Thursday, March 31, 2011

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

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Oh where to begin today? There are so many things to share, but actually one thing struck me this weekend while reading Woman's World magazine. It struck me so much that I clipped a little article snippet and saved it to my little tip notebook.

As I have worked to save money, I have been learning what I should buy fresh, frozen or canned. This weekend I found a way to save money and do something good for yourself too. I love orange juice! I especially like it when I am coming down with a cold. I don't know about you, but I crave OJ when I am close to getting ill. I usually buy what is on sale, but go for carton juice with vitamin D. That stops today. I read in Woman's World that there was a study in the journal of Nutrition Research that showed that orange juice from frozen concentrate may assist in reducing LDL cholesterol. Apparently this is because the frozen concentrate will use the entire orange from the peel on in. These parts have more flavanoids than pulp alone. I cannot fully explain what flavanoids are but I do know that they have wonderful antioxidant qualities. These can help prevent free radical damage that leads to LDL build up. Quite often you can get the frozen concentrate orange juice for a much lower price than the carton or bottle so it really is a win-win.


April is literally a day away, and it is time to get those shopping plans made. The best way to save money is to plan when to spend it. Here are a few things that are good buy bets for the month of April.

April is a slow month for gym memberships so head on out to the gym and see if you can get yourself a deal. In fact with summer coming, isn't this a great time to get started on a new more fit you? Don't be afraid to ask for the best deal you can get. A lot of places are more willing to work with you now than ever before.

Looking for a television? Apparently the Japanese fiscal year ends on March 31 (picked up this information from yahoo.com) and that can mean a drop in prices for you on a fabulous new television.

You may not need these items now, but April is also a great time to buy winter tools and winter wear.

I don't know if it is because there are lots of weddings around the corner or what, but cookware prices are excellent during the month of April. If you need to upgrade few items in your own kitchen, this is a great time to get started. I highly recommend pricing yourself a crockpot or two. That is one of my cooking tools that I absolutely love.

Don't forget to start hitting all the thrift stores, because more and more people are Spring cleaning and donating those goodies. By the way this is a great time for you to Spring clean and do a little donating yourself. Don't forget to get a tax receipt.

I have also heard that April is a great month for purchasing used cars. With gas prices the way they are, this might be a great time to downsize into something smaller and more economical. Because new vacuum cleaners make their way to the floor in June, markdowns are going to be taking place at a quick pace. If you have been entertaining the idea of a new model, this is the time to act.

Tools are also priced right during the month of April. Why not pick up a few awesome tools for dad that you can gift him on Father's Day?

April is also a great time to pick up seeds, and with the prices I have been seeing for veggies, this is also a great time to chat with your local nursery and get some recommendations. I just purchased a double four x four raised garden bed, and I am totally planning on going to town in the gardening zone. Thankfully I have inexpensive assistance in the form of a fabulous 16-year-old son.

Lastly I also read that April is a good time to pick up some inexpensive cruise tickets. Apparently European cruises are especially lower priced. If you would like a getaway, this could be a good way to go about that.

FREEBIES

Oh one of THE best freebies comes from the Sample Showcase! The Sample Showcase sends lots of free samples through UPS, and it is a MUST. The free sample box opportunity is in just a little over four days. Register now so you can get in on the samples when the offer goes live.

LINK: Sample Showcase

If you are interested in business news you might want to sign up for the free issue of Bloomberg Business Week. I got a free subscription to it a while back and it really is a great magazine.

LINK: Free Issue of Bloomberg Business Week

Rewards Gold has the opportunity for you to get a free subscription to Newsweek magazine. I have mentioned Rewards Gold before. It is a very simple program where you recommend Rewards Gold to a friend, complete a Breakfast survey and then do two simple reviews. That is it, and in return, you get a fabulous no strings attached free magazine subscription. Rewards Gold has kept me in free magazine subscriptions for years. The magazine offers change quickly so get in while you have a chance.

LINK: Rewards Gold Newsweek Magazine

Get your free sample of Fiber Choice fiber supplements. They are tasty, good for you, and of course free. Get them while supplies last at the link below.

