Best school supply deals 7/15 – 7/28

Best school supply deals 7/15 – 7/28

Back to school: Save money on school supplies

Back to school: Save money on school supplies

Saving Money on Children’s Clothing

http://www.cheapsally.com/blog/saving-money-on-childrens-clothing/

One of the biggest line items on the family budget is for clothing, especially if you have children.  It seems that they grow out of their clothing overnight.  Infants grow through up to 7 sizes by the time they are 24 months old and by the time your child is a tween they will know all the brand names and start demanding to wear them.  No matter what your child’s age you can keep them well dressed without breaking the bank.  Here are several tips you can use to reduce your monthly clothing costs.

Hand-me-Downs
You will probably find that most people would rather give their children’s outgrown clothing to someone they know before they consider donating them to charity.  Accept them.  You may not be able to use everything but you are certain to receive at least a few items you can use and you can’t beat free!

Garage Sales
If you are willing to dig a little you can find quality items at a fraction of the retail price.  Check out garage sales in upscale neighborhoods for the best finds and don’t be afraid to bargain for a better price

Swap Clothing
Check out FlipSize and Outgrowing In.  They way these sites work is that you send in your children’s outgrown clothing and “swap” it with someone else for clothes in your children’s current size.

Auction Sites
Take a look at Ebay.  You can get great deals on a “lot” of clothing, which is a number of pieces of clothing in the same size.  Look at the auction items that are ending soon.  You can often find a lot that is ending but has not been bid on yet.  If you don’t want to bid look at the “Buy it Now” option for items.  This is the price that the seller will accept outright for the item and you can purchase it immediately.

Purchase clearance items off season
Look for clearance sales on out of season clothing and purchase clothing for your child a size larger for them to wear next year.  You’ll not only get the lowest price on their clothing but your child will be prepared for the season when it arrives.

Consignment shops
Consignment shops typically cherry pick the best of the gently used clothing that is brought into their shop to be sold.  Once Upon a Child for young children and Plato’s Closet for teens are among the best you’ll find.  You can get brand name clothing for excellent prices at consignment shops.  They also have clearance sales towards the end of the season during which you can purchase items at an even larger discount.

Clothing Rental
Sites such as GoodKarma rent infant clothing.  Prices start at $27.99 per month for 7 outfits.  When your child grows out of them you return them and you’ll automatically get 7 different gently used outfits in your child’s new size.  Fanciu rents special occasion clothing.  The item you rent will arrive 3-4 days before your event along with a postage-paid mailer.  The day following the event you pop the item in the mail.  You don’t even have to launder the clothing.  Prices for a special occasion clothing rental can be as low as $15.

Take Care of your Children’s Clothing
No matter what option you select taking care of your child’s clothing is a task you don’t want to overlook and will save you money in the long run.  There’s nothing worse than putting a new shirt on your child only to have it stained by the end of the day.  To extend the life of your children’s clothing wash them in cold water and dry on low heat and treat stains as quickly as possible.  A couple of great stain treatments to have on hand are Grandma’s Spot Remover – great for grass, mud and even paint stains, Raise – used to remove underarm stains,  and Krud Kutter – good at removing crayons and grease stains.

With these tips clothing for your children’ doesn’t have to be expensive.   You can dress them nicely and you can still be frugal.

Why you should pay off student loans now

Why you should pay off student loans now

Unconventional money advice for new grads

Unconventional money advice for new grads

Make sure that daily deal is really a deal

Daily deal websites such as Groupon and Living Social are a popular resource of the frugal. Many consumers would never plan a restaurant trip or an evening of entertainment before first checking to see if there was a daily deal available, and for good reason. It’s easy to save 50% off everything from meals to Zumba classes.

But before you click “Buy” make sure you think it through. There are some pitfalls associated with the daily deal market. It pays to be a savvy consumer. Here are some tips:

Read the fine print
Check for travel restrictions and blackout dates. If you’re buying a voucher for flower delivery, make sure you can use it on Mother’s Day. A new trend is for daily deal operators to offer deeply discounted resort stays that are really sales pitches. The fine print is similar to the familiar timeshare vacations: Travelers must be at least 25, have a certain income level, and be traveling together if married. The deals might still be worth it to some travelers, but it’s important to know the restrictions.

When 50% off isn’t really 50% off
“Half off” sounds great, but is it really half off? Maybe not. Look for the keyword “toward.” If a deal says “$100 for $200 toward a mattress” think about how much a mattress costs. If the least expensive one is $800, then the deal is really “$100 off an $800 mattress.” This discount may be similar to sales the business routinely offers, but the difference is that, in this case, you’re paying $100 up front, which limits your ability to comparison shop.

Also, sometimes the deal is for a specific product, rather than 50% off your order. Make sure to check the price of that product on various websites, and make sure that the daily deal price is the best one you can find. When you shop around, consider shipping costs as well.

