After attending Extreme Coupon Free Seminar at local Hotel..

I have been inspired to clipping coupons from paper with sales to save money. Saved $100 January and February so far. This month so far, $45. Good start!

Saved $12. at Price Chopper today...

'shop smarter, live better!'

I bought a lb. of American cheese for $ 1.99! Had store $1. coupon and manufacturer one for $2, so saved $3 on cheese already on sale for $ 4.99.  Water melons were on sale for $2.99 each and milk for $2.99 a gallon. Also got 1 1/3 lbs. of ,already cooked for $3.99!

Saved money on pet treats...

'live well, shop smarter'.

read more here.

Used coupons and shopped sales and saved...

yesterday. Bought 3 bags of candy, Reeses',, kisses for Easter for $9 minus $2 coupon for $7, 12 rolls of Scott tissue for $6.99 minus $2. coupon for $4.99,ginger ale for 69 cents with coupon at CVS.  Saved $1 on Sorrento cheese,$1. on two cat Party Mix, 2 for $3($3-$1=$2,35 cents off Soft Soap for 99 cents for .64. at Walmart. $6.65 total savings. All good. Bought some more rawhide bones at Burlingtnn Coat Factory. Some were 50% off.

Day before went to food pantry and got for free a bag of chicken parts, some caanned beans,pasta,fancy soaps(lemon verbena,sage) and pancake mix. Added up to $20 free food.

Saved on Valentine's candy....

'Shop smarter, be frugal. '

as 25% off. Russel Stover foil heart and Giardelli dark chocolate was $5 and now $3.97.    20% off.  also saved $2. on milkbone dog biscuits too. all good,anything can save on. yes! Also used CVS coupon for $3.00 off!facial skincare that was buy one get 2nd 50% off.
.

Petsmart has good savings now....

'Live well,shop smarter'.

on pet accessories and bones from XMAS. Rawhide doesn't expire so I bought more when had already stocked up on post XMAS sale bones from Walmart.  I also bought two battery operated candles can put in my window year round as pastoral and spiritual,not just XMASy. Was just a buck. Also go two big boxes of miniature candy canes marked down 75% from $2.50,75 cents each. Don't expire til june of this year. love peppermint and so does my dog so will use up by then. Got Billy Graham XMAS cards n box for next season for $1.25.

Also CVS has free candy with coupon. ( .75 minus .75 coupon. These are good promotions they do to get you in the store so then will buy something else. Usually do this with soda too. My attitude is clear. Any savings is good and can be used for an item wouldn't normally get like treated myself to Seattle's blend coffee for $7 instead of my usually on sale Maxwell House blend for $2.99. Also bough a London broil meat for $11. There is enough for two meals and portions easy. I am content with 4 slices with a salad so.. all good.

Also purchased some liquor like gin,vodka,whisky can mix drinks at home with instead of paying $ 7.00 each for a drink in a bar/restaurant.  Also bought some orange,coconut juices and milk for ingredients. Had bought pineapples in can. Looking for a cheap blender can mix things with. Will try Walmart.

 

Saved $ Big!

This past week end went to Price Chopper, a local super market for my weekly shopping. There I got a newspaper loaded with three packets of coupons,easily paying for the $2.oo newspaper. Last week only had one in the paper. Found many coupons will surely use as use these items normally.

I also bought 2 28 pound bags of scoopable cat litter made by a less well known, generic store brand, 'Pristine Paws' for $14. Normally pay that for 20 lbs. so good savings. I also bought 128 oz. of generic store brand 'Clear Value' bleach for .99! Normally $2.50.    Saved $19.50 but sadly the weight from all this broke my cart and had to toss it(had spent $32. on this flimsy cart at True Value(or Tony Fallon Hardware, owned by my exfriend Tony who accused me of stealing his credit card. Read more on this soap opera topic on my Closer to Sane blog) hard ware store in Cairo, NY. was always a problem as wheels bent to sides.) Took a loss of $12. but saved in long run with the many coupons.

Had taken a hit last mointh when I had to buy another bike(mine was stolen) from a yard sale for $30 and then it was vandalized(tires slashed),out $30.  Neighbor gave me a knock around bike so helped but still...

My motto is to save as much as can so can enjoy things normally couldn't afford. I treated myself to a hamburger and fries for $5. and a large cheese pizza from 'Bella Pranza' local pizza joint, for delivery for $6.99(had coupons). Saved Saved a buck after delivery and tip but every bit counts.

Get a tax break by extreme couponing...

Normally I don't condone this strange behavior which is similar to hoarding but...If giving to charity then it is ok and not only that profitable when you can get a tax right off on what you give! ex. $1,000 food and toiletries donation bought from manufacturer,store coupons and sales.

For more on this topic on my blog, go to former post on extreme couponing from August as just updated it as saw another extreme couponing program on TLC and learned more about this new bizarre trend that perhaps isn't all that odd after all in these hard economic ties! Share your thoughts on this topic here now. Thanks!

EBT couponning.is a better way..

to go. What you think?! Read more here.

