Yesterday my husband asked me if we could put a shopping list somewhere in the kitchen so I knew when he was out of items only he used. I had a very old clipboard on the fridge which was actually from a high school locker kit I bought probably about 10 years ago. A couple of months ago it finally ran out of the original paper that came with it. "Now what?" I thought. I doubted I would be able to find a pad of paper to fit the size without being to heavy. Looking at the pile of junk mail on the counter, I took all of the sheets of paper I would have normally thrown in the recycling and cut them up into fourths. It didn't take too long and I had all the paper I would need for probably some time. I simply use the back side of the paper that is blank, and you have a new pad of paper.
I know probably a lot of you out there already do this, but it is a great way to reuse another piece of paper before having it recycled! Plus I save money by not going out and buying more pads of paper.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Saving Money: The Plan
Well, unfortunately it has been a while. I'm getting closer and closer to the whole dissertation process, so that ends up eating a lot of my time. Anyways, a great deal has happened over the past month or so, in terms of my (probably one of many) breaking points with money.
Basically, one of our cars needed a transmission replaced. Yeah. I was ready to panic when they told me. For those who don't know, to replace a transmission of a car it can cost upwards of $3500. Luckily, the repair shop we used also provided used transmissions (which is always a good thing to ask about should you ever be in that situation). However, I spent a lot of that day looking at potential new cars. The car we have is a 1998 Nissan Maxima, so it is definitely a good car, but we have no idea how long it will last, and I wasn't sure the investment was worth it if it would break again in a few months or years.
But going through this, I had a very huge sense of failure. Much of our savings were depleted after the move to our new house, as well as myself adjusting to a lower paying job and having a higher living expense every month. For some reason, I had not glanced at our budget for quite some time. After my father gave me that "you need to be saving money" talk (to which I also got quite defensive) I took out the excel spreadsheet and listed our income versus the amount of bills we have each month. I then examined the remaining money, and what should be going into savings accordingly. Additionally, I felt overwhelmed by my car insurance bills this month, and decided I instead would save $20 each week to put towards the car insurance bill, rather than trying to find 200-300 for two months in a row. Since I had to put the car repair on our credit card, I also outlined a strategy of how this would be paid back each paycheck.
With credit cards, the sooner you pay, the better! Even if it is in small amounts, all of your recent payments show up on a credit report, which can show your good faith in paying off your credit card, rather than waiting for some big amount.
I was surprised by the time I had finished how sophisticated it looked. It was a map for our money, where everyone had their appropriate place. Another rule I am beginning to use is a page from Dave Ramsey's books - pay for things in cash. Each week I take out a certain amount for food, in cash. This is all the money we are allowed for the week, and what I am already coming to find is we don't need as much money for food for another part of the plan: planned meals.
First, I wrote down a full menu of all the meals I can make, with a column for lunch meals and dinner meals. I then sat down after printing out a blank Google calendar, and wrote down what meal I will cook each day, and lunches for weekends. Next, I wrote a shopping list of all of the ingredients I would need to make these meals, and any other food items like snacks we may like to have over the week. I keep this calendar on the side of the fridge, and I have already found that my husband will get excited over certain upcoming meals and tell me earlier in the week. If your family doesn't like what you serve, then ask them to be on the meal-planning committee!
After going to the store, I could not believe how simple it was. I buy things accordingly, and feel I nearly cut my grocery bill in half, because I don't buy things I don't need or wont use. So many times I would go through the grocery store just buying things that sounded good to eat or thought I would make for that week, and I would end up with a lot of expired food. I'll admit, buying only what you need is still difficult, because you do see sales and things you didn't think of, but as long as you limit yourself to that one snack, rather than 2 or 3, its a start!
So my plan of action has only been in place for a week, but so far I am coming out under budget. If you are looking for more ways to see where your money goes every month, there is a great free version of Quicken called MoneyStrands, located at www.moneystrands.com
Happy saving!
