it is (since the Dalmatian is the only toy to survive her destructive puppy days).   A couple weeks after I sent my email, a box full of Petmate products arrived at my apartment!

It’s rare to receive a box of free items from a company, but receiving coupons for products you regularly use can help make some room in your budget.  Here are my tips for emailing companies for coupons:

• Look around your house and make a quick list of the products you enjoy.  As my dog toy example demonstrates, you can write companies that make more than food in hopes of getting coupons (I keep my list in an Excel spreadsheet).  After you’ve made a list of products, do an online search of the companies that make them for their contact information and email them when you have some free time.
• Be specific and genuine with your feedback. Instead of sending a vague email, write about a particular product and provide the honest reasons that you enjoy it.
• Give companies accurate contact information.  Most of the coupons that you will receive will be sent by mail, so it is important to provide your correct address.
• If you have a complaint instead of a compliment, hold on to the packaging of the product.  If you’re writing to let a company know that you are dissatisfied with a product, it is helpful to have the UPC Code and expiration date.  The packaging typically has a phone number for the company’s customer service line which can be a good alternative to emailing.

Have you ever written companies about their products? Did you receive anything for your feedback?

One of my big goals for the year is to become a better blogger.  I currently blog-stalk several of the amazing blogs on the Yakezie network and think that taking the Financial Samurai’s Yakezie Challenge will be a big step in helping me improve my blog.  I’m excited about actively promoting other bloggers and blogging more regularly through the challenge.

Here’s to six months of awesome blogging as part of the Yakezie Challenge.  I’m looking forward to building relationships with bloggers who are committed to helping others thrive in their personal finances!

I got a Pinterest account months ago, but I’ve only been using it for a week.  My biggest fear about becoming an active Pinterest user was that “pinning” would become my new favorite way to waste time.  While my time-wasting fear was totally warranted (an hour on Pinterest goes by really quickly), the real danger of being on Pinterest is the envious consumer that it brings out in me.  I see things on Pinterest and get the urge to bake, craft or buy them.

Case in point, I saw these Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip cookies and I had to make them…immediately.

They were just as amazing as they looked in the picture, but I was disappointed in myself for not sticking to my usual rule of buying only items that are on sale at the grocery store.  Not waiting on Double Stuf Oreos to go on sale isn’t a big deal, but I can see the urge to buy new clothes, shoes and things to decorate my apartment getting stronger if I spend hours looking at my Pinterest board.  I’m typically good with being satisfied with what I have, but I think the increase in my need to buy new clothes and try out new recipes is directly related to spending time in Pinterest.

The website is a great way to bookmark great ideas and pretty things, but it can get out of hand when you want to make those things a reality.  My church is doing a series called Comparison Trap and it resonated with me when our pastor said “you find yourself emotionally competing with people you don’t even know.”  We once tried to keep up with our neighbors, but now there’s the temptation to keep up with the great fashion and decorating skills of people we’ve never met online.

My pinning days aren’t over, but I’ll be sure to keep my lusting over things I know I don’t need in check.  Feel free to follow me on Pinterest and call me out if I start obsessively buying or baking the things on my boards.

What do you think about Pinterest?

I’m not sure that I would fare well if I lived in a small town.  It’s easy to get spoiled by all of the great things there are to see and do in Atlanta.  I particularly love the first Saturday of the month because it’s a free museum day for Fulton County residents.  Last week I took advantage of Fulton County Free Saturday with trips to The Center for Puppetry Arts and the High Museum of Art.

The High Museum of Art can get crowded on Fulton County Free Saturday, so try to arrive early.  Picasso to Warhol is the High’s current featured exhibit and it features several famous works of art including Picasso’s Girl Before a Mirror and Andy Warhols Campbell’s Soup Cans.  My favorite part of my visit was using the High’s ArtClix app.  With this free app you can take pictures of the artwork to get text and audio information on your smartphone about what you’re viewing.  ArtClix also connects with Twitter and Facebook if you want to share some culture with your friends on social media.  Bank of America customers can also get into the High Museum of Art for free during the first weekend of the month.  Admission to the High is typically $18.

The Center for Puppetry Arts is just a short walk away from the High.  As a single woman without kids, I’m probably not the typical demographic for this place (and to be honest puppets creep me out sometimes).  The Center for Puppetry Arts has puppet workshops and performances, but Free Museum Saturday only covers the $8.25 museum admission.  It wasn’t very crowded when I visited which made it easy to see muppets like Big Bird and Ernie up close.   As a kid of the 80’s, it was also pretty cool to see the fraggles and doozers from Fraggle Rock.

Thanks to the Fulton County Arts Council for making Fulton County Free Saturdays a possibility.  

