If you're like me, you tend to think everything except babies are invincible, which is why I don't hold babies. Recently, my washing machine turned 21 years old. I guess it partied pretty hard, because not too long after that did it explode* and refuse to turn on. My roommates and I were forced by our friends and employers to buy a new washing machine because "turning your clothes inside-out doesn't count." We were simply trying to avoid the inevitable truth: things break and unexpected financial commitments have to be made as a result. But, it doesn't have to feel like someone just ripped part of your stomach out and sold it on eBay. This week, Sara Louise tells us how to fix the breakable without breaking your bank.
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We live in a hundred year old house. We love the charm of an older home, but we dread the frequent maintenance it can require. We've been through our share of leaky roofs, crumbling pavement and broken gutters just to name a few! Through our numerous repairs, I've learned to get great deals with contractors and have some advice to share. With these simple tips, you can save money on repairs for your home.
-Always Contact Several Contactors
If you get multiple quotes with several contractors, you are bound to save money! One of the mistakes people make is that they often only call one contractor. By talking to several contractors you can get a better price and find out more about the materials they will use for the job. When getting our roof repaired, we found that one contractor was offering a lower price, but was using a lower grade material. It made sense to go with the contractor that cost slightly more to get a better roof that would last longer. By talking to several people, you can get the best price and make an informed decision about the materials used.
-Use Those Coupons
Do you ever get those local coupon magazines in the mail or those Valpak envelopes? Have you ever seen coupons for contractors in the paper? Use those coupons to save yourself some money. Yes, I am that crazy coupon lady; I keep a drawer in my desk where I save those coupon magazines. I go to that drawer when we need a repair and it's saved me some serious cash. I may be be crazy but I'm crazy with a lot more money.
-Bargain with the Contractor
We have found that sometimes you can bargain with the contractor to help them and help you. For example, we wanted to get our pavement repaired. We didn't need to done right away, so the contractor agreed to give us a lower price if he could wait a month to complete the job. We weren't in a hurry, so we took the discount. The contractor then was able to complete our job at a time when he was slow on work. We saved money and the contactor avoided a lull with no work.
-Pay Cash to Save
Everyone loves cold, hard cash. Once you work out the best price with your contractor, ask them if they can offer you a discount if you pay in cash. I've found many contractors are happy to take off fifty or one hundred dollars if you pay them in cash. They are happy to avoid the hassle of having to cash a check or pay a fee for a credit card transaction.
-Discounts for Advertising
Would you tacky up your front lawn to save some dough? I've had several contractors offer me an additional discount if I would agree to put their sign on my front lawn for several weeks. I never mind doing this because neighbors and friends are always happy to find a good contractor. Many times I am so thrilled with the work the contractor has done, I'm telling everyone about it. Ask your contractor if they offer discounts for displaying their business sign on your front lawn.
Hopefully you won't have to make emergency repairs to your home, but if you do, remember these tips. Try a few of them and you just might save some money!
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*Obligatory admission: Turns out it was just the circuit breaker; our washer was fine. So, even before you follow the above steps, make sure it's not just your circuit breaker.
View / Add Comments (0) »I'll be honest - I kept typing "Five Expensive Ways to Look Cheap" when I was trying to post this latest article. Something told me that that wouldn't be received very well (unless we've misjudged our beloved BT Community.) Luckily, this week's guest writer wasn't me. We all want to feel good in our skin, and we usually accomplish that through our clothes. Magazines show us expensive ways to look chic and we subconsciously use their high-end mentality as our frame of reference. Carly Schuna shows us that it doesn't have to be that way. Read on for ways to be a chic saver.
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I'm not quite what you would call a clothes horse-maybe a clothes pony-but I do have a closet filled with some pretty stylin' items. I can't say I've never paid too much for something, because I'm sure I have, but the important thing is that close to 90 percent of my wardrobe was purchased at a huge discount. And despite all of the cheapness, I'm no bag lady, so I'd like to share my tips for scoring affordable yet fashionable duds with you. Fasten those suspenders, because here we go!