Basically, one of our cars needed a transmission replaced. Yeah. I was ready to panic when they told me. For those who don't know, to replace a transmission of a car it can cost upwards of $3500. Luckily, the repair shop we used also provided used transmissions (which is always a good thing to ask about should you ever be in that situation). However, I spent a lot of that day looking at potential new cars. The car we have is a 1998 Nissan Maxima, so it is definitely a good car, but we have no idea how long it will last, and I wasn't sure the investment was worth it if it would break again in a few months or years.
But going through this, I had a very huge sense of failure. Much of our savings were depleted after the move to our new house, as well as myself adjusting to a lower paying job and having a higher living expense every month. For some reason, I had not glanced at our budget for quite some time. After my father gave me that "you need to be saving money" talk (to which I also got quite defensive) I took out the excel spreadsheet and listed our income versus the amount of bills we have each month. I then examined the remaining money, and what should be going into savings accordingly. Additionally, I felt overwhelmed by my car insurance bills this month, and decided I instead would save $20 each week to put towards the car insurance bill, rather than trying to find 200-300 for two months in a row. Since I had to put the car repair on our credit card, I also outlined a strategy of how this would be paid back each paycheck.
With credit cards, the sooner you pay, the better! Even if it is in small amounts, all of your recent payments show up on a credit report, which can show your good faith in paying off your credit card, rather than waiting for some big amount.
I was surprised by the time I had finished how sophisticated it looked. It was a map for our money, where everyone had their appropriate place. Another rule I am beginning to use is a page from Dave Ramsey's books - pay for things in cash. Each week I take out a certain amount for food, in cash. This is all the money we are allowed for the week, and what I am already coming to find is we don't need as much money for food for another part of the plan: planned meals.
First, I wrote down a full menu of all the meals I can make, with a column for lunch meals and dinner meals. I then sat down after printing out a blank Google calendar, and wrote down what meal I will cook each day, and lunches for weekends. Next, I wrote a shopping list of all of the ingredients I would need to make these meals, and any other food items like snacks we may like to have over the week. I keep this calendar on the side of the fridge, and I have already found that my husband will get excited over certain upcoming meals and tell me earlier in the week. If your family doesn't like what you serve, then ask them to be on the meal-planning committee!
After going to the store, I could not believe how simple it was. I buy things accordingly, and feel I nearly cut my grocery bill in half, because I don't buy things I don't need or wont use. So many times I would go through the grocery store just buying things that sounded good to eat or thought I would make for that week, and I would end up with a lot of expired food. I'll admit, buying only what you need is still difficult, because you do see sales and things you didn't think of, but as long as you limit yourself to that one snack, rather than 2 or 3, its a start!
So my plan of action has only been in place for a week, but so far I am coming out under budget. If you are looking for more ways to see where your money goes every month, there is a great free version of Quicken called MoneyStrands, located at www.moneystrands.com
Happy saving!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
New and Upcoming!
Well, it has been a while. School has taken over my life again, as usual. However, I am making plans for an upcoming series of posts entitled "Adventures with Borax". Borax is a cleaning agent that has been around since the 1800s, now sold in stores for a cheap price (at my grocery store it was $2.99), that has multiple, wonderful, helpful uses around the house.
Not thrilled about the idea of shipping these things? Don't worry! Manufacturers and retailers pay for the cost by sending pre-paid envelopes that you usually drop off at your local UPS. What are you waiting for?! Go to www.terracycle.net and join a brigade (or start a new one) today!
In the meantime, I have gained interest in a new snack - Wheat Thins "Toasted" Great Plains Multigrain chips. One day, while enjoying my chips, I was looking at the side of the bag, mentioning a recycling program, called TerraCycle (www.terracycle.net). TerraCycle essentially pays you (although its not much) for your garbage, and then makes practical items like grocery bags, backpacks, and pencil cases from them. There are tons of different products that are collected, like Capri Sun pouches, Cliff Bar wrappers, Malt-o-Meal bags, and more! You can search your area for a "brigade" that works to collect certain kinds of garbage. Similar to the BoxTops for Education program, there are also instances where you can donate your "garbage" for profits for your schools.