Oops, I did it again
Forgot to use that voucher, that is. Keep track of the expiration dates of your daily deals so that you don’t miss out. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that even after the expiration date, in many cases, you still can use the voucher for the amount you paid. Another thing to remember is that the best daily deal sites are very good about offering refunds when you email customer support before the expiration date. So if you’re starting to suspect that you won’t be taking that pole dancing class after all, it’s worth a shot to try to get a refund.

Here today, gone tomorrow
Daily deal sites seem to be popping up every day, and disappearing just as frequently. If you’re stuck with a voucher from a defunct daily deal site it can be a hassle to get the business to honor it, and you certainly won’t be able to get a refund from the daily deal site if you have a problem. Before you purchase a deal from a new daily deal site, look around the website for customer service. You should be able to find a phone number and an email address. If you have trouble figuring out how to contact customer service, do not buy a voucher from that site. In the case of daily deal sites, sticking to the more widely known sites may be the safer choice.

Is that bargain cruise really a bargain?

by Lillian Africano (livingonthecheap.com)

Cruises offer some of the best bargain vacations on the market today. But to make sure your cruise remains a true bargain, you have to be smart about “the spend.” Cruise lines, particularly those on the lower end of the market, can offer promotional prices that seem almost like giveaways. That’s because they expect you to spend freely once you’re onboard.

It’s easy to lose track of what you spend (especially if you’re a first-timer) when your money is locked away in your cabin’s safe and all you have to do is hand over a card for that souvenir photo, time spent in the Internet café, the delicious frozen cocktails or the premium coffee that smells so good when you pass the smiling barista.

Plan ahead and you can have a great time without running up a big credit card bill. Here’s how.

1. Do your homework. Know in advance what is included and what is not. Cruise ships generally have specialty restaurants – sushi bars, Italian trattorias or steak houses, for example – in addition to the main dining rooms and buffets. Some are free, some carry fees. Shore excursions are not free, though the cruise line may provide shuttles from the dock to a city’s center. Though fitness centers are generally free, special classes often carry a small fee. Spas and salon services are a la carte. Entertainment is generally free. Most programs for youngsters are free, though babysitting is not. Internet use is not included; it is much more expensive than the cost at an Internet café in port.

2. Make a budget. Plan ahead what you can comfortably spend and check the prices of things before you hand over your ship’s charge card.

3. Be careful with drinks. Here’s where costs can mount up quickly. You can find dispensers of water and iced tea around the ship, and you can order tea, coffee and (unbottled) water from room service at no charge. Everything else will cost you. Cocktails and wine are free during the Ccaptain’s welcome party. At other times, they’re expensive, so plan ahead on how you’ll use your alcohol budget. Soft drinks are pricey, too, so if you have to have them, buy a beverage package after you board. Instead of spending money on those specialty coffees, order a latte or cappuccino with your meal in the dining room – at no cost.

4. Look for spa specials. If a spa treatment is on your list of must-have treats, find out when there might be “specials.” Many lower-end cruises offer substantial discounts on the days when the ship is in port. Thermal suites on cruise ships come at a cost; the Jacuzzis on pool deck are free.

5. Explore on the cheap. Shore excursions are pricey. Do some advance research and find out what free or low-price options are available at your ports of call. For example, many large cities have guided hop-on, hop-off bus tours that cost less than similar tours booked through the cruise company.

6. Skip that Internet. Internet onboard is both expensive and slow, so unless you have an urgent need to be online, stop instead at the Internet cafes you’ll find on land.

7. Do your own laundry.  Some ships have washers and dryers onboard; many do not. Having your laundry done by the ship’s crew is expensive, so pack accordingly and bring along a small supply of detergent so you can wash out small items in your cabin.

Finally, if you decide that you really do want a lot of these extras, check the prices on the more upscale cruise lines and calculate the value of the extras they include – like specialty dining, etc. Do the math to compare cheap cruises with few inclusions with pricier ones that offer more perks.

Five ways to save on summer travel

by Julie Henry (livingonthecheap.com)

Spring will soon give way to summer. With airlines reducing their flight schedules and fuel prices on the increase, expect even fewer airline ticket deals and flights operating over capacity. (It’s cheaper to “bump” you than fly with empty seats.) Smart travelers know to follow their favorite airlines, hotel chains and vacation spots on Facebook and Twitter, where spur-of-the-moment deals may be announced. But last-minute booking can be risky. It pays to be the early bird and catch some discounts by booking sooner rather than later. If you haven’t planned that summer vacation yet, get to it. Here are five tips that can help you make the most of your travel budget:

1. Book your airfare mid-week. The best day to book your airline tickets is on Tuesday. The reason? Many airlines release their sales for the week on Monday nights. By Tuesday, the other airlines have had a chance to look at their competitors’ sales and price match. The most expensive time to book your flight is over the weekend.