1. Shop at thrift stores.
I know, I know-this tip isn't news to anyone. However, I think it's important to point out that the thrift stores you choose to shop at matter. If you're always ambling over to the local Goodwill and it doesn't seem to be filled with anything better than ugly Christmas sweaters, why are you still going there? Hop a bus to the next suburb and check out the cast-offs from residents who live in the richy-rich neighborhoods, or go to the heart of downtown and pore through the racks of one-of-a-kind vintage thrift stores that actually have cool stuff.
2. Look for further discounts.
Most thrift stores have a couple of extreme sale days per week when a specific type of item is discounted so steeply that you'd need crampons and ice picks just to approach it. Go on those days, and go early if possible so that you won't have to battle all the other savers in the checkout line. Another way to get discounts is to ask for them. If a pair of gorgeous jeans has a tiny hole that you know you can easily patch, point out the hole and ask if a further markdown is possible.
3. Don't buy it just because it's cheap.
This is sometimes the hardest guideline to actually follow, especially when that "THIS RACK ONLY $3!" sign is screaming at you. However, I can say from experience that if you don't love something when you buy it, it's more than likely going to end up in that exact same thrift store again in a few months or few years when you finally clean out your closet and realize you never wear it. No matter how cheap an item is, don't buy it unless you love it. To test, pretend the fashionable object of your affection was being sold at full price. Would you buy it anyway, provided you could afford it? If so, snatch that sucker.
4. Shop at consignment stores.
Unlike thrift stores, consignment shops aren't usually run by charities, so they actually have some stake in whether or not their items sell, and they won't accept all of Grandma's old blouses with a big smile. No, consignment shops have standards, and you do, too, which is why you should frequent them. They're not always as dirt cheap as thrift stores, but the inventory is often higher quality, and it's constant rotating. Consignment stores are also great places to search for designer brands at affordable prices.
5. Save at the chic stores.
Let me guess-you'd rather be wearing something from Anthropologie than Miley Cyrus for Wal-Mart. So why aren't you? Expensive stores have sales and clearances, too. Look out for them, shop online for the best selection and inventory, and hit up the auction sites such as eBay to see if items from the stores you love are being resold at way less than the sticker prices (because they probably are). The hunt may seem like a pain, but remember-it's worth it!
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For those who have not yet quit blinking so you can not miss a fraction of a second of the back-to-school countdown, the kids are going to be heading back soon. What a sad time for...THEM. Of course, there is a great deal of stress and preparing that goes into the celebration. The freshest pencils (Is it still Number 2? Or has Apple come out with the iPencil?), the coolest kicks, the snazziest backpack (don't say "snazzy" to your kids, though). That last one is almost more important than the First Day Outfit. After all, this is what your kids' silly friends will be staring at all year. So, you wanna send a message: "I'm cool and my parents are even cooler."
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Mr. Feeko here, your friendly neighborhood shut-in. I do all my shopping from home via the Internet, because if I can't find it on the internet, it doesn't exist! I don't know if you've looked at the calendar recently, but you'll find that "back to school" time is right around the corner. The kids will be heading back to school in a matter of weeks and there's a good chance last year's tote, bag or backpack is lost, torn or, worst of all, out of fashion. Imagine their horror! This means you'll be required to do one of three things:
1. Go to the mall to try and find them what they want, pay retail prices, suffer in the heat and deal with noisy crowds and grumpy sales-people.
OR
2. For the next few weeks endure hints, suggestions and begging from your kids for a brand new bag, tote or backpack and then be forced to get one at the last minute that will probably cost too much, be the wrong one and need to be shipped over night at an additional cost to get to your house on time.
OR
3. Plan ahead, do your Internet surfing now and get your kids what they want early, online and cheap - oh, and delivered in time for them to have it the first day without paying for overnight shipping
My vote is for number three, but I could be crazy. I like that one because it's fast, easy and it can't miss when you're preparing for back to school. Now, if you're going to do a search for the best deals try using the following keywords in your Google, Bing or Ask search (or just click the search-engine links here):
back to school, backpack, bag, tote, deal, sale
Keep in mind that places like Amazon, REI and Target carry a multitude of options for you and they can have outstanding bargains. All you need to do is hit their sites and start surfing. If you're getting a backpack, bag or tote for yourself, then you know what you're after and you can just start digging. However, if you are getting one for your kids, then you'll want them there with you when you pick it out. There's nothing worse when you go to school than having to wear something that you just know the other kids are gonna make fun of you for. You remember how it was, don't you? And parents never have any idea what the next hot thing is at school, but the backpack makers sure do. School fashion changes faster than high fashion, so get your kid and the manufacturer together in your own home via the Internet and make everyone happy!
