A dollar a day...

As 2013 approached, I decided it was time for a financial makeover. I was tired of being in a money rut, so I knew it was time to make some serious sacrifices and changes. I was reminded of some old financial advice "a penny saved is a penny earned", or "have 3-6 months of your salary saved in case of emergency"... I though to myself, "how can I afford to put away 3-6 months worth of income with our bills and with the economy as shaky as ever?" 

I figured I'll just keep it simple. If I determined to save $1 a day, by the end of the year I would have $365. That's not a bad start! But of course, in order to free up $30-31 dollars a month, something would have to be cut out to make that happen. That's where packing my own lunch came in. On average, we spend $7 dollars per meal, that's an immediate savings of $210 per month. Now don't get me wrong, there are still days when I don't want left overs or cup of Ramen noodles and I splurge with my co-workers on Friday afternoons. 

The act of transferring $1 from my checking to my savings encourages me to continue building my emergency fund. It's not a huge sacrifice, rather it shows me that I am actively participating in securing my financial future with a simple task. I've also been able to put a little bit more in savings by enacting some "No Spend Days". These are days that I do not spend a single penny. I know what you're thinking, but it is NOT IMPOSSIBLE. It takes work and dedication and a change in your way of thinking. At first I kept doubting my ability to succeed, but I persevered by reminding myself that in the long run I would have an easier time coming up with a couple of hundred dollars if my car broke down rather than having to come up with it on the fly. It's a great feeling knowing that I'm preparing myself for those "OH NO" moments. 

Mint (Budget Tool & App)

A couple of months ago, I discovered Mint.com. It has really helped to keep me on track with my budgeting and kept me accountable. It is very user friendly especially for novices like myself, but the best part is that everything is simple to understand. If you’re not familiar with Mint.com, it’s is a great, free website that helps you manage your money. There is also an fantastic free app you can download. 

You can enter your budget, it shows how much you are spending and warns you if you are about to over spend. 
You can categorize every purchase, then it breaks down your spending so you can see exactly where your money is going. 
It creates a beautiful pie chart (for those who love to see numbers in picture form!) to show what percentage of your money is going where. 
The app lets you see how much is in your account and how much you’ve spent from your budget. 
When you enter your budget, it shows what the national average is for spending in that category (which is so interesting, and exciting when you see you’re spending a lot less than everyone else!)

Say NO to Fees

Avoid ATM fees like the plague. It’s like throwing money away…literally. Here's a few tips to help you hang on to your hard earned money:

• Only use free ATMs, which are the ones at your banking institution. If you bank at a smaller “hometown” bank, consider switching to one with a larger ATM network (like Suntrust Bank).
• Bank with financial institutions that will reimburse your fees (like USAA). 
• Keep a little "mad money" at home for unforeseen outings. Instead of “running to the ATM”, we can just grab what we need.
• Get cash back. These days, most ATM cards double as debit cards. If I need some cash, I simply use the cash back feature offered at most checkouts. Some stores will allow you to get as much as $100 back!

Kick the cola

Did you now that just two sodas, energy drinks, or fancy coffee drinks can cost as much as $5 a day…that’s $150 a month and $1,800 a year! I ♥ my coffee, but I rarely go through the Starbucks drive-thru because why pay for something I can make for pennies at home? Sure, I get an occasional hot coffee or tea when I’m out but it’s rare. It’s a special treat. I can afford it, but I’d rather save my money so I have more for things I really want! Nickels and dimes…they add up 

Prepaid love...

A few months back I posted about the benefits of owning a Prepaid phone compared to Contract phones, (click here to read that post). I've owned a Prepaid phone for 8 months and continue to enjoy the great service. Recently, I upgraded my phone to the one pictured above for a few reasons.

• My old phone literally broke
• I needed the ability to text with a Qwerty keyboard
• The price was unbeatable
• I just wanted a snazzy new phone!