2012 is off to a bit of a rough start.  This month has proven to me that single people can definitely be busy because I’ve had a ton to do this month.  I’m disappointed that I didn’t meet my “blog twice a week” goal this month, but January has been overwhelming with work and with a lot of other obligations.  It didn’t help when I found a comment from a random jerkface on the internet calling my blog “garbage.”  So thanks so much to those of you who take the time to regularly read Single & Saving and (hopefully) don’t think that I write garbage

Despite a crazy start to the year, I managed to cross get a few things on my 30 Before 30 list accomplished.  I’m planning on posting the progress on the 30^th of every month.  Here’s the first update:

1. Make a Large Donation to a Nonprofit Organization
2. Speak at an Event about Saving Money  {Hooray for crossing something off the list! I spoke at the Chocolate Chat “Chatting Finances” event last night.  It was the first time I’ve ever spoken about saving money in front of a large group and I really appreciate Erika for giving me the opportunity.}
3. Pay Off My Student Loan {Slowly but surely}
4. Take a Risk
5. Mentor Someone
6. Find a Mentor
7. Blog Twice a Week {There’s always next month}
8. Go to a Blogging Conference
9. Take a Class
10. Go on a Date
11. Help to Grow My Sorority’s Young Alumnae Group {Ongoing. We had 10 people at our lunch on Saturday!}
12. Run a 5K (Instead of My Usual Running/Walking Method) {I started Couch to 5K last week. I’m thinking of running a 5K in March}
13. Fit Into the Overly Priced Jeans I Bought a Few Years Ago
14. Write a Will
15. Make a New Cooking for One Recipe Each Month {Mmm…Sweet Potato Fries}
16. Perform a Random Act of Kindness Every Month {I paid for the toll for the person behind me on GA 400}
17. Visit a Friend Who Has Moved to a Different City
18. Visit a Foreign Country
19. Go on a Mission Trip
20. Visit Three States That I Haven’t Been To Before
21. Visit Dollywood
22. Go to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival
23. Go to High Tea
24. Get a Proper Bra Fitting
25. Throw a Party
26. Join a Singles Group (and Actually Go to It)
27. Have a Spa Day
28. Mail a Card to Someone Every Month {I sent thank you notes for all of my Christmas gifts and a card to congratulate a friend on her engagement}
29. Bake Something Every Month {I made funfetti cupcakes with chocolate frosting for my small group}
30. Decorate My Loft

How are things going with your 2012 goals and resolutions?

I always buy in-season vegetables because they’re a cheap way to incorporate more vegetables into my diet.  However, it can be slim pickings for good seasonal produce during the winter.  My favorite farmers market won’t be open until the spring and all of my favorite veggies are more expensive than I’m willing to pay for at the grocery store.

Thank goodness for the sweet potato!  Sweet potatoes pretty affordable year-round, but they tend to be a little cheaper during cold months.  At less than $1 per pound, they are a great way to add nutrients like beta-carotene, fiber and Vitamins A, D and C to your diet.  These baked sweet potato fries are easy to make and have become one of my favorite side dishes.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries for One

Ingredients:
1 small sweet potato (I leave the peel on, but feel free to peel it)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt (or whatever salt you have on hand)
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut sweet potato into ¼ inch wide strips.
• In a bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil.
• Spread sweet potatoes in a single layer on baking pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or lined with parchment.
• Sprinkle sweet potatoes with brown sugar, salt and pepper.
• Bake for about 15 minutes, then take out and turn the sweet potatoes over with a spatula.
• Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until crisp.
• Let cool for about 5 minutes before enjoying your fries.

Please accept my apologies for being slow to blog and in responding to comments and emails this lately.  In a moment of clumsiness last week, I dropped my computer and broke the LCD screen.  I quickly realized how dependent I am on my computer and arranged to have it repaired.  To make a long story short, I dropped off my packaged computer with my building’s concierge service to have it shipped and they may have lost it.

While I’m angry, frustrated and upset over the situation, this is one of those moments when I’m really glad that I have an emergency fund.  My computer may be lost or stolen, but I’m glad that I can pay for a new one immediately without going into debt.  Building six months of expenses and not touching it has required some sacrifice and patience, but it will be worth it if even bigger emergencies come along.  Accidents, job loss and repairs often blindside us, but these situations are much easier to deal with when we’re prepared.  It’s a lot easier to turn lemons into lemonade when you have the right ingredients.

To prepare for emergencies that my pop up in your life:

• Automatically transfer money from each paycheck to your emergency fund.
• Find areas in your budget where you can spend less and devote additional money to your emergency fund.
• Put money from work bonuses, tax refunds and gifts into your fund instead of spending it.
• Don’t be tempted use emergency fund money for non-emergencies. Putting it in an online account that isn’t linked to your checking account may encourage you to not touch it.

Do you feel like you’re ready for emergencies?

Photo: sxc.hu

Last month there was a story in Business Insider about a woman who used Match.com for the sole purpose of getting free meals.  There were a lot of daytime talk shows discussing how much of a gold digger the woman was because she estimated that she got $1,200 in free dinners.  My first reaction was to scoff at the shallowness of using Match for meals but, in all honesty, I can see where she’s coming from.