You have many options with regards to tracking down deals. Many people prefer deal, sale and coupon sites like BeatThis.com, Deals.com and Coupons.com. For the regular shopper these can be awesome tools to save money every day on the things you buy on the internet and around town. When back to school time hits, you have to be prepared! But fear not, there's loads and loads of sales, deals and bargains to be had on everything you need.
Make sure the first day of school doesn't catch you by surprise!
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Prices, that is. You see? This is why I hate major appliances. They're unreliable. You never know when they're not going to be there anymore. This week's post by Jamie Lynn Dunston particularly hit home for me since the recent death of our 21-year-old washer. The loss left three girls with lots of clothes (read: understatement) in quite a delicate cycle of a situation. We were left scrambling and wearing very last-season outfits. Needless to say, we had to act fast. Luckily, this article showed up.
Also, it took everything in me not to drop the "Is your refirgerator running?" reference. You're welcome.
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When we bought our new house last year, we walked in after closing and were shocked to find the refrigerator missing. We went back to the contract and read the fine print: "does not convey." With just a week until move-in day, I got to shopping, and two days later, a couple of guys delivered a new fridge. You would think that in a jam I would either have had to pay through the nose or settle for less, but I got a a large-capacity name-brand side-by-side for about two-thirds of its regular price. How? Research, flexibility, and a little bit of luck.
Research: When I realized we had to make a major purchase on short notice and on a limited budget, I immediately started looking into the various styles and features available. I got online and figured out what I needed and what I didn't. Shelves that you can move up and down by cranking a handle? Yeah, that's cool, but probably not worth three grand. I got a ballpark figure of how much I could expect to spend and, together with my husband, set a firm upper limit on how much we could afford. Then, after I knew exactly what I was looking for, I went shopping.
Flexibility: I narrowed down my wish list to two major requirements: an automatic ice maker and side-by-side design. My goal was to find the cheapest refrigerator that met both these requirements; everything else was negotiable. Knowing that I would eventually be remodeling the kitchen allowed me to keep my options open to a variety of colors and styles.
At each store, I went straight to the closeouts to see if anything met my needs. Some places didn't have anything even close; those were easy. Others had a few models that were marked down by varying percentages, but some of these - although they were as much as 40% off - were still out of my price range and had a lot extra features that weren't on my wish list. No matter how much I'd "save" on the fridge, paying for features I'd never use would be a waste.
Luck: In the end, I went back to the first store I had visited and bought a great fridge that, luckily, had been discontinued. It was the floor model, and it had an almost imperceptible dent in the door, so I asked for - and received - an additional ten percent off the closeout price. All told, I saved over one-third off the MSRP, and I got free delivery and installation to boot. And not a single person has noticed the dent - not even my mother.
This strategy works for any big-ticket purchase. I saved over $1000 on a discontinued LED LCD television last month, and I saved a whopping 75% off my wedding dress by shopping the previous year's styles. And about a year ago, I bought a Simplehuman trash/recycler that I'd been coveting for 44% off - not only was it discontinued for a minor cosmetic upgrade, I got another 10% off the floor model just because it wasn't in a box. That's right - I got a discount off a large container to throw trash in because it didn't come with its own garbage.
It may sound like common cents...whoops, sense. But, it's easy to miss out on big saving opportunities when we pigeonhole our expectations. We limit ourselves on what's out there, and we may end up with something really great (like, a big fat wallet).
On all these occasions, I was fortunate to find closeouts that met my needs, but to some extent I made my own luck. I made sure I was in the right place at the right time by being in as many places as possible for as long as it took. I did my research by looking online and visiting several brick-and-mortar stores before each purchase, and I didn't buy the first deal I saw. I stayed flexible, which made it easier to pick up floor models for the extra percentage off. And because I'd done my research, I was able to make a confident decision in the end.