Not thrilled about the idea of shipping these things? Don't worry! Manufacturers and retailers pay for the cost by sending pre-paid envelopes that you usually drop off at your local UPS. What are you waiting for?! Go to www.terracycle.net and join a brigade (or start a new one) today!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Someone is about to become very rich
Hopefully you have heard along the way that the appliances that we keep plugged into power outlets are still sucking power, even when we don't have them turned on. They have also been referred to as "vampire power", since they "suck away your power" and it turns up on your electric bill. Around 10% of our electric bills represent electronics that are what we think are off and really they are not. To solve this issue, power strips have been a common solution since you can turn the whole strip off by flipping the on-off button. What about for the lazy person in us? I am expec
ted to do this every TIME I leave the room?
Have no fear, you have no excuses now, because Monster Cable has come up with a "green" power strip, that automatically turns off power to electronic items that are on offline or stand-by mode. This works for computers, TVs, computer modems, and other electronic energy sucking items. When you need them back on, the power center recognizes this and gives the power back when you need it. While they are a bit pricey (ranging from $70-$130), they are an investment for sure. You get the quality surge protection for electronics, and you'll save a big chunk of change on your electric bill. I also don't have to mention you are doing something great for the environment by CONSERVING ENERGY. :)
I know what will go on my Christmas List this year!
ted to do this every TIME I leave the room?Have no fear, you have no excuses now, because Monster Cable has come up with a "green" power strip, that automatically turns off power to electronic items that are on offline or stand-by mode. This works for computers, TVs, computer modems, and other electronic energy sucking items. When you need them back on, the power center recognizes this and gives the power back when you need it. While they are a bit pricey (ranging from $70-$130), they are an investment for sure. You get the quality surge protection for electronics, and you'll save a big chunk of change on your electric bill. I also don't have to mention you are doing something great for the environment by CONSERVING ENERGY. :)
I know what will go on my Christmas List this year!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Pandora: Radio of the Future?
So either I found out I must not be around my friends enough (which could be true), or I am behind the times, because I have finally discovered Pandora Internet Radio (www.pandora.com)! Now that I am back at school, I find myself sitting in offices for long periods of time, and Pandora has been helpful in making life less dull. At Pandora, you can create your own internet radio station, and you can rate songs as you like (and they will look for similar ones in the future) or you can say you don't like it 
and they will take the song out. Commercials are minimal, however, you can even pay for a membership if you want all the benefits, including no commercials.
Radio stations are created by you entering the song title or an artist you like. If you create a profile, you can save all of the radio stations you have created. There are also "shared stations" which run different genres or decades of music.
I am big into music, so this has been a really refreshing experience for me. Its great to hear new songs, or ones that you haven't heard in a while. Nowadays, you don't have to own every piece of music you like to hear it, you can just make your own radio station! I am pretty convinced this is the future of music as we know it, in terms of radio. Pandora even has compatible devices so you do not have to listen on a computer, but your own home stereo, table-top radios, or other products, like the iPhone. If you're stuck at a computer a lot, like myself, consider giving Pandora a try, its free awesomeness!
and they will take the song out. Commercials are minimal, however, you can even pay for a membership if you want all the benefits, including no commercials.Radio stations are created by you entering the song title or an artist you like. If you create a profile, you can save all of the radio stations you have created. There are also "shared stations" which run different genres or decades of music.
I am big into music, so this has been a really refreshing experience for me. Its great to hear new songs, or ones that you haven't heard in a while. Nowadays, you don't have to own every piece of music you like to hear it, you can just make your own radio station! I am pretty convinced this is the future of music as we know it, in terms of radio. Pandora even has compatible devices so you do not have to listen on a computer, but your own home stereo, table-top radios, or other products, like the iPhone. If you're stuck at a computer a lot, like myself, consider giving Pandora a try, its free awesomeness!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Winners of Book Giveaway!
Through a drawing of random numbers, readers Marie and Kim will be receiving their free copies of "The Penny Pincher's Club" by Sarah Strohmeyer. Thanks to all of you who entered the drawing.
Well, I know it has been a while for me, I was on vacation for a while, and still try to settle into our new house. In the meantime, there have been a couple of new websites that I have found helpful, and I would encourage you to check them out.
