Money Saving Tip #6 - Coupons

I know it sounds obvious, but coupons are a great way to save money.  Many of my friends tell me they don’t have time to clip and deal with coupons.  You don’t have to clip every single coupon, plan with sales and get your shopping order down from $65 to $13.  Not many people have the patience or time for that.

Coupons are a great way to save a few cents to a couple of dollars on things you regularly buy.  Get in the habit of clipping or printing coupons for items that you generally buy. Put it in a envelope and keep it in your car, purse, computer bag or something you have access to when you shop.  The next time you buy that item, use your coupon to save a some money.  It is that easy.  You will find that the savings will eventually ad up (especially if you buy diapers).

Some Coupon Tips that Not Everyone Knows:

• If you have a store coupon (Target, CVS, Kroger, Safeway, Meijer, etc…) you can combine it with a manufacturer coupon to get even more savings.
• When buying something that is Buy One Get One Free at a store, you can use two coupons, since you are getting two items.  This really knocks the price down on the item you have to pay for.  Combine that with the first bullet above if you have a store coupon and you will find the price drop even more.
• A lot of stores will still accept their store coupons even if they are expired (some will accept expired manufacturer coupons, but not many).  So, don’t throw away that CVS coupon you got with your receipt because it expired 3 weeks ago.  All stores have different policies (CVS will take expired store coupons, Target will not), just ask next time you are in the store.
• Some coupons you can use for the brand and not just the item on the coupon.  For Example: Huggies makes both huggies diapers and Pull-Up’s.  If your children aren’t in Pull-Up’s yet, you can still clip the coupon and use it towards Huggies diapers (Have found that Pull-Up Coupons are generally for an extra $.50 or more off than the Huggie Diaper coupons.  Same with their Swim Diapers, you can use those coupons towards regular Huggies diapers.  If you have a cashier says you didn’t buy the correct items, tell her/him to try scanning it and see if the computer takes it or not.  There are other brands out there that this works for too.

When used correctly, coupons can save you a lot of money in the end.  To start using them, you just need to clip or print them.  There is no need to hoard coupons, just save the ones for items that you use and use them when you are buying those items.

Posted by theSpy Posted in: Money Saving Tips No Comments » August 2008

Money Saving Tip #5 - Online Movie Rentals

If you find that you rent more than 2 movies a month, then signing up for either Blockbuster.com  or Netflix may make more sense. With plans starting at $3.99/$4.99 respectively, you can get 2 movies a month for the same amount you pay for 1 local store rental.  They both have unlimited plans with 3 movies out at a time and unlimited movies a month ($19.99/$16.99 respectively).

Both Blockbuster.com & Netflix offer free trial periods to see if you like their service. The both deliver movies to you in the mail and provide envelopes to ship your movies back once you done. You get to create a list, which your movies are shipped from. Blockbuster.com goes a step further and let’s you return movies in-store and pick out at new one for free (or $1.99 - depending on the plan you select). Netflix let’s you stream movies from your PC.

Click Below if you are interested reviewing the plans or trying a free trial:

• Blockbuster.com
• Netflix

Remember, this only saves you money is you rent movies every month!!!

Posted by theSpy Posted in: Blockbuster.com, Blu-Ray, DVD, Entertainment, Free Offer, Free Shipping, Money Saving Tips, Netflix, Savings No Comments » August 2008

Money Saving Tip #4 - Price Adjustments

Save your receipts for a couple of weeks.  Carry them in your purchase, leave them in your glove compartment, or just grab them before you head out to the stores.  A lot of people don’t know, but if you buy something, and go back to the store a week or two later, you can get a price adjustment.  Every store has there own policy, but most stores will do it for you.

For example, you did you big Target shopping trip, you stocked up on everything.  Two days later you are going through the Sunday ads and notice the paper towel, shampoo and shorts your bought your son are all on sale.  You would have saved about $5.  Just bring your receipt to the customer service desk and they will refund you the money as long as it’s within 14 days of purchase.

Old Navy (14 Days), Gap (14 Days), Circuit City (30 Days if you find a lower price in their ad or a competitors - they will match) and a lot of other stores have the similiar policies.

Posted by theSpy Posted in: Money Saving Tips No Comments » August 2008

Money Saving Tip #3

When shopping online, never complete a purchase without performing a google search for a promotion code or coupon code for the store you are buying from.  You never know what you will find, a code for a % off, $ off, free shipping or free gift.

Some sites, promote their code right on their site, for example, Amazon will have a special offer and product promotions section on the product page that will list any special promotions/codes that will apply to the product (for example - click here).

Other sites, will promote a $ off on their home page with a purchase of a min. $ amount or free shipping with a purchase of a min. $ amount, but numerous times, I’ve found free shipping codes or % off codes on any size orders (for example - SpeedoUSA.com is promoting free shipping on orders over $50. But, if you do a google search of speedousa.com promotion code, you will find a code for free shipping on any size purchase at couponcabin.com, saving you at least $6 if your order was below $50).

Remember that you won’t always find a code on the first search result you click on, but be sure to check a few results before giving up.

Posted by theSpy Posted in: Money Saving Tips No Comments » July 2008

Money Saving Tip #2

Put aside some time to make some phone calls.  A simple phone call to your cable company or phone company can save you money every month.   All you have to do as ask if there are current promotions for existing customers.

For Example:

1. Simply calling Vonage and asking for current customer promotions, we were able to lower our unlimited calling from $24.99 a month to $14.99 a month for 1 year.  You may need to get on the phone with retentions and remember being nice is always helpful.  Not all customer service reps are going to be helpful, but a simple phone call could save you money.

2. Calling Comcast, I was able to save $32.96 a month on our hight speed internet (for 6 months - that almost a $200 savings), getting it for $19.99 a month, plus adding on Showtime for $5 a month. All I did was call and asked what current promotions they had for existing customers.

Sometimes a simple phone call can save you some serious cash.

Posted by theSpy Posted in: Money Saving Tips No Comments » July 2008

Money Saving Tip #1

There are numerous ways to save money that people tend to overlook. Buying books is one of them. Books are a purchase you should NEVER pay full price for (unless it is a text book, rare edition or some sort of technical book). If you are an avid reader and buy all your books, full price, from Barnes & Noble or Borders then you are throwing money away.  Here are several ways to save money on books: If you don’t care about having a copy of the book after you read it, check-out books from your local library.  Most libraries let you reserve books (or put you on a waiting list) if they are in popular demand.  So if you know your favorite author has a new book coming out in two months, get on the waiting list. Visit second hand book stores, Goodwill or even your library.  You can usually find some titles you are interested in reading at a fraction of the cost.  Our library sells paperbacks for $.50 and hardcovers for $1.00 each. Goodwill is roughly the same.  Used book stores charge a bit more, but you can get credit towards books by bringing in your used books. Checkout the Bargain Books section at Barnes & Noble, Borders or even Amazon.com.  These sellers carry books that may have small imperfections or may be publisher surplus.  The important thing is they are marked down.  These books are frequently offered at a fraction of their suggested retail price. Can’t find the book you want by any of the above means?  Search Amazon.com for the book you want and look at the More Buying Options section on the right side of the screen.  About 99% of the time you can get the book for less than Amazon is selling it.  Paperbacks often sell for $.01 with $3.99 shipping.  The prices vary by seller, but it is a great way to save money on books.

Posted by theSpy Posted in: Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Book, Money Saving Tips, Savings No Comments » July 2008