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I'm giving David Wilkening the spotlight again this week because he helped me book a cheap trip to NYC through his last article. I thought I'd give him another shot. Hopefully he doesn't tell me I should be driving there now. But, in all seriousness, we often choose trips that are not to far-off destinations. They're usually just close enough where driving isn't impossible, but flying wouldn't be ridiculous, either. "Screw the bus and the train," I say. "It's not 1850 and this isn't an Agatha Christie novel." But, that might be really screwing myself. You might want to consider the perks of the less-modern options. After all, saving is the new black.
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Travelers have some choices in how they get from here to there. You can drive your own car, jump on a plane, hop on a train or even take the bus. Which is the most comfortable depends on the availability of transportation. Buses go virtually everywhere, but trains and planes do not, of course. And driving is almost always an option.
Many other factors enter in. Train and bus travel is slower than planes, at least for long distances. So figuring out how much your time is worth is a consideration for some trips.
Also, choosing the cheapest way to travel among those options is sometimes complicated but there are some general rules.
If you're traveling a long distance, planes win out because of the time factor. But more and more travelers going shorter distances (say 400 miles or less) are looking to the alternative train, if the rails go to their destination. This is most commonly the case in the Northeast US.
When your trip is short, flying saves you no time. If you arrive, as advised, 60-90 minutes before your flight, you will probably need at least 30 minutes to get to the airport. That's two to 2.5 hours right there, not counting flight time. And consider that the airport is often not near your final destination.
As for driving, another factor to consider is that you are using up "wasted time." You can't read, study or work behind the wheel -- or at least you should not be doing any of that.
Trains, buses and planes all allow you to read or work.
The best kind of train is one where you can sleep at night. A plane might take 3 hours while a train takes 11, but if you spend 8 hours of that sleeping in a bed on the train, then the train is a better option (backpackers know this and often travel at night on the far superior European trains to save hotel costs). You also won't have to hassle with airport security, you might not have to check your baggage, your mobile phone will likely work throughout the trip, and you won't have the cost of a hotel room.
Air fare is relatively cheap but to get the best fare you generally need to get your ticket well ahead of time, at least 30 days or so before you travel. Buying a ticket on a train or bus at the last minute is generally cheaper compared to airplanes.
But say you're traveling with the family or other people. This is cheaper by the carload. You get no such break from a plane or bus because everybody has to buy their own ticket (one exception to this is that both buses and trains sometimes offer a two-for-one promotion).
If you've given much thought to safety, and whether it's worth the price, you know that flying is much safer than driving, according to just about any statistic available. Train travel is the safest way to go.
What's the most comfortable way to travel? Trains win, hands down. Compared to flying, the train offers plenty of legroom, no restrictions on using electronic devices, generous free baggage allowances, dining cars sometimes serving freshly-prepared meals and the option to upgrade to a suite. You can even bring your bicycle if you have one. Cars may be the second most comfortable since you can stop whenever you want.
The most uncomfortable: no question, planes.
Where to go to book your trip? Some added tips:
It's generally agreed that Travelocity or Orbitz have the best fares for domestic airline travel. Amtrak has a monopoly on train travel, though there's a Septa train from New York to New Jersey, and an NJ Transit for trips from New Jersey to Philadelphia.
For buses, the best bet is Greyhound. But in the Northeast, there's also the Chinatown Bus Lines, Megabus and BoltBus; in the Northeast and Midwest, there's also Megabus.
Of course, it comes down to pros and cons. Actually, it comes down to cons. Whichever has the least, wins. As it turns out: I'd rather do the least amount of standing and pay the least amount of attention for the least amount of time.
I told my mom that. She said, "I guess you're staying home."
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Sorry if you religiously follow our blog and have had to wait a little longer for the next post. Truth is, I was traveling and having way more fun. But, I kinda wish I'd posted this article by David Wilkening before I took off faster than Lindsay's SCRAM bracelet, because I would've saved a lot more on my hotel. Luckily, I plan on making many, big city trips in the near future, but not spending big city dollars. Read below for tips on how!
Everyone knows that staying in big cities such as New York or Chicago translates into bigger bucks to book a room. But there are many ways to cut your costs, many little "common" things that we might overlook.
