Credit Card Rewards

Okay this tip is not for the weak at heart. I have credit cards. I use credit cards. I pay off my credit cards. I have no problem with using credit cards and therefore I will seek out deals with credit cards. However, if you are someone who sees a low credit card balance and thinks it’s disposable income you need to not read any further.

I would rather use my credit card to buy gas, groceries and other day to day expenses instead of keeping cash on hand or using my debit card. Then when the bill comes in, I pay it off so I don’t accure interest. Since, I’m paying it off, I searched for a card that offers awards rewards that I want instead of a low interest credit card. Check out Index Credit Cards a site that keeps updated information on all credit card offers . Decide if you want cash back, points, miles or all of the above and find the card for you.

I use a card that gets me free miles. I keep track of my balance online and when it reaches a certain amount I stop using it. I have it set up to email me just before payment is due to remind me to go online and pay it by wiring money from my checking account to my credit card. Is that easy. And you can have extra cash in your pocket or you can horde the points for that HDTV you want.

Again who knows why you pick the cards you do.

Grocery Shopping for Deals

Grocery Shopping, I know you hate to do it, so you make it quick. Just run in and run out grabbing the things that you need for the next few days. If you go at all. You would be surprise how many people skip the grocery store and order take out every night. But grocery shopping is a necessary evil especially if you are trying to save money. And you can't buy your Mr. Clean from Domino's. Taking the time to plan your visit will save you money every month. And yes you will notice the savings. If you are like me, you have 2-4 different grocery chains within a few miles from one another. And each one every week has specials for you to take advantage of. I'm not telling you to go to every store every week and I'm not telling you to buy something you wouldn't normally buy. But if boneless chicken breasts are on sale for $1.99 / pound why would you just buy enough for one meal? Priced normally at $5.99 and up, buying several pounds of chicken and freezing it for future meals adds up to huge savings. Only use Tide to do laundry. Well guess what, when it goes on sale by two or (gasp) even three and you have enough to last you until the next time it goes on sale. Only use Gillette razors - well you get what I'm talking about. It's called the art of stock piling. And it saves people $$$$ every time you shop. Every week, grocery stores send you their weekly specials in the mail and more than likely every week, you throw them out, without looking at them. Well glance at them next time you are eating your shrimp fried rice. Find out which store has the most items of your favorite items on sale, MAKE A LIST, and spend some time visiting the aisles of your grocery stores, stocking up on your favorite items. Look at that insert, Cereal is only $2.00! There are pages of sale items every week from stores begging for you to visit them. Note, If you don't get the sale circulars in the mail you can always go on-line and view the weekly sales from the store's website. Most even have the ability to create a shopping list on line so you can print a ready to go list.

Also, in order to take advantage of most sales, you have to join their club. DO IT! It's harmless. If you don't want to carry a card every where you go or if you are prone to losing them, several stores can look you up by phone number. And if you are still paranoid more than likely, the cashier or the customer next to you in line can offer you one to scan - especially since they are getting the credit for your purchases which adds up to bigger savings (for another post, don't want to confuse you).

I admit, I feel funny when I have four boxes of Cocoa Puffs in my cart and on my shelfs but I can't live without my chocolate fix. And if I can have it and save money at the same time, I'm CucKoo for them (sorry, had to throw that in)

Lower You Heating Costs

I know, I live in sunny California so what do I know about Winter chills. But I didn't always live here. I remember the cold frosted days that freezes your lungs from the inside. Even worse I remember how much money I spent every month keeping my house warm when it was 20 degrees outside. So despite the fact that I tend to keep my windows open in December, I'm going to pass a huge money saver to all of my northern friends.

INSULATE YOUR WINDOWS!

Don't believe me? Wait until January and place your hand on a window. Feel how cold it is? Hold a match to your window. Does it flicker? That's cold air leaking into your house and dollars leaking out of your windows. Now step into your time machine so you are back in the present and can do something about your windows.

Windows Stay SnugYou can find these anywhere. Hardware store, Grocery Stores, Drug Stores even Bed Bath and Beyond (yep another use for those coupons stored in your car). They come in a variety of sizes, even ones large enough to cover a door-wall. Buy whatever brand you want, they all work the same. Apply the two-sided tape around your window, stick the wrap on it, trim to size (if necessary). The last step, use your hairdryer to tighten up the seal, remove wrinkles and make it clearer so you can see the ice clinging to the trees outside. In the spring pull it off and enjoy the summer breeze. Note: to get the double side tape off without any residue bring out that tested hairdryer to heat up the tape and it will loosen up a bit for easy wipe off.

Feeling ambitious and want something you can reuse every year. If you are the do it yourself type. Click on over to the Everyday Crafty Goodness blog for instructions on how to make your own window insulators that can be rolled up and reused year after year. I was never that ambitious.

Honestly, you would be surprised how many people insulate their windows this way and you just never noticed since they are behind curtains and shades. Beside you can laugh to the bank with the money you save every month with this tip so who cares.