2. Be flexible. Most of the major online travel sites offer a flexible date and/or flexible airport option. Those options can save you some money on airfare if you’re not that particular about the exact days you travel or you have a choice of airports.  If you are tied to specific dates or airports, search for flights on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays. Fridays and Sundays are the most expensive days to fly.

3. Compare prices. Before booking a flight or hotel room, check out several of the major travel sites (e.g., Travelocity, Expedia, Priceline, Hotwire, Orbitz) and compare prices. When you think you’ve found the airline or hotel with the best deal, go to their website and see if their price is lower. You’ll often find that hotel websites match or beat the aggregaters. Don’t be afraid to call hotels directly (using the hotel phone number instead of the reservation number) and simply ask for a discount. If the hotel has empty rooms during the dates you’re planning to travel, they may be willing to negotiate a lower rate. If you don’t like the answer you get from the reservationist, ask for the hotel manager since he or she may be in a position to negotiate.

4. Name your own price. Many of the major travel sites will allow you to choose how much you’re willing to pay for your hotel room. For example, Priceline has a Name Your Own Price® option where you can choose a certain area of a city and the hotel star level you want, then tell them how much you want to pay for your room. I usually start my bidding at a little less than 50% of what they quote as the median price of a hotel in the area where I want to stay. If your offer is accepted, you can get some really nice rooms for reasonable rates using this option (if it’s rejected, you can try a higher bid after a 24-hour waiting period). But there are a couple of downsides. You don’t get to choose your hotel, and some of the hotels charge additional fees for parking or internet service, which isn’t disclosed up-front.

5. Travel off-season. This may not always be possible if you have kids in school, but you can get some good deals on hotel rooms (and sometimes airfare) if you travel slightly off season. For example, the main tourist season in Myrtle Beach is Memorial Day to Labor Day. Visit any other time in May or September, the weather’s still beautiful, and the hotel prices are cheaper. If you’re traveling to southern Florida, December and April (after Easter/Passover) are cheaper options than January through March, which is their main tourist season. An added bonus to traveling off-season is that the beaches (or other tourist attractions) are less crowded.

Living on the Cheap

As always in doing my research I came across a new website: Living on the Cheap.  What a fantastic website! It screams Out and About with EC!!!!!!  So exciting lol.

Ok you probably think I'm crazy but with the economy being the way it is it's not easy right?  I know I find myself trying to cut corners and saving money wherever I can.  Just call me Ms. Bargain and Ms. Frugal it used to bother me but now I'm proud.  So once again I have decided to dedicate a Category on my blog just for "Living on the Cheap".  They have great deals and great articles.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  Be sure to check often for all sorts of freebies and specials.

http://livingonthecheap.com/

My purse has been stolen. Now what?

by Laura Daily (livingonthecheap.com)

Quin Ryan was doing a good deed by driving her niece to daycare. Grabbing only the toddler and an umbrella, she entered the school, returning to her car in less than seven minutes to discover her driver-side window smashed and her purse, left on the seat, gone. Out of pocket: $2,500.

Drugs, desperation, and easy prey embolden even petty thieves to stake out places like daycare centers and gyms with their harried customers. We’ve all been drilled on protecting our online identities. But what happens when crooks filch your purse or wallet?

Step #1. Don’t panic. Ryan rushed back into the daycare, called police, and then borrowed a phone and computer. In 20 minutes she had cancelled credit and debit cards, closed her bank account, and put a fraud alert on her credit report, all before police arrived. Staying calm is key says Denise Richardson, a certified identity theft/risk management specialist. “Stop. Sit down and think about what was stolen and what private information it might contain,” she says. “Try to write down everything taken.”

Step #2. Call police. File a report immediately. Get a copy or at least the report number. You’ll need it for insurance purposes and some agencies will require it as proof of theft. Don’t worry if you can’t recall every item lost, you can always amend your report via phone or mail. More departments now even use online systems for adding supplemental information.

Step #3. Contact your bank and credit card issuers. The faster the better. Especially if you lost a checkbook or ATM debit card. In Ryan’s case, she not only had to open a new bank account, but change all her online automated payment to creditors.

Step #4. Check nearby trash and dumpsters. Some thieves quickly discard what they don’t want. When A.J. Dax was mugged it was one month before her police department casually asked why she hadn’t stopped by to pick up her purse, which had been turned in the day after the incident.

Step #5. Notify credit reporting agencies. File a fraud alert with the three major credit reporting agencies: Experian (888-397-3742), Transunion (800-680-7289) or Equifax (800-525-6285). It tells anyone checking your history for credit or a loan that your identity may have been stolen. An initial alert stays on your credit report for at least 90 days, but you can extend it up to seven years. The good news: An alert to one company covers all three.