Mr. Rebates - This is a great website where you can find cash-back rebates at many popular online stores. If you shop online, you probably go to these stores already. Right now, there are also some popular back to school specials. You can also sign up to receive emails (which they are giving $5 bonus for right now), which will provide you with weekly announcements regarding the great deals for this week.
Another great website, FortePromo.com, which distributes bulk gift items (which logos or images can also be put on) has some great environmentally-friendly products out there. If you are in charge of getting a small gift for a massive amount of people, Fortepromo.com is a great provider for items that can be biodegradable, sustainable, or recycled. You can get bamboo covered flash drives for your group rather than getting ones covered in plastic. Even if you are considering something small like office pens with a company logo, they even have biodegradable pens! No kidding! I had never heard of such a thing before either. You can see a list of their eco-friendly products here.
Love books? If you are like me, and cannot stop collecting books, you know they can be a big hit to your wallet. On Frugal Green Girl and numerous other experts in frugal living, advocate for buying used first, and always if possible. If the same books keep showing up in your local used books stores, try looking at Booksalemanager.com. Libraries have book sales all the time, and with this website you can find out about book sales in your area. Support your local library and buy a couple (usually ungodly cheap) books!
Well, I know it has been a while for me, I was on vacation for a while, and still try to settle into our new house. In the meantime, there have been a couple of new websites that I have found helpful, and I would encourage you to check them out.
Mr. Rebates - This is a great website where you can find cash-back rebates at many popular online stores. If you shop online, you probably go to these stores already. Right now, there are also some popular back to school specials. You can also sign up to receive emails (which they are giving $5 bonus for right now), which will provide you with weekly announcements regarding the great deals for this week.
Another great website, FortePromo.com, which distributes bulk gift items (which logos or images can also be put on) has some great environmentally-friendly products out there. If you are in charge of getting a small gift for a massive amount of people, Fortepromo.com is a great provider for items that can be biodegradable, sustainable, or recycled. You can get bamboo covered flash drives for your group rather than getting ones covered in plastic. Even if you are considering something small like office pens with a company logo, they even have biodegradable pens! No kidding! I had never heard of such a thing before either. You can see a list of their eco-friendly products here.
Love books? If you are like me, and cannot stop collecting books, you know they can be a big hit to your wallet. On Frugal Green Girl and numerous other experts in frugal living, advocate for buying used first, and always if possible. If the same books keep showing up in your local used books stores, try looking at Booksalemanager.com. Libraries have book sales all the time, and with this website you can find out about book sales in your area. Support your local library and buy a couple (usually ungodly cheap) books!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Vacation Time
I am currently in my home state of Wisconsin right now, on a 2 week vacation before classes and jobs begin once more.
First off, I want to say only 2 people have entered in the drawing for a copy of "The Penny Pincher's Club", so please enter with your email address to frugalgreengirl@gmail.com, otherwise there will be no drawing, simply a giveaway to the two people who replied.
We have finally gotten all moved into our new home, which still remains mostly unpacked because we are out somewhere else for a while. During our first week in our new house, we decided to begin leaving our dog out of his kennel, as planned. However, the second time we left him out, he decided to have a massive diarrhea spell all over our dining room (which is carpeted). After scrubbing as much as I could, however, there was still a couple of stains which I know have simply been rubbed into the carpet, I went to the store and ended up leaving with the Bissell Pet Spot Bot. I was debating between that and the Bissell Little Green Cleaner, which was similar but the Spot Bot had a mechanism where you could put the machine over a section of carpet and would wash out fresh or set-in stain within a 6 minute time frame. Just set it over the spot and leave it work its magic. Needless to say, the stains came out wonderfully! While the product was a bit expensive, however, I think that if you have a dog or a child, or a husband for that matter, you are bound to use this again and again, whether its mud, food, or even feces.
Be back in a little while, but in the meantime, keep the entries for "The Penny Pincher's Club" coming!
First off, I want to say only 2 people have entered in the drawing for a copy of "The Penny Pincher's Club", so please enter with your email address to frugalgreengirl@gmail.com, otherwise there will be no drawing, simply a giveaway to the two people who replied.