The dozen tips below will depend on the city and your own particular timing, but here are some things to look for:
(1) You did remember to ask about special rates. There are often discounts for students, corporate travelers, military veterans, seniors, AAA members and others. Are you perhaps a government worker? There are often discounts for them as well.
(2) Can kids stay free in your room? Even big city hotels offer this family-friendly perk.
(3) Since room rates depend on the season, you might want to time your visit from January to March, which is usually the cheapest months in large northern cities. Summer and particularly July to August are also good times financially to book a room. Skip the fall which is the most expensive time of the year. Don't even think about Christmas, which is generally the highest rate all year.
(4) In most large cities, you'll find mass transit. You probably don't want to ride a bus (most people don't) because schedules are complicated and you might have to stand out to bear the elements. But if you're willing to take the subway, consider staying away from generally more expensive mid-towns.
(5) Schedule your visit over a weekend at a business-oriented hotel where rates often drop dramatically once busy executives are heading for home. Sunday nights tend to be the least expensive.
(6) Check hotel web sites for weekend specials or just ask when you call. Most hotels have deals on their web sites that you might not otherwise know about.
(7) Don't neglect "shopping" for hotels. Many places offer "Internet only" deals, for example, that can save 10 to 20 percent or even more.
(8) If you're not familiar with travel search sites, try them out. Expedia, Priceline and Travelocity offer discount prices. You will need to bid at some of these sites but they offer comparative prices for guidelines on how much you offer for rooms. If your dates are flexible, sign up for Travel Alerts; you'll receive e-mails when rates fall into your price range.
(9) Chains are particularly sensitive to unsold rooms. They hate to see rooms stay empty. So inquire at your chain hotel about a discounted deal. Last minute rates are often heavily discounted.
(10) Even if a hotel does not advertise free rooms or meals for children, ask about them. Hotel administrators will often throw in that perk if their occupancy is not up to par.
(11) Deal directly with a hotel staff. You will almost always get a better deal through the hotel itself than you will by calling a chain's main number.
(12) Above all, keep in mind that hotels don't operate like Macy's or Neiman-Marcus. Prices are always flexible so never be afraid to explain your own situation (perhaps a plethora of kids or other special needs) and see if the hotel can find some way to make you a deal.
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I know what you're thinking: "I didn't know you could do math." Well, I can't. But this week's contributor, David Wilkening, can. It's officially Summer (if you didn't know that, step outside in your sweater and jeans and see if you think it's the Apocalypse), which means: Summer concerts! I can smell the marijuana already. Since my boss won't let me write an article on the best weed bargains across our green nation, here's the next best thing. So, get to reading, get to saving and get to awkwardly swaying at your next Summer event.
Event ticket prices can vary as much as 40 percent between the highest and lowest point. So what's the best way to save?
In the past, one tried and true way was to shop around. There are primary and secondary sellers. Primary sellers have first access to tickets. They pass on a league/team/artist venue price and you pay that along with a service charge for the provider. The best known of these is Ticketmaster, which is notorious for high prices. Secondary sellers are usually scalpers who generally hang around stadiums or sell tickets via newspapers or on line. Re-sellers may also use eBay and TicketsNow.
But another, better technology in modern times has come to the rescue.
What adds up as a proven one-stop site is SeatGeek.com. This is a way of finding out the best time to buy a ticket.
Let's say you want the cheapest ticket to a live event such as a concert or a baseball game. The one-of-a-kind site helps you find the best price through a team that includes several economists. They look at nearly a dozen variables such as trends in ticket sales from previous years, weather predicted for that day, the status of playoffs (for sports teams) and other factors such as special promotions.
"Using that information, we can accurately predict 83 percent of the time if the ticket price will go up or down," says co-founder Jack Groetzinger. No, they're not always right, he admits, but the team uses a mathematical formula to determine prices. Potential ticket prices of an upcoming Chicago Cubs game, for example, could be predicted based on past and current prices, who's playing in the game, the weather forecast, and whether a Rolling Stones concert is going on next door. So users can decide whether or not to buy a ticket now or wait for a price drop. If tickets are forecasted to drop, users can sign up for an alert. The site then e-mails users the best time to buy.
The system uses patent pending technology. SeatGeek's revenue plan is based on that optional insurance policy, along with an 8-10% cut of the purchase price on deals listed on the site and a future premium service for ticket brokers.