After rent, my largest expense is dining out.  I developed a love of good restaurants and take out at an early age and dining out is something I could ever fully give up.  Making your own meals saves a lot of money (and that’s why I’m a huge proponent of bringing your lunch to work), but I really enjoy the experience of going out to eat.   There have definitely been times when I’ve gone out on a horrible date and have thought “at least I got a free meal out of it.”  While some may criticize this woman for deceiving men who were interested in her, there are also plenty of people out there who date because “dating is fun,” and not because they’re looking for their future spouse.  Several of my friends also have horror stories about creepy guys they met online who were far more motivated by the potential of a hookup than a potential wife.

Personally, setting up dates for each day of the week sounds like A LOT of work.  Maybe I’m an introvert, but communicating with enough guys online and then meeting them to score all of those free meals sounds exhausting.  I’d much rather date men that I’m genuinely interested in  and find satisfaction in staying in and enjoying a Lean Cuisine alone on most nights of the week.   I won’t be paying $50 a month for a Match subscription anytime soon, so here are a few tips that I use to keep dining out within my budget:

Eat on nights that offer a special. 
There are lots of great restaurant specials early in the week.  From All-You-Can Eat Tapas to Ladies’ Night with unlimited wine, taking advantage of a special helps to stretch your dollar.

Score half-off meals with Scoutmob
Most of my dining out decisions are made depending on what’s on Scoutmob.  Their app is a great way to find and try restaurants for 50% off.

Find Restaurant Gift Cards Online
Websites like Plastic Jungle have discounted restaurant gift cards.  Most of them are for larger chains, but they can help you eat at places like California Pizza Kitchen or PF Changs for 9% to 15% off.

What do you think? Would you ever go on a date someone just to get a free meal?

Photo: sxc.hu

Happy 2012! Over the summer I read the Happiness Project and one of the “Splendid Truths” in the book is that “The days are long, but the years are short.”  That statement is affirmed by the fact that I’m seeing the occasional grey hair on my head and have been reflecting more on the things that I’d like to accomplish as a get older.  With about a year and a half until my 30^th birthday, I decided to put together a 30 Before 30 list of things that I’ve been meaning to do, but keeping putting off.  Here’s what I want to accomplish by my 30^th birthday:

1. Make a Large Donation to a Nonprofit Organization
2. Speak at an Event about Saving Money
3. Pay Off My Student Loan
4. Take a Risk
5. Mentor Someone
6. Find a Mentor
7. Blog Twice a Week
8. Go to a Blogging Conference
9. Take a Class
10. Go on a Date
11. Help to Grow My Sorority’s Young Alumnae Group
12. Run a 5K (Instead of My Usual Running/Walking Method)
13. Fit Into the Overly Priced Jeans I Bought a Few Years Ago
14. Write a Will
15. Make a New Cooking for One Recipe Each Month
16. Perform a Random Act of Kindness Every Month
17. Visit a Friend Who Has Moved to a Different City
18. Visit a Foreign Country
19. Go on a Mission Trip
20. Visit Three States That I Haven’t Been To Before
21. Visit Dollywood
22. Go to the Epcot Food and Wine Festival
23. Go to High Tea
24. Get a Proper Bra Fitting
25. Throw a Party
26. Join a Singles Group (and Actually Go to It)
27. Have a Spa Day
28. Mail a Card to Someone Every Month
29. Bake Something Every Month
30. Decorate My Loft

As I check things off the list, I’ll be blogging updates about my 30 Before 30 progress.  What goals do you want to accomplish?

Photo: iStockphoto

I’m officially done with my Christmas shopping (finally!) and started my gift wrapping tonight. Gift wrap can be really expensive for something that will be torn apart in a few seconds, but I love beautifully wrapped gifts.  Here are some inexpensive ways that I wrapped my gifts this year:

These first two are great for Secret Santa or White Elephant (aka Yankee Swap) gifts.  I think a cheap gift becomes more exciting when there’s creativity in the presentation.

Faux Frappucino
I found the idea for this one on Pinterest from Little Cakes.  The barista at Starbucks gave me an empty cup and I made it a Peppermint Mocha Frappucino by using a brown paper bag for the bottom of the cup, surrounding the gift card with mini candy canes and putting white tissue paper on the top.  A little red curling ribbon adds to the fun.

Popcorn & A Movie
Here’s a fun way to present a movie theater gift card.  A package of movie theater butter popcorn is in the bag along with the gift card.

Gift Wrap Bows
I learned how to make gift wrap bows from a tutorial the amazing Amanda of Oh Amanda posted a couple of years ago.  They’re easy to make and a great way to use those awkward pieces of gift wrap that you don’t know how to use.

Tissue Paper Flowers
This present was wrapped with a flower made from leftover tissue paper, a brown paper bag and a piece of ribbon.  There’s a great tissue paper flower tutorial over at Spotted Canary.

Are you finished with wrapping your Christmas gifts?