We have finally gotten all moved into our new home, which still remains mostly unpacked because we are out somewhere else for a while. During our first week in our new house, we decided to begin leaving our dog out of his kennel, as planned. However, the second time we left him out, he decided to have a massive diarrhea spell all over our dining room (which is carpeted). After scrubbing as much as I could, however, there was still a couple of stains which I know have simply been rubbed into the carpet, I went to the store and ended up leaving with the Bissell Pet Spot Bot. I was debating between that and the Bissell Little Green Cleaner, which was similar but the Spot Bot had a mechanism where you could put the machine over a section of carpet and would wash out fresh or set-in stain within a 6 minute time frame. Just set it over the spot and leave it work its magic. Needless to say, the stains came out wonderfully! While the product was a bit expensive, however, I think that if you have a dog or a child, or a husband for that matter, you are bound to use this again and again, whether its mud, food, or even feces.
Be back in a little while, but in the meantime, keep the entries for "The Penny Pincher's Club" coming!
Friday, July 24, 2009
More on Books...
So this has clearly been a coincidental week of books for me, but I was thrilled about my recent savings on textbooks for the next upcoming school year. Both my husband and I are students, he is part-time while I am full-time, and his school comes out with textbook lists much earlier than mine fortunately for the one of us.
After gathering his list for 3 classes, the books would cost roughly $375 with taxes. After searching on Amazon.com (which you probably would think I am working for by now, but no), I began to shop using the feature where you could buy the books new from other sellers. You could also buy used from other sellers for even cheaper, but with used books you never know what you'll get until you see them, so we went for new. From this method I got all of his books for $227. Since these items are not taxed, it also makes it much easier for the wallet. So for the same quality of books delivered to my door, I got them for $150 cheaper, which is something that even Amazon.com as a retailer could not beat.
There are many great textbook sites out there, half.com is another one of my favorites. The issue is, you have to have your list of books ready a great deal ahead of time, otherwise, you won't be able to get them on time. With half.com, all books are generally shipped through Media Mail, which can take up to 3 weeks to get to you. Buying books from independent sellers may also prove a similar route, with standard shipping ranging up to 15 business days.
Keep sending your entries for a free copy of "The Penny Pincher's Club" to frugalgreengirl@gmail.com!
After gathering his list for 3 classes, the books would cost roughly $375 with taxes. After searching on Amazon.com (which you probably would think I am working for by now, but no), I began to shop using the feature where you could buy the books new from other sellers. You could also buy used from other sellers for even cheaper, but with used books you never know what you'll get until you see them, so we went for new. From this method I got all of his books for $227. Since these items are not taxed, it also makes it much easier for the wallet. So for the same quality of books delivered to my door, I got them for $150 cheaper, which is something that even Amazon.com as a retailer could not beat.
There are many great textbook sites out there, half.com is another one of my favorites. The issue is, you have to have your list of books ready a great deal ahead of time, otherwise, you won't be able to get them on time. With half.com, all books are generally shipped through Media Mail, which can take up to 3 weeks to get to you. Buying books from independent sellers may also prove a similar route, with standard shipping ranging up to 15 business days.
Keep sending your entries for a free copy of "The Penny Pincher's Club" to frugalgreengirl@gmail.com!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Book Giveaway
After my entry on the Amazon Kindle below, I also realized I have an offer for my loyal readers at Frugal Green Girl!
"The Penny Pincher's Club" by Sarah Strohmeyer, a new chick lit type book was
released earlier this month, and I have two copies to give away to readers of Frugal Green Girl. Like "Confessions of a Shopaholic", it follows the story of a woman going through a financial strain and is forced to give up her material possessions to get her life back in order. Along they way, you'll learn some tips yourself on how to save money. I'm happy to trade one of my boring personal finance books for an adventure, and I hope to post more information on this book in the future as I find opportunities for it.
In the mean time, I will give readers until August 15th at midnight (Central time) to enter in the drawing for a copy of "The Penny Pincher's Club". Email me your name and a way to contact you (email address is fine) to frugalgreengirl@gmail.com. Join along with us, even if you don't get a free copy, and share the tips you find helpful.
