Frugal Living Tip #20 - Rebate Checks

Rebate Checks

My Prepaid Rebate Card

I mentioned prepaid rebate gift cards very briefly in my last post. It was coincidental that as I was getting ready to begin this post, I received a $15 prepaid gift card as a rebate from Proctor & Gamble in the mail.

Rebates are not anything new, but they are another way to increase your savings. They require a little bit of work and you have to make sure that you follow all of the instructions and guidelines on the rebate form and the fine print at the bottom of the form.

This is another case where organization helps. I try to paper clip the receipts to the paperwork in the event I don't have all of the requirements needed or time to fill it out immediately. I also try to clip any UPC's that are required before I put the items away from my shopping trip. I used to make copies of all of my receipts and forms. I generally only do this on higher value rebates like $10 or higher.

Rebates are becoming easier to submit via the Internet. Staples is a great example of easily submitting rebates on-line using codes that print out on your receipt. I was able to do this recently also with a Starbucks coffee purchase. I just had to submit pictures, that we took with a cell phone, of the receipt. It can still take 4-6 weeks for these electronic ones to be processed and to receive your check, but not having to pay postage is another savings!

Do you submit rebates on a regular basis? Do you have any tips for keeping everything together?

 

Frugal Living Tip #13 - Menu Planning

Menu Planning

My very first tip was get organized. Menu planning requires some organization, but is a great way to help you save both money and time.

Menu planning is a great way to take advantage of what you already have on hand in addition to weekly store sales. When you have a plan for what you have on hand, you have less waste and save money.

I was surprised at how much easier my day seemed to go when I didn't have the what is for dinner question in the back of my mind all day long.

Meal planning is not intended to be something that causes you more stress so do what works for you. I generally plan for a leftover night and a dinner out once a week. Having meals or portions of meals already prepped and in my freezer also helps to make menu planning easy to do.

Here is an example of my weekly menu plan: (the dinner leftovers were planned for lunches this week)

• Sunday- Chicken Tortilla Soup (made extra and froze it for another night)
• Monday- Cheese Tortellini with peas and bacon crumbles
• Tuesday- Hawaiian Chicken (a meal from the freezer that cooks in the slow cooker) with noodles and steamed veggies
• Wednesday- Community Group - I am bringing Mac & Cheese for the kids
• Thursday- Taco Night
• Friday- Pancakes, Eggs, & Bacon with applesauce and fruit
• Saturday- Dinner Out

Do you menu plan? Please feel free to share any tips for how you plan and a favorite meal.

 

Frugal Living Tip #7 - Buy Now For Next Year

Buy Now For Next Year

Costumes for Halloween 2013

This past week has been a great time to look for items like gift tags, ribbons, and wrapping paper to use for next Christmas.

In the next few weeks stores will start bringing out clothes for Spring and Summer. That means they need to start clearing floor space and reducing fall and winter items. I have been able to get some great deals on kids clothes this way. It also helps that my kids aren't growing as fast now.

This concept can work for anything - I buy Valentine's plates and napkins after Valentine's Day and then I have them the next year for school parties. I bought all of my kids Halloween 2013 costumes at Target for 50-75% off after Halloween 2012.

Buying ahead is a great way to save money, but like I mentioned in frugal living tip #1, you have to be organized. If you don't remember that you bought it, or where you stored it, it isn't a savings. I keep items like Valentine's Day plates, napkins, and stickers to make this year's valentines in a tub. I keep the Halloween costumes hanging in a closet in the guest room. I pack any holiday items up with the holiday decorations and they go to the attic.

I want to leave you with this final thought - you aren't saving money if it is something that you don't have a real use for or a place to store it neatly until you can use it. That makes it a waste of valuable space and a future garage sale/donation item.

Do you have any items that you always wait for the end of the season? Do you have a special way of keeping them straight and remembering what you bought?

 

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Frugal Living Tip #1 - Get Organized

Get Organized

It is difficult to save money or time if you are not organized.  We all have our extremes in how organized or unorganized our lives are.  If you are like me you may make wonderful strides in organizing some areas of your life, but fail miserably in other areas.  I have realized over the years that not knowing that I already have something ends up costing me more money (and time and frustration!) when I can't find it or remember that I already bought it.  

If you are determined to make couponing work for you this year getting organized and finding the coupon organization system that works for you is the key to being successful.  If you can't find your coupons then you can't use them and if you have to sort through piles of unorganized inserts you will be less likely to clip the coupon you just read about on a deal blog.  If you would like more info on organizing your coupons here is a link to a post I wrote about a year and a half ago about different methods and how I organize my coupons.

~ Ann