Step #6. Suspend cell phone service. As Ryan bemoans, “I bought an iPhone on Friday, it was gone on Monday.” Your cell provider can deactivate the stolen SIM card and shut off voice mail access. The bad guys may have your phone, but they can’t use it on your tab. Another issue — so-called “smartphones” that may contain contact information for friends and family, birthdates, even passwords to bank accounts. Password protect or “lock” your phone.

Step #7. Put you home under lockdown. Figure if thieves got any identifying information they now know where you live. If you are out-of-town, alert neighbors and local police to your situation. Keys stolen? Don’t stay at home until you can change the locks. One tip: talk to a locksmith. It’s often cheaper to have your lock cylinder retooled for a different key than to replace all the locks.

Step #8. Get a new driver’s license. Ask your local Department of Motor Vehicles for replacement procedures. Bring a photo ID accepted by your state, such as a passport. If thieves get your Social Security card, or anything with your SS# on it, contact the Social Security Administration so no one can tap into your benefits.

Step #9. Take your medicine seriously. Many of us carry our health insurance ID and/or prescription medicine? Call your health care provider and pharmacy. Crooks won’t think twice about using your insurance for medical services or try to pry private information out of some unwitting clerk.

Step #10. Cancel innocuous cards. Library cards and video store membership cards can be used without ID, leaving you subject to fees. Warehouse club cards from Sam’s Club, B.J.’s or Costco sometimes are tied to a credit account or may be used online to make purchases. Even loyalty or rewards cards for favorite stores, restaurants, airlines, hotels, and other businesses can be problematic if they are attached to your name and address or a legitimate email address.

Bottom line: be prepared. The Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft website is an excellent resource chock full of practical advice. “Bad guys are good at what they do. A stolen wallet or purse is a gold mine,” says Richardson. “Look at each item you carry as a bit of information that a bad guy can string to another bit of information and finally piece together your identity.” The less you carry. The less you have to lose.

How to score free kids’ meals

 by Julie Henry (livingonthecheap.com)

If you have kids, you know how hectic life can be. Wouldn’t it be nice to take the night off and go out to dinner for a change? It’s not always easy to squeeze enough money out of the budget for an evening out, but it may be just a bit easier if you can find a place where kids eat free.

Check out the Out to Eat with Kids Web site. The site is searchable by city and by day of the week, so you can easily find a restaurant that offers free kids’ meals with a few clicks of your mouse. If your schedule is flexible, you’ll have the most restaurant options on Tuesdays.

If you have a favorite restaurant, join their e-mail club or “Like” them on Facebook. Restaurants frequently offer exclusive deals, including free kids’ meals, to their e-mail subscribers and Facebook Fans.

Don’t be afraid to ask. A lot of restaurants offer kids eat free deals, but don’t do a great job of advertising. It doesn’t hurt to ask, and it just might save you some dough.

Drive smarter to use less gas

by Evelyn Kanter (livingonthecheap.com)

It’s unlikely gas prices will go down much in the near future, and if that news has got you down, you should squeeze more miles out of your gasoline dollars by changing how you drive.  According to Edmunds.com, you can improve mileage as much as 38% by driving more efficiently and keeping your vehicle maintained properly.

Here are some easy gas saving tips:

Get the junk out of the trunk.  Less weight means better mileage, so don’t use the cargo area as an extra attic. After family vacations, remove all unnecessary items, including that roof-top cargo carrier, which creates wind resistance and lowers mileage.

Use windows wisely. Keep them closed at highway speed, since open windows cause enough drag to reduce mileage by 10%, more than air conditioning.  Open windows in stop-and-go traffic to prevent the air conditioner from working overtime.

Observe speed limits.  Aerodynamic drag increases as speed rises, so 55 mph gives you up to 21% better mileage than driving at 65 mph or more.

Use cruise control.  Braking and accelerating waste fuel, so use cruise control whenever possible to maintain a steady speed.  Similarly, avoid “jackrabbit” accelerating and passing for maximum gas efficiency. If your automatic transmission is equipped with an overdrive gear, switch to it as soon as your speed is high enough. The opposite is true for a manual transmission — the lower the gear, the better the fuel economy.

Avoid excessive engine idling. Save gas by turning off the engine while waiting for friends and family.  Also avoid “reving” the engine, especially just before you switch it off, as this wastes fuel and reduces oil pressure, which further reduces gas mileage.

Keep tires properly inflated according to manufacturer recommendations.  Too much or too little air affects ride comfort, causes tires to wear out faster, and reduces gas mileage by 5%.  A pencil-style tire gauge costs around $1 and a digital version is around $4.  Always check pressure when tires are cold – that means before you leave the driveway or parking lot.
It’s easy to drive smarter and save gas.