"The Penny Pincher's Club" by Sarah Strohmeyer, a new chick lit type book was
released earlier this month, and I have two copies to give away to readers of Frugal Green Girl. Like "Confessions of a Shopaholic", it follows the story of a woman going through a financial strain and is forced to give up her material possessions to get her life back in order. Along they way, you'll learn some tips yourself on how to save money. I'm happy to trade one of my boring personal finance books for an adventure, and I hope to post more information on this book in the future as I find opportunities for it.In the mean time, I will give readers until August 15th at midnight (Central time) to enter in the drawing for a copy of "The Penny Pincher's Club". Email me your name and a way to contact you (email address is fine) to frugalgreengirl@gmail.com. Join along with us, even if you don't get a free copy, and share the tips you find helpful.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Paper is so last year
For my husband's birthday this year, I decided to get him a not-so-frugal, but what I would consider a very "green" gift - an Amazon Kindle. They have recently dropped in price, but are still at a quite outrageous $299.
My big thing with gifts is that I want them to be practical. While this gift costs a lot of money, I think it will pay itself off in the long run. I spend a lot of time researching more expensive purchases and finding customer reviews, which is something I would advise to anyone. At first, I didnt think buying a Kindle would be worth it, but after learning more about it, I saw how practical and useful it could be for him. My husband really loves to read classic novels, ones written quite a long time ago. For a while, he was collecting the anthology books by famous classic authors from Barnes & Noble, which tend to take up a lot of space in our apartment (soon-to-be house this weekend). The great part about these books is that the copyright has expired on them for quite some time, and now you can get all of these books for free on an electronic book, like the Kindle. This is also the reason why they are so cheap in stores, you are merely paying for the paper and ink the book was printed with. There are also websites like freekindlebooks.org that have lists and lists of free books to read. So far, he has only really purchased one book (Eragon, for $6.99), which costs half price than buying a hard copy since you aren't paying for the components of the hard copy version of the book.
Additionally, this device provides a form of "free internet". By that, I mean you can search the Amazon.com Kindle store at anytime, anywhere. It utilizes Verizon wireless's "whispernet", but there is no data plan to pay. My husband was out with his parents this weekend driving in a large city and looking for a local store. He pulled out the Kindle to find what they were looking for. Be warned, this is a version of the internet that would look like what you would get on your mobile phone. Basically, it can do the job you are looking for, but is not a computer. You can search google or wikipedia, but don't look for YouTube videos on there.
Plus, and my favorite part, you are saving paper and saving space in your home! The Kindle can hold roughly 1,500 books, which I would think is very hard to fill (But I wouldn't put it past my husband). It also can give you your subscriptions to newspapers or magazines too. Another thing we loved is one of the newest features of the lastest version of the Amazon Kindle, it's text-to-speech function, which will read your newspaper, magazine, or book to you. While it is a somewhat creepy electronic voice, it does its job quite nicely. Publishers are also given the choice to not offer the text-to-speech feature, since this would likely hurt the audiobook sales.
There are other versions of "electronic books" available at other book stores, like Borders sells a version from Sony, however, I don't know if the features would even come close to the Kindle. Amazon.com also carries such great deals on books, that I don't know where you would get a better price.
If you have a special someone in your life who loves to read, a Kindle or similar product might be a more practical purchase than you think, and convenient! Books download to your Kindle in 60 seconds!
My big thing with gifts is that I want them to be practical. While this gift costs a lot of money, I think it will pay itself off in the long run. I spend a lot of time researching more expensive purchases and finding customer reviews, which is something I would advise to anyone. At first, I didnt think buying a Kindle would be worth it, but after learning more about it, I saw how practical and useful it could be for him. My husband really loves to read classic novels, ones written quite a long time ago. For a while, he was collecting the anthology books by famous classic authors from Barnes & Noble, which tend to take up a lot of space in our apartment (soon-to-be house this weekend). The great part about these books is that the copyright has expired on them for quite some time, and now you can get all of these books for free on an electronic book, like the Kindle. This is also the reason why they are so cheap in stores, you are merely paying for the paper and ink the book was printed with. There are also websites like freekindlebooks.org that have lists and lists of free books to read. So far, he has only really purchased one book (Eragon, for $6.99), which costs half price than buying a hard copy since you aren't paying for the components of the hard copy version of the book.