When I began to shop around for the new phone, I knew I would remain with Straighttalk for their service &  the cost. This phone was apart of a Walmart bundle, the cost of the phone alone was $89.99 (way too much for me to spend)!!! So I did a little digging and found that this very same phone with a car & wall charger was on sale at my local Walmart for just $59.94. I was so excited that I was going to immediately save $30 plus the additional savings for the car charger. I purchased the unlimited service plan for $45.... When I say unlimited, I mean unlimited! Phone calls, texting, 411 & Internet are all unlimited. 

Now, you may be wondering if the phones are flimsy, I can say with certainty that they are not, I mistreated my previous phone with numerous falls to the ground. They are equally as durable as any other phone, their service is great and best of all, I'm not stuck in a contract! So the next time your in the market for a new phone and don't want the hassles of a contract, consider going Prepaid.

Sign up & Save

Sign up for JCPenney emails and you will receive some pretty great coupons via email and snail mail. Often times they will send out $10 off $10 coupons when you sign up that you can use both online and in stores. Yes, that means you can score $10 worth of stuff from any JCPenney store for FREE!

Redbox Text Club

Make it a thrifty date night with Redbox! If you’re on the hunt for more Redbox Codes, be sure to join the Redbox Text Club! You’ll receive a code texted to you for a FREE rental on the 1st Monday of each month!

Send it & Save!

There’s a brand new way to use coupons at CVS!!! CVS has introduced the new “send to card” option to those receiving their money off coupons via email! 

I absolutely love this new method (saves ink and paper), which requires nothing more than the press of a button to save you money when you shop. If you sometimes forget your coupon or don’t have printer access, this will be your saving grace (no pun intended)!

Be sure you are signed up for CVS emails to receive the coupons & don't forget your Green Bag Tag!

Save 20% at Babies & Toys R Us!

If you “Like” Toys “R” Us on Facebook, you can print out a 20% off any one Regular-priced Toy Item coupon! This coupon is valid at Toys “R” Us or Babies “R” Us through August 14th. To print, go HERE to “like” Toys “R” Us on Facebook. Then, click the 20% off Fan Coupon category to access and print your coupon. Be sure your read the fine print for any exclusions!

Michaels Teacher Discount!

Wow! Michaels is offering all you wonderful educators an additional 15% off your purchase! I'm so grateful for all my teachers growing up, from grade school, high school, college & Sunday School! This additional savings certainly helps & I hope you will take advantage of it.

The Michaels Teacher Discount now will get you an extra 15% off every day!!

If you’re a teacher, just flash your educator I.D. the next time you’re checking out at Michaels to get your discount!

Kohl's Mobile Savings!

Sign up to receive Kohl's Mobile Alerts and get a text coupon for an extra 10% off (this is great for back to school shopping). 

Text SAVE01 to 56457

Please be aware that Text & Data rates apply, you will get 5 texts a month!

Winn Dixie Fuel Perks!

I received a postcard in the mail yesterday from Winn Dixie regarding Fuel Perks and I wanted to share with you in case you were unaware. It stated my new Winn Dixie rewards card is being mailed to me. For every $50.00 I spend on qualified purchases at participating Winn Dixie locations, I will earn 5 cents off per gallon of fuel (up to 20 gallons) at Shell and other select gas stations!  If you are a regular Winn Dixie shopper, make sure you take advantage of this! For more info and specifics, go HERE.

Save on baby...

If you are a new parent, there are a variety of online resources where you can obtain freebies, great money saving coupons, samples, and more. Having a baby is such a huge expense, why not save money every way you can? Below are just a few helpful resources to score those perks!

1. Baby to Bee
Baby to Bee is a website and email list that offers pregnancy and baby articles, brand samples, coupons, and more.