LINK: Fiber Choice

Register now for a free sample of Zantac 150. Free and available while supplies last.

LINK: Zantac 150

Yay! It is back! Free samples of Nescafe Taster's Choice coffee singles. These are way tasty and awesome to have on hand. They come in a variety of flavors too.

LINK: Nescafe Taster's Choice Coffee Singles

Okay I am telling you this one now so you can mark your calendars! I am also telling you now, because as I grow older, I forget this stuff when the time comes (I have set my email calendar for this one). On April 22nd bring in your travel mug and participating Starbucks locations will fill it with coffee or tea. Get details at the link below, and ask your Starbucks if they will be participating.

LINK: Starbucks April 22

FREE MUSIC DOWNLOADS

FreeCCM has some great free downloads for everyone this week. Songs from The Choir, Catalyst Music Project, Derek Webb, Desperation Band, Gateway Worship (featuring Kari Jobe), and Cloverton. Every Tuesday, they have a new song for you to download for free. They also have some great contests too. Don't miss out. It is free to join.

LINK: FreeCCM Music Downloads

Join New Release Tuesday and get access to download Phil Stacey's "More Than That," Caedmon's Call "She," and "Because of Your Love" by The Ambassador.

LINK: New Release Tuesday Downloads

FREE KINDLE DOWNLOADS

If you are looking for some free Christian Kindle downloads from Amazon, here is a quick list for you to check out. And remember, you can download the Kindle app to your PC, iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and iPad. So you do not have to own a Kindle to enjoy this awesome feature.

Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers


She Walks In Beauty by Siri Mitchell


Michal: A Novel by Jill Eileen Smith


Invisible by Lorena McCourtney


Stuck In The Middle by Virginia Smith


Fave Crafts has a wonderful ebook on recycling crafts. When you click on the link a window will open asking for your email. Do not bother with that window. Close it and you still get your ebook.

LINK: Fave Crafts Recycling Craft eBook

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

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In the past two months, there have been some dramatic changes in the world, and these have brought about some changes locally. I don't know about you, but it is getting harder to buy cheap. What I have learned in my recent trips to the supermarket.

1- A list is a real must for keeping yourself on the spending track. Stick to it, and you will be better off. It is when we get sidetracked by goodies (which can even include a great sale) that we can start to go over our limits and bend our budget. I am pretty strict with myself about shopping, and I have thought I can get away without a list...I CAN'T.

2- If at all possible, combine your shopping with either errands or do it all in one day. I like to put a styrofoam cooler in the car and shop at all my stores and be done with it.

3- It is now more important than ever to know your prices and buy when those faves of yours are at "your price." For example, I don't buy a lot of canned soups, but I will buy them when I have coupons and they are on a price that is good for me. I will buy Chunky soup like crazy during Football season, because I can always find lots of coupons and get them at a sale price of $1.00. If I cannot get an item at my price, I do not buy it. When the item IS at my price, I buy A LOT! :) This is why I totally stocked up on Ravioli when it was on a crazy sale of 69 cents when you bought 10 participating items (the deal also included a buy later catalina at Fry's for $3.00 off a future order). Needless to say, I bought 10. Normally my price for Raviolis is a dollar so this deal was practically a joke.

4- Meat prices are going up so again, when you see your price GRAB IT and grab a lot of it. Also do not pass up the manager's mark downs. You may find your favorite cuts at your favorite prices. Just freeze it up when you get home. I do this all the time.

5- Get comfy with the fruits and veggies that are on sale. You can still get good nutrition and buy fresh fruits and vegetables, but you may have to enjoy different varieties as you wait for your favorite to cycle through the sales. And of course you can definitely enjoy frozen and even canned veggies because they are processed within hours of processing. For recipes, I have found that I can buy frozen chopped veggies and really save that way.

6- Coupons are your friend, do not leave home without them. Truly if you are going to hit the store, bring your coupons with you (what works for me is just leaving them in my glove compartment). I try to stay away from quick stops at the grocery store, because it means I am shopping outside of my usual shopping trip and probably coloring outside the lines of my budget, but there are times when I pick my son up from school and will make a stop at Albertsons (it is on the way home) because I need to grab hamburger buns or something like that. On these occasions I may take a quick look around, and I have often found a sale or two that have worked with my coupons. I have also found great manager markdowns that I have been able to get an even better deal on because I had corresponding coupons.

