Frugal Living Tip #50 - ShopAtHome.com

ShopAtHome.com

 

I mentioned in two posts last week about ways to save by shopping on-line. In case you missed them you can find them here under tips #44 and #45.

Shopathome.com is a site that offers you a rebate that is a percentage based on the amount you purchase from the on-line retailer. The amount varies, but once you have accumulated $20 in your account they will send you a check. You are really getting paid to shop on-line. I looked back at my account and I primarily used it for holiday shopping. Over the last 2 years I have earned almost $100 back!

It is as simple as going directly to their site - shopathome.com - look for the retailer you were planning to shop with - click on the retailer's icon and start shopping in the window that pops up. I always like to double check the discount code to make sure it gets applied at checkout.

Do you use shopathome.com or a similar site to get cash back on your purchases? Please feel free to share any experiences you have had with these type of sites.

***The link above is my referral link, thanks if you click on it and sign-up through me. My opinion is based on my personal experience and not on any additional compensation from the site.***

 

Frugal Living Tip #49 - Restaurant.com Certificates

Restaurant.com Gift Certificates

If you haven't checked out restaurant.com yet, you need to. They offer gift certificates to local restaurants at discounted prices. The inventory changes periodically, and so do the prices. Several times a year they will offer $25 vouchers for only $2! I have snagged a few of those over the years. Make sure you subscribe to their site to find out when they are going to have those deals.

As with any type of deal make sure you check the fine print on your voucher, how your savings will be deducted. Please don't forget to tip your server based on the original amount before the gift certificate was applied.

 

Frugal Living Tip #48 - Grocery Store Fuel Discounts

Grocery Store Fuel Discounts

I have vivid memories from the summer of 2008. I was home adjusting to life with a newborn and a very active 2&1/2 year old. I was going stir crazy in the house - it was too hot to be outside for long with a newborn. Gas was hovering close to $4 a gallon. It cost me over $60 to fill up my SUV. (I know some things have a way of repeating themselves.)

Well, my trip down memory lane has to do with the introduction of a fuel savings program in Richmond. Ukrop's Supermarkets and Uppy's Fuel Centers combined forces and introduced fuelperks! to us. The concept was that when you spent a certain amount you received a set credit off a gallon of gas.

It was a great idea - two things you had to buy groceries and gas!

In the last 5 years, we have lost Ukrop's to Martin's and Uppy's has been bought by another company, but the opportunity to buy groceries and save on gas is still available. In Richmond, Kroger also offers a discount at their fuel centers based on the amount you spend on groceries.

Do you take advantage of the fuel discounts available at the grocery store? Are there other stores that offer this type of discount?

 

Frugal Living Tip #44 - On-line Shopping

On-line Shopping

Shopping on-line can save you money compared to shopping in a store. This can be because of the ability of the on-line retailer to purchase in bulk, and not having to operate stores. Just like so many things there are pros and cons to on-line shopping.

Pros:

• It can be less expensive
• More selection
• You don't have to go to multiple stores looking for an item or to compare prices
• You can also get a gift sent directly to someone for a wedding, new baby, birthday, or other special occasion
• You can also get free shipping from some sites or free shipping if you pick it up from the actual store

Cons:

• You can't see the item in person
• You have to wait to receive the item
• You may have to pay for shipping
• You have to leave information like an e-mail or telephone number in addition to your shipping address which may lead to future solicitations
• For some people making an on-line payment can be an issue.

I like to try to support local businesses, but sometimes the deal at the on-line retailer are almost impossible to beat. It is also nice to not have to make an additional trip with kids in tow. How about you do you buy things on-line? Do you have a favorite place like amazon, or eBay that you buy from regularly? What kinds of items do you buy?

 

Frugal Living Tip #43 - Prepaid Phone Cards

Prepaid Phone Cards

I have not had a cell phone contract for almost 6 years. I have had a cell phone, I just don't have a contract with a carrier.