The forecast does not spam, users generally agree. Information is not shared with others. And guess what? It's free for ticket buyers. A premium version for brokers and other sellers is in the works.
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People who don't love awesome, that's who.
For a long time, my knowledge of free samples consisted of how many laps I did around the mall Food Court. Now I know there is a whole world of free samples that you can lap without the Teryaki Chicken lady giving you the evil eye. To get packages in the mail and fun to try out new products, without spending any money, is what life is all about. The internet makes it easy to find new products and give-aways. I am sharing five ways I have found freebies online:
1) Use your favorite search engine (I use Google) and search for terms like "freebie" or "free sample." You should get tons of search results. Search once a week or so to find all the new offers.
2) Check out major retailers, such as Walmart. Type "free samples" into the search on the site. For example, the day I checked Walmart, there were free samples available for Prilosec, Crest, Panteen and Playtex tampons. Costco also offers free samples.
3) Use websites dedicated to freebies and deals. For example, BeatThat.com has a constantly updated list of some great deals around the internet. Scroll down for offers that say "free."
4) Sign up to follow blogs on freebies to receive information every day on new offers. One such blog, "HeyItsFree.net" checks to make sure deals are legitimate before posting. Sometimes, there is shipping cost involved. But, usually it's on a bigger "free" item and still gives you that warm, free feeling...a freeling!
5) Sign up to receive newsletters from manufacturers or retailers to receive information on their sales, promotions and give-aways.
The nice thing about looking for free samples on the internet it the immense amount of selection and many manufacturers will provide you with a full size sample, rather than a small, one-time use sample size.
The downside to becoming a freebie junkie is the immense amount of spam, telephone calls and junk mail you start to receive. The junk mail is easy, just throw it away if you don't want it. The spam and telephone calls may take a little extra work, but there are ways to avoid having these interfere with your daily life:
· Set up a free email account used exclusively for freebies, newsletters, etc. You can check this email as often as you like but all the offers won't clog up your existing email account.
· Use a service such as evoice.com to set up a free voice mailbox. Your voicemails will be emailed to you. Your home phone number won't ring over and over with sales calls or follow ups on the free offers you requested.
Besides the fun of having products arrive in your mailbox, finding freebies is a great way to save a few dollars. Once you get the hang of the search for free samples, it will probably take you just a few minutes a day to find samples your family can use.
by Eileen Bailey (edited by Jessica Kenny)
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The song is so much happier sounding than the actual reality. As I hear the tune in my head, it mocks me with its' happiness. I am surprised that a Real World Summer Camp version hasn't been created. They probably couldn't handle the lines of parnets dragging their kids to every audition in the country. Summer in our region has been shortened to what seems like just a handful of weeks at the pool and in the backyard. We try to make the most of the months which translates into keeping busy and out of trouble.
The kids are enrolled in some camps but we mainly look for fun that doens't cost much in places that are well air-conditioned. There are a wide range of free movies and free bowling options through programs like Kids Bowl Free and Regal Entertainment's summer movies.
For an outdoor adventure all summer, we like to head to REI and participate in their free Family Adenture program. Bass Pro Shops offers fun and free summer activities in-store including crafts, a shooting gallery, casting pond, and family workshops through their Family Summer Camp program. Activities do vary by store and region but just going in the stores can be fun with their climbing walls and cool camping gear.
While all of that keeps us busy and cool and active, there are still eighty days of summer that require something to keep me out of a padded room. Getting freebies in the mail has become a fun thing to do. I have signed up at companies like Kraft First Taste, Vocalpoint and Shespeaks. Free samples, opportunities to interact with other moms, and ways to find new products for the family plus a full mailbox adds some fun to my days. It is a fun race down the driveway every day to see if we have some new sample or coupon.
The Bank of America Museum On Us program offers free admission to a long list of museums, botanical gardens, zoos, and science centers during the first full weekend of each month. I already have the plastic in my wallet. By going through this program, we can go enjoy our own backyard and save some green.