BUYING SOCIALLY

Since the Superbowl, more people are becoming aware of social shopping sites like Groupon. Groupon is a great way to get a local and occasionally a national deal by using the power of collective buying. It is like buying in bulk online. Here are a few sites to check out:


Groupon: I imagine at this point if you caught the Superbowl commercial or if you are just browsing on the internet, you have probably seen Groupon. Groupon can connect you to some amazing local deals. As far as us in AZ, there are great deals in the Phoenix area as well as Tucson, but you can often find some nice online deals with Groupon as well. Sign up and they will email you the deals or log in and check out what is up.

LivingSocial: Living Social shares local deals with you. You decide what to buy and if you refer some friends to the deal you got and three buy using your link, YOU get yours FREE! Either way you are already getting a great deal, but by spreading the word socially you are sharing a good deal with friends who may want in on that deal and helping them and maybe yourself.

Woot: Woot is the original daily deal site. Sign up with Woot and get in on some amazing deals. From midnight until 11:59pm or until the deal is sold out. You never know what you will find, but you will definitely find some cool things (from electronics to toy gadgets) and great prices.

Jasmere: I love Jasmere. Jasmere hooks you up with online businesses that they have checked out thoroughly. Jasmere works online like Groupon works on the street. Jasmere brings a daily deal to you for fabulous web based specialty shops. If you like the deal, you sign up for it. If not, pass on it. Get friends to join Jasmere, and get $10 credit. When you see a deal you like on Jasmere, buy it at the current price. The more people who buy the deal will bring the price down and you will not be charged until the deal is over, and you will get it at the lowest price.





FREEBIES


Share a free sample of Quaker Oatmeal Squares with up to 10 friends. Follow the link below and get to sharing while supplies last.

LINK: Quaker Oatmeal Squares

Follow the link below to NeilMed Sinus Rinse which will take you to their Facebook page. Like them and sign up for a free sample. I swear by their netipot.

LINK: NeilMed Sinus Rinse

Miracle Whip still has samples available so go now while supplies last.

LINK: Miracle Whip

Icejump.com is offering a free pedometer. Stop by the link below and get the details.

LINK: Free Pedometer

Get your hands on a sample of Purex Complete with Zout. I found this freebie last Thursday evening, and it is still going strong so get it while it lasts!

LINK: Purex Complete with Zout

Join Chili's email club and get a free order of Skillet Queso and Chips.

LINK: Chili's Email Club Freebie

Mio is a cool water flavor enhancer, and right now they are offering a free sample to facebook fans. Check them out at the link below.

LINK: Mio

Get the Amazon Kindle version of Living Rich by Spending Smart - How To Get More of What You Really Want by Gregory Karp. This is an awesome book that will help you learn to save on every day expenses.

LINK: Living Rich by Spending Smart

Amazon also has a Kindle version of Money and Marriage by Matt Bell which will help a couple focus on their financial strengths. Bell also focuses on Biblical principals. This is a great read for couples who need some financial guidance.

LINK: Money and Marriage

Remember you do not need a Kindle to download these books. You can get Kindle on your Blackberry, iPhone, Android, iPad, and PC.


GREAT DEAL

Do you have some pics just waiting to get developed? You can get 100 pictures developed for just $5 with free shipping at Snapfish. Simply use the code PADDY20 before March 20th! Don't pass this up.

LINK: Snapfish Deal

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Kelly's Thrifty Tips

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Because my son has a sore throat, and I keep seeing more and more people with colds, I decided that I would share some health tips. This isn't all about cold and flu symptoms.

Sore Throat - Oregano oil has been shown to be as effective at killing germs as streptomycin and some other prescription remedies. I have read two different ways to use it. One advises mixing two drops of edible oregano oil into 6 to 8 oz of water and gargling with this mixture three times a day. The other advises dropping four drops of edible oregano oil onto the tongue twice a day for two days.