You may be curious as to how this works. I realized at the time that I was not maximizing my plan and it was costing over $60 per month. My husband gets his cell phone from his employeer, so we weren't eligible for a multiphone discount. I was able to look at my usage and I figured out how many minutes I was using a month and purchased phone cards from T-mobile that would allow me to use all of the minutes at my own pace. At that time I was able to have a 1000 minute card that cost a little under $100 last me close to 3 months. It was a huge savings!

In the last year I have had to change my plan slightly. Because of rates per minute changing, the increasing costs of sending and receiving texts, and wanting a data plan to go with my iPhone, my husband found another prepaid plan that works out better. We stayed with T-Mobile and were able to take advantage of an unlimited text, talk, and data plan for $50 per month. Also, because this is not a contract, the plan is not subject to all the additional taxes of a traditional cellphone plan. We have found it to be a great fit for me. We are also able to buy the refill cards at a discount by purchasing them on-line from Callingmart.com. The plan has worked out great for me and I am saving money. I am able to change phones at anytime if I need to, or even plans if I discover a better one.

Do you have a cell phone contract or do you use prepaid mobile phone cards? Have any of you looked into these types of prepaid plans for your teenagers? I would love to hear if that has been helpful.

 

Frugal Living Tip #39 - Host a Party

Host a Party

You are probably wondering where I am going with this. I am referring to hosting a direct sales party. There are an assortment of companies that sell jewelry, kitchen products, bags, organizational items, or food storage. I have hosted parties in the past for Pampered Chef, Thirty-One, and Premier Jewelry. The concept is you invite your friends over, a consultant from the company comes over and shows you and your friends some of the products and gives you a catalog to see other items.

The hostess can earn a lot of free products and additional discounts. The benefits vary with each company, and generally the higher your party sales are the more benefits you receive.

I know that a lot of people don't like to attend these types of parties because they feel pressured into buying something, or spending money that they shouldn't. I make it very clear to anyone who comes to one of these parties in my home, that they are under no pressure to buy anything. I never want anyone to think that I invited them over just to buy something. You also have an option to have a catalog only party. It can be really easy these days with catalogs available on-line and promoting it with social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.

I would suggest hosting a party if you see a catalog item that you like, but it falls out of your price range. I have been able to get several big ticket items at a 50-60% discount thanks to hosting these types of parties.

Have you ever hosted a direct sales party? Did you get items that you wanted for free or discounted? Do you have a favorite company that you like to order from?

 

Frugal Living Tip #36 - Oops Paint

Oops Paint

Have you ever been in a home improvement store and noticed the shelf of mixed paint that is sitting there discounted? It is usually oops paint. When the paint got mixed it ended up not being the exact color that the person was looking for. Because the original customer doesn't want it, it can be a huge savings for you.

If you have a large area to paint, oops paint probably isn't your best choice, but if you are dong an accent wall or a small area it may be just enough. We painted a half bath in a previous house with a can of oops paint. Steve was smart enough to save the area behind the mirror for last. That was great because he ran out just when he got to that area. I am apologize to the new owners in case they have decided to change the mirror and now realize they have to paint too. You will have a hard time finding that exact color.

Frugal Living Tip #32 - Bring Your Own Coffee Mug

Bring Your Own Coffee Mug

I mentioned several weeks ago with tip #9 that you can save a few cents by bringing your own reusable shopping bags. Well, you can do the same thing when you are getting a cup of coffee.

I generally bring my own coffee mug to places that have self serve coffee because of my picky coffee palate. I like to already measure out my milk and add my sweetener then fill up my mug with the coffee I want. It is my way of getting a coffee house cafe au lait or misto, for just a fraction of the price.

You can also get a discount on the price at a lot of places by bringing your own mug. I have seen a discount available at Wawa, 7-11, Starbucks, & Einstein Bros. Bagels just to name a few. (You may want to check with the location closest to you as it may vary from store to store.)

Do you bring your own mug when you are going to grab a cup of coffee?