Kids don't live on fun alone. I have to feed them too. My Chick-fil-a calendar stash nets us all kinds of free food and drinks through the summer. Groupon.com has become my new go-to site for discounts at restaurants and for activities. If my real mailbox isn't full of free food coupons, I can always count on my email box to have printable coupons. Wendy's email club offers $1 off coupons. The Red Robin E-Club offers a free gift at sign-up and a free burger or kid's meal on your birthday. Jack-in-the-Box brings in an air of mystery with their Secret Society of Cool People at an even better, high value and free product coupons.
While the summer may be about keeping the kids fed and busy, it is also about relaxing. While I may be bracing a bit for the days of summer, there is something sweet about the fun days enjoying them and our adventures. I'm definitely going to pencil in some quiet days at home with no plans other than to run by the mailbox and sip some lemonade.
by Amy Barnes
View / Add Comments (0) »All signs indicate that budget-conscious families who may have cut back last year are again busy planning summer driving vacations. If you're among that group, you can save money in many small ways such as bringing some of your own food and making sure your car is running at its best. Some surefire ways to save on your most expensive travel expenses:
Autos
---Unless you live in a high cost area for gasoline, make sure to fill up at your local station the day before heading out.
---Try to avoid the gas stations that are in the middle of nowhere because prices there can be hiked up an additional 50 cents per gallon or more.
---An obvious move is to make sure your auto is running well. Remember that breakdowns can cost a fortune.
---Pack the car as light as possible -- the more weight, the harder the car works and the more gas you use.
---When renting a car for a large group of people, renting one SUV saves on gas mileage vs. renting two smaller cars
---Use only the grade level of gas that your car owners manual calls for, nothing more.
---Use cruise control to run the engine efficiently and save on gas.
---Consider joining a wholesale club that sells their own gas onsite - you might save a considerable sum not only at home, but in out-of-town locations where you're staying.
---Buy your gasoline mid-week when prices generally stabilize from spikes entering the weekend and starting the workweek.
---Get your car washed. Sounds silly, no? But save money by not having a wash before you leave. Your car will get trashed during a road trip so why save it for when you get back?
Food
---Locate inexpensive restaurants before leaving home that are timely places to break up your trip.
---Plan your trip to leave shortly after a meal if possible such as breakfast or lunch. This will enable you to drive for several hours without having to stop, and save money as well. If you leave in the morning you can pack a picnic lunch and stop at a pleasant rest area when everyone's ready to take a break.
---Pack snacks for the car, such as cut up vegetables and fruit. Cheerios and spill-proof cups with juice or water are great for kids.
---Fill your water bottles up half way and freeze them over night. Top them off before your trip; the ice will thaw slow enough to keep your drinks cold for hours. This can save money on drinks.
---If you're stopping at hotels, stay at places with complimentary breakfast. Otherwise, eat at a local bakery where the food often costs far less than restaurants or hotels. Ask locals such as the hotel staff about bakeries in your area.
---if you want to sample the local cuisine, eat lunch instead of dinner. Lunch almost invariably is less costly than dinner.
---Book accommodations that offer a kitchen so that at least some meals can be cooked at home. But don't forget to stock up on inexpensive staples such as canned soups, rice, bread and other ingredients that can be turned into a meal.
---Save money on snacks by visiting a supermarket for non-perishables such as chips and dried fruit to avoid paying higher prices on snacks at gift shops and tourist attractions.
---Consider having inexpensive picnics.
Hotels
---The most obvious traveling money saver is avoiding those big hotel bills. So seek out friends or relatives to stay overnight. Not all of them will want your company but they can also offer affordable hotels or other free tips about their area.
---No relatives? No worries. An increasing number of web sites allow you to stay in someone else's home while they stay in yours.
---If you have to stay in hotels, consider that many business-oriented places to stay are cutting rates to lure summer family travelers. Look for deals from chains such as Marriott that are catering to families to make up for lagging business travelers.
---Seek out hotels that allow children to stay for free.
---AAA membership offers great discounts; if you'd like more information on this service go to www.aaa.com.
GENERAL TIPS
---Consider staying close to home. Cash-strapped states are working especially hard to boost in-state tourism business. Check out your home state or city's tourism website for coupons and other discounts.
---Sign up for e-mail from your local transit agencies and check their websites -- you might hear about special deals at local museums or parks and free parking sites where you can leave your car before you pick up the train or bus.
by David Wilkening
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