Pay your bills on time to..

save money.  Real simple advice but good advice if you take it. No gimmicks. Also use coupons and buy sale items that you will use in this life not the next. What good is having so much crap around you need to rent a storage locker? Yard sales are good too but again buy whAt need. Also can buy other people gifts from there too. tAKE CARE OF CLOTHES AND STUFF HAVE THOUGH TOO SO DON'T HAVE TO KEEP BUYING STUFF. Uh..what else? join AARP and buy insurance and travel cheaper with discounts from there. Go camping,travel Europe by rail,stay at youth,elder hostels instead of motels,hotels. Make own coffee,use water from Brita filtered bottle instead of buying drinks out,eat in as much as can,brown bag it.Yeh you can live well on little if you use your brain. Download FREE music,movies online and save and be kind to environment by not buying dvds,cds. Also don't pay for phone but use Assurance wirelsss if disabled,poor. Watch tv,use free internet on free wifi instead of paying alot for cable,net.

Also use HEAP benefit if qualify to help pay heat bill. Also live in subsidized housing if can and have part of rent paid. In some cases,tv,net,utilities,heat included!

uSE AND APPLY FOR FOOD STAMPS AND SAVE ON FOOD TOO.

FREE Ellie song. Click link.

Eat out 4 less....

click here and save money.Isn't just at Wendy's ut subway,Mcdonald's,papa john's...save a dollar on next meal. A dollar is a dollar is a dollar,ok?!

Bought a new color 3-in-1 color Printer at CVS for..

$ 39.99. WAs originally $ 89.99 but was on sale and t hen Ihad a coupon based on my shopping history. All I did was scan it and I received some coupons toward my new purchases! Fun!! The printer is a scanner and copy machine as well. There is no fasx or phone but..I stillhave my old printer for that if I choose to connect it but won't as I have no phone where I live at the moment. (Had had a problem connecting it as Verizon came out three times already! ugh..)

You can also save if you recycle your ink cartridges at Staples and also at the Lexmark web site. Lexmark has a better deal than Staples which offers a few dollars off on your next cartridge. They give you a FREE cartridge if you return 5.

Want FREE magazines,newspapers,books?

Save money by going to your local recycling plant and bring home lots of good stuff FREE! Today I brought home 2 bags of shredded paper to mix in with my cat litter to extend it. I also didn't get the sunday newspaper so I looked at it at the library and got 2 packets of coupons instead at the plant. I also got magazines. Two days ago I got a book and some other magazines. It saddened me to see books being thrown away as I know someone took the time to put their soul into what they wrote.

Today, I saved $64 at the supermarket,almost the amount I spend a week on food!

Save with SaLES,coupons,rebates...

At Michael's, the craft store, there is 40% coupon for one item til Valentines day. Peebles, who normally has sales up to 70%..as is getting rid of their old stock, has coupons for an extra 20% for President's day. Petco has a $5. pet product coupon. Macy's has big sales throughout the store as is hurting because of the economy. Am sure there are othere stores but I can't think of them off hand.

I also have a 10 % coupon for Dell, if anyone is interested. I had to get a laptop as power outages damaged my hard drive and the room in the back that is my office is too cold to use anyway so now I can take the laptop anywhere and use it! I got it for a great price through Dell, for $ 260, which included tax and shipping.I also have coupons I get from the newspaper like on diapers that I don't need. You can alos get coupons at the store circular, like I just saved on a gallon of milk for $ 1.99 You can also use the machine as you enter the store if you put your store card in it at Price chopper, to generate more coupons. You can also get them online.

You can also save on your phone bill with Magic Jack. It is like an online phone. Only this one costs $ 40 for the year and then you pay $ 20 a month after that but still is less than Vonage! You can also save on tv by watching reruns like the Bachelor and the Housewives of OC, a week later, and catching the recaps at their web sites, on the computer!

I just got an antennae for my converter box so hope to be able to watch tv, without having to pay cable,soon.

I also got help through HEAP with my electric and propane bill so I didn't have to pay for propane this year and will pay less on the electric. DOH will pay towards the bill as I am in a program for people with disabilities.

You can also get a scholarship if you are poor, to enjoy the Y's pool and workout and places like the HOH, Hudson opera house, teach art and writing for free if you qualify.

SBDC has classes in topics like copyrighting and the law, and one is coming up for FREE on how to write a good business plan.

If you know some good places to get something cheap or Free, please let us know by posting here! Thanks!

Cheap,Frugal..What's the difference?!

Being frugal, means you like a bargain and rather save your money than waste IT frivolously. You can be quite generous however in many other ways like with your time and giving of yourself. being cheap means that your back hurts from stooping to pick up pennies as you walk down the street! Cheapness isn't a matter of practicality but rather is like a disease. When you rather freeze than put on some heat even when your 85 year old grand mother is visiting, That aint being frugal but just good old wrong!

Take the quiz to find out if you're frugal or just plain CHEAP!


Quiz

1. Do you walk or take public transportation rather than drive even though you own a vehicle?!

2. Do you carpool to work even though your job is across the street?!

3. Do you own a television but instead watch your neighbor's, through their window?!

4. Is your idea of a good time, cutting coupons?!

5. Do you wear your husbands donated clothes?!

6. Is your idea of eating out, going to McDonald's for a dollar value meal?!

7. Do you not own a book case or a book because you won't buy a book when you can get it free at the library?!

8. Do you heat your home with solar panels you made yourself out of last night's tv dinners?!

9. Do you conserve water by taking a bath or shower once a week and use baby wipes to clean yourself instead?!

10. Last but not least..(good grief!) is your idea of a vacation, going to your local park?!

If you answered yes to more than one of these telling questions, you are not frugal but a tight wad!