2. Pampers Gifts to Grow
Pampers puts reward codes on every box of diapers and wipes. You can sign up online and enter those codes. Once you have enough of them, you can redeem them for free stuff. I have personally redeemed codes for free Leap Pad books for my daughter. Pampers also regularly offers free Gifts to Grow codes. You can subscribe to our free daily Best Deals Newsletter to get those codes when they are available.


3. Similac Strong Moms
Similac is one of the best companies out there as far as freebies and discounts go. If you sign up with them you will regularly get $5+ coupons and samples.


4. Gerber
Gerber has a variety of offers on its website. This includes an email list that will net you over $100 in coupons, special offers on Gerber life insurance, and even offers on clothing.


5. Enfamil
Enfamil is currently offering up to $250 in free gifts, plus coupons, when you sign up with them online.


6. Amazon Mom 
Sign up and get huge discounts on diapers, formula, and even three months of free two-day shipping. Check out the benefits of the 'subscribe and save options' coupled with the Amazon Mom 30% discount. You can get your essentials nearly half price in some cases, all with free shipping.


7. Shutterfly
Sign up with Shutterfly, and get 50 free prints. You can store your photos forever with them, and there is no limit to space. They also have a quick website designer (free) that features your photos for family and friends to share and order. With Shutterfly, you can order your prints online and have them sent to your local Target or Walgreens for pickup. Also they frequently run free and discounted offers for their existing customers, they are great as holiday presents.


Story credit: Wisebread!

P&G Military Coupon Booklet

A wonderful program for our Men & Women in Uniform, register at P&G’s Military site, THE FAMILY UNIT, and you will receive a $25 Commissary coupon booklet for being a member! For every Family Unit coupon you use at your Commissary, 25¢ will go to the USO too. If you are in the military or know someone who is, you might want to share this one. 

Thanks Southern Savers!

Publix $ Saving Mags!

GO HERE to sign up for any or all of these programs & booklets

• Publix FamilyStyle Magazine - You will receive 4 magazines annually and there will be a sheet of coupons inside of it. The magazines in the store do NOT have the coupons.
• Publix Baby Club – Coupons will be mailed quite often! Along with baby product coupons, there are things like $1 off any produce, $1 off any dairy, $1 off any meat, etc.
• Publix Pet Program - This is a relatively new program, they will mail out coupons for pet products.

In addition, Publix also offers 'Grape magazine' (which is all about wines) and 'GreenWise magazine' (for organic lifestyle). These can be located in store, you do not need to sign up for them.

Free Shipping w/Amazon Prime

Did you know that if you’re a college student you can get a free Amazon Prime account? This gives you free two-day shipping on any order from Amazon that is Prime-eligible and there is no minimum order requirement. All you have to do to take advantage of this offer is sign up here with a school email address and your major.

Sears Kidvantage Club!

On the hunt for some Back-To-School Mega Deals? Don’t forget about the Sears KidVantage Club! If your child wears out their clothing that was purchased at Sears (before they outgrow it), Sears will replace the same item/same size… for FREE! Also, every time you spend $100 on kids or infant clothing, you’ll receive a coupon for 15% off your next kids or infant clothing purchase. Go here for more information.

Thanks The Frugal Girls!

Quickie CVS Reminders

Maximize your savings reminders!

Scan your Extra Care Card at the in-store kiosk before you shop every time at CVS. You can usually scan it 2 or more times.

Receive a $4/$20 coupon when you sign up for the CVS ExtraCare email (If you haven’t already registered a card with an email address.)

Don’t forget your reusable bag with Green Bag Tag! It will generate $1 Extra Care Buck every 4 times it is scanned. 

Every 2 prescriptions filled at CVS will generate $1 ECB.

Register for the CVS Advisory Panel and earn more ECBs by completing online surveys from CVS.

Thanks Truecouponing!