Shopping for Quality not Price

There was this store (to be nameless) where I use to buy my jeans. I would go in, buy a $30 pair of jeans and wear them for one year. Almost to the day one year later, those jeans would become torn, ragged and shredded in the knees. Now I'm not saying I would throw them out, wearing torn jeans, especially ones that happened, instead of bought are great. But I would still have to buy another pair of non-holed jeans. So off I would go to the same store and buy another pair of $30 jeans.

I did this three years in a row and then I realized, I spent a combined total of $90 on jeans with a combined shelf life of 3 years. I decided to suck it up and spend $90 on one pair of jeans. That was 5 years ago. I'm wearing those $90 jeans as I type this and they are perfect. Worn a bit to make them relaxed but no holes no tears.... perfect. At this rate, they will last 5 more years.

Lets do the math:
One $90 jeans for five years is $18 a year. (not counting the fact that I am wearing them longer than 5 years.
Three $30 jeans for three years is $30 a year.

I came out ahead with the more expensive pair of jeans AND they fit better, they look better and they are more stylish. So am I telling you to go spend over $100 on a pair of high quality jeans? Well if they are stylish WITHOUT being trendy they will last more than a season before going out of style and, most importantly, you look great in them; definitely!

You need to start looking at a cost per wear factor not a cost per item. Obviously I'm not telling you to spend $150 on a pair of sequined purple velvet jeans that you are going to wear to for one night and never wear them again because they are so last year. But for a classic pair of denim suck it up spend the money on quality and enjoy them knowing in the end you are coming out ahead.

Are you kidding? You actually look like you have money when people see that designer label across your bottom. And less waste so feel good that you are helping lessen the load on landfills with the holier than thou cheap jeans

Bed, Bath & Beyond Coupons

You get them in the mail every week, they show up in your Sunday paper. They populate like rabbits and I bet you throw them all away. Well knock it off! Don’t you know how much money you can save. Especially since:

1. Even though they say they expire - they don’t. You can use them no matter how old they are.
2. You can use Bed Bath & Beyond Coupons at Linens & Things and vice versa.
3. You can used one coupon PER item you buy. So yes for those sitting in the cheap seats, if you have 5 $100 items you can use 5 coupons saving you 20% off of each item. Not bad.

Make sure you pay attention to the coupon some of them say $5.00 off of $20.00, $10.00 off of $30.00 and once or twice a year they send out a 20% off of your entire purchase. But generally what you see above is what you get. So stick a few in your cars or at work so you have them for those days when your toilet overflows and you need to buy a plunger (I speak from personal experience on that one).

Remember both stores sell a lot more than just towels and sheets. After all it is Bed, Bath & Beyond!!!! Appliances, candles, cleaning supplies, and yes even coffee and food. Seasonal items like Margarita Mix in May and Hot Chocolate in December I even saw a Beer of the Month box there once (hiccup).

Go in, take a look around but don’t forget the coupons.

Not too bad. Can perhaps be a higher rating if you walk to the register with 15 items and 15 coupons but trust me, those cash register girls are use to it.

Free Books, DVD & Music

Free Books, DVD & Music
Originally uploaded by FrugalThis

There are a couple of media swapping sites that seem like a great concept. You list the items (books, DVD or Cd's) you have that you want to get rid of. When someone wants the item, you get an email and you send it out. When they receive it, they mark it as received and now you have a free credit that you can use to request something. Obviously it cost to mail out your item but then you get the ones you want for free. Cheaper than buying used on Amazon! They all start you off with 2-3 credits if you list a certain number of items. Below are three that I have used and love.

Frugalreader.com- This site is for books only. List 5 items get one credit, List 9 get two credits. So far I have sent out over 20 books and requested almost as many. This site is clean, easy to navigate and you can rate the condition of your book and choose what condition book you want to have. You can hide that reader's copy of "Reckless Abandonment" while showing the like new copy of "The Great Gatsby".

It started with Paperbackswap and soon SwapaCD showed up followed by SwapaDVD. List 10 books to get 2 credits (DVDs and CD have similar setups). They also have a forum where people can discuss and review items. The only thing I don't like about this site is you have no idea what kind of condition the book that you request is in. It can't be an Advance Readers copy or anything like that but it could still be in poor condition. But I guess that's okay if I just wanted to read it and then list it again. And you can leave feedback so you can read other people experiences with the trader. What makes this site the best is you can put an item on your wish-list you fall in line behind other wishers and when it's your turn, they will email you and hold the item for 48 hours while you decide if you want it our not. This also seems the busiest so there are more books available.

Titletrader - You don't get any credit until you ship out your first book. But then you get 3 credits which you can use to request books, Cd's, magazine, DVDs and games. Actually they have everything you can exchange for credits, I even saw candles and ornaments. It has similar features of the other two. You can list the condition of the item and you can give feedback to the sender. They require a fee to use some of their 'premium services' ($19.95 / year) which I don't find useful, but you get 30 days free to try it out. After that I can still use the site I just can't create buddylists and save my searches. Which is no big deal.

Take what you want use what you need and get rid of what you don't. Keep a steady flow of entertainment in your house without paying retail. And no one is the wiser.

Please who is going to know where you got your Harry Potter from Barnes and Noble or Paperbackswap.com