Acne - Cod liver oil has been recommended by many as a great treatment for acne from the inside out. I have to admit, I have not tried this yet, but from everything I read this is a great treatment. Cod liver oil contains large quantities of vitamin A, D and Omega 3 fatty acids. These help your body more easily fight an accumulation of toxins.

Daily Health Boost with Green Tea - Research has suggested that drinking two cups of green tea can double your ability to destroy viruses before they can make you sick.

Garlic is another fabulous healer. It has a natural ingredient called allicin which kills bacteria again more effectively than many antibiotics. When my son had earaches growing up, we would mix garlic and oil and warm it slightly before putting it in his ears. The aches would be gone within days. Usually no more than two. It was great because we were able to avoid having to use prescription antibiotics.

Because I was thinking about health, I started to also think about screenings and thought I would share a few resources that can assist people with free or low cost medical screenings.

Go to the Well Woman HealthCheck Program that provides free cancer screenings to woman who qualify. Follow the link below to go to their website and get contact information to see if you qualify or to share with someone you know who would need this.

LINK: Well Woman HealthCheck

Vision USA provides basic eye health and vision care services free of charge to uninsured, low-income people and their families. It is a group of AOA doctors of optometry who donate their services.

LINK: Vision USA

Skin Cancer Screenings - American Academy of Dermatology works with many of their dermatologists for free skin cancer screenings. Follow the link below to look up the screenings in Arizona.

LINK: Skin Cancer Screenings



FREEBIES

If you like to cook and like new recipes, sign up now for Sorrento's limited edition cookbook "For The Love Of Lasagna." There is a part where it asks for a promotion code, but a code is not necessary.

LINK: For The Love Of Lasagna Cookbook

Right At Home is back with a free Pledge Microfiber Cloth to the first 3,000 to sign up. Take a chance and see if you are one of the pack.

LINK: Pledge Microfiber Cloth

I am always looking for a planting opportunity. Red Robin is offering Heinz tomato seeds at their website while supplies last. When you get to the website, they have a slide of different promos. Just look for the one for Heinz tomato seeds and sign up.

LINK: Red Robin Heinz Tomato Seeds

Sign up for a free Organizing In Style booklet which comes with $35 in savings and great organizing tips. Get yours while supplies last.

LINK: Organizing In Style

Wow! I was going to share a free sample from Walmart for OXY Clinical skin care, and it went too fast! Soooo I rushed over to their website, and at least right now they are offering a free sample there. So sign up in a hurry!

LINK: OXY Clinical Sample

While supplies last, sign up for a sample of Parent's Choice Baby Formula. These samples are great to have on hand when you want to have some formula quickly at hand or of course just to get a try on. :)

LINK: Parents Choice Baby Formula

Jiffy has updated their recipe book with new recipes that will utilize even more of Jiffy's fabulous boxed mixes. Get in while supplies last.

LINK: Jiffy Recipe Book

If you haven't ordered one yet, there is another chance to pick up a sample of Shout Color catcher. This is a great little laundry helper in that it will snag the dye from something that is runny and keep it on the catcher rather than your other clothes.

LINK: Shout Color Catcher

Here is another free magazine subscription, American Baby. Definitely a great magazine for parents of wee ones, and while supplies last you can get a free subscription. American Baby has been around for quite some time. I heavily relied on it back when my son was a wee one.

LINK: American Baby Subscription

Free CCM again is one of THE best stops for your free Christian music downloads. This week's newest download is "Light Up The World" by Desperation Band. And of course, they still have some wonderful downloads still up from Gateway Worship, Cloverton, Know Hope Collective, Parachute Band, Jonny Diaz, Todd Agnew and Sara Groves! That is quite a song collection right there.

LINK: Free CCM Music

Amazon has a couple of new free Christian book downloads that you can download to your Kindle, Kindle App on your smart phone or download with a Kindle App to your computer.

Calm My Anxious Heart - A Woman's Guide To Finding Contentment by Linda Dillow


Moms' Ultimate Guide To The Tween Girl World by Nancy Rue


Michal by Jill Eileen Smith


Whisper on the Wind by Maureen Lang


Riven by Jerry B. Jenkins


The Secret (Seasons of Grace Book 1) by Beverly Lewis