2011 Coupon Insert Schedule

2011 Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule

2011 Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule (Smartsource Coupon Preview 2011, Redplum Coupon Preview 2011, Proctor & Gamble Coupon Preview 2011, General Mills Coupon Preview 2011)

January
2— (2) Smart Source (2) Red Plum and General Mill
9— Smart Source and Red Plum
16 — Proctor & Gamble
23 — Smart Source and Red Plum
30 — Smart Source and Red Plum

February

6 — Smart Source
13 — No Inserts scheduled (Valentine’s Day)
20 — Smart Source, General Mills and Procter & Gamble
27 — Smart Source and Red Plum

March
6— Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
13 — Smart Source and Red Plum
20 — Smart Source and Red Plum
27 — (2) Smart Source, Red Plum

April
3— Smart Source and Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
10 — Smart Source and Red Plum
17 — Smart Source and Red Plum
24 — No Inserts scheduled

May
1 — Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
8— Smart Source and Red Plum
15 — (2) Smart Source and Red Plum
22 — Smart Source and Red Plum
29 — No Inserts scheduled (Memorial Day)

June

5 — Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
12 — Smart Source
19 — Smart Source and Red Plum
26 — Smart Source and Red Plum

July
3 — No Inserts scheduled (Independence Day)
10 — Smart Source and Red Plum
17 — Smart Source
24 — Smart Source and Red Plum
31 — Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble

August
7 — Smart Source and Red Plum
14 — Smart Source and Red Plum
21 — Smart Source and Red Plum
28 — Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble

September
4 — No Inserts scheduled (Labor Day)
11 — Smart Source and (2) Red Plum
18 — Smart Source and Red Plum
25 — Smart Source and Red Plum

October
2 — Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
9 — Smart Source and Red Plum
16 — Smart Source and Red Plum
23 — Smart Source and Red Plum
30 — Smart Source and Red Plum

November
6 — Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
13 — Smart Source and Red Plum
20 — Smart Source and Red Plum
27 — No Inserts scheduled (Thanksgiving)

December
4 — Smart Source, Red Plum and Procter & Gamble
11 — Smart Source and Red Plum
18 — No Inserts scheduled (Christmas)
25 — Procter & Gamble

Bill Pay Saves...

With the cost of Postage increasing nearly every year, it's time to get on board with online banking and bill pay. Here are just a few of the benefits...

Save $$$ on Postage
On average we send out between 10-15 bills per month, but for sake of argument let’s say you send out 10 per month. In 2011 that will cost you $4.60 per month or $55.20 per year. How much does it cost to send a payment out through online bill pay? In most cases nothing!

Usually FREE!
Most banks offer online banking and online bill pay free of charge! 

Better Organization & Instant Access
You can very easily log into your account and check on what’s going on in each of your accounts…no more waiting for a statement or calling and going through a lengthy automated service to find out what's cleared your account & what's still outstanding. You can also quickly and easily find out the details of the bills you paid. 


Convenience of Automatic Bill Pay
Do you have a bill that is the same amount each month due on the same date? You can easily set up your account to automatically send out a payment for a certain amount on a certain date each month.


Avoid those pesky Late Fees 
Use this feature to avoid late payments! You can set up your account to send out a payment each month, and in most cases you log in and change the amount to what is owed for that month if need be. However, if you forget to do so, you will not incur a late fee as your account has automatically sent out a payment!


Time Saver
This one is obvious, it takes much less time to click a few buttons to pay your bills rather then to sit down write out all those checks!

Easy Transfers
If you sign up for your banks online capabilities you should be able to quickly and easily transfer money from one account to another (in the same bank of course). This is a true time saver and I use it all the time! This could save you some bounce fees as well, if you log in and notice you may run short this month you can quickly throw some money from another account into your checking and avoid a costly bounce fee!

Save Money on Check Printing
Obviously you’ll use considerably less checks so you won’t be ordering nearly as many as you did before online bill pay….so you’ll save a few bucks each year on checks! 

Mobile Access
You can easily access your accounts and bill pay anywhere you have an Internet connection. 

Thanks Chitowncheapskate!