Additionally, this device provides a form of "free internet". By that, I mean you can search the Amazon.com Kindle store at anytime, anywhere. It utilizes Verizon wireless's "whispernet", but there is no data plan to pay. My husband was out with his parents this weekend driving in a large city and looking for a local store. He pulled out the Kindle to find what they were looking for. Be warned, this is a version of the internet that would look like what you would get on your mobile phone. Basically, it can do the job you are looking for, but is not a computer. You can search google or wikipedia, but don't look for YouTube videos on there.
Plus, and my favorite part, you are saving paper and saving space in your home! The Kindle can hold roughly 1,500 books, which I would think is very hard to fill (But I wouldn't put it past my husband). It also can give you your subscriptions to newspapers or magazines too. Another thing we loved is one of the newest features of the lastest version of the Amazon Kindle, it's text-to-speech function, which will read your newspaper, magazine, or book to you. While it is a somewhat creepy electronic voice, it does its job quite nicely. Publishers are also given the choice to not offer the text-to-speech feature, since this would likely hurt the audiobook sales.
There are other versions of "electronic books" available at other book stores, like Borders sells a version from Sony, however, I don't know if the features would even come close to the Kindle. Amazon.com also carries such great deals on books, that I don't know where you would get a better price.
If you have a special someone in your life who loves to read, a Kindle or similar product might be a more practical purchase than you think, and convenient! Books download to your Kindle in 60 seconds!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
My adventure at Plato's Closet
First off, my apologies for being a while since my last post. Life has gotten chaotic recently and my internet connection has been bipolar lately.
Anyways, with our upcoming move into our new home in two weeks, I began going through all of my old clothes and deciding what I could get rid of. While I know we all like to hoard clothes, a good rule of thumb is, if you have not worn it in the past two years, you probably can get along without it. I ended up with a very large box of clothes to take over to Plato's Closet, a store that specializes in buying and selling used clothes for the young crowd. You may have something similar near you as well, that will pay you for your used clothing.
After giving them all of my items and doing some looking myself for about 30 minutes, they had my offer for me. They showed me the basket of clothes they wanted to buy, which out of the 30-35 items I probably had in there, they only took about 5-7 I would say. I'm not going to lie, they are pretty picky since the trends change so quickly. They told me they will typically not buy anything more than a year old, and do not take higher than a size 15 (for women). However, it was something that I was expecting to hear. They aren't going to buy things from you they cannot sell. I was happy to get whatever money out of this that I could, since they likely would give me as much at a rummage sale or from donations to Goodwill. I ended up getting about $15 from what they wanted, and I used some of it towards some clearance tank tops they had for $2 each. I got one American Eagle Outfitters top, one from Hollister, and another top I could use for my work, all for $6. Can't beat that!
Although it is tough to sell stuff to them, I think they offer a lot of good deals in stores like this. It was a weird experience for me because you are used to seeing racks with the same item in different sizes. Here, everything is categorized by size, then color. I remember last year wanting to find a specific color of blouse to go with a pair of pants I had, and going to a place like this would have been a lot easier than searching a typical store. If you have clothes that you should get rid of, or you haven't gone through your closet in a while, consider minimalizing your wardrobe and get some money for it.
Anyways, with our upcoming move into our new home in two weeks, I began going through all of my old clothes and deciding what I could get rid of. While I know we all like to hoard clothes, a good rule of thumb is, if you have not worn it in the past two years, you probably can get along without it. I ended up with a very large box of clothes to take over to Plato's Closet, a store that specializes in buying and selling used clothes for the young crowd. You may have something similar near you as well, that will pay you for your used clothing.
After giving them all of my items and doing some looking myself for about 30 minutes, they had my offer for me. They showed me the basket of clothes they wanted to buy, which out of the 30-35 items I probably had in there, they only took about 5-7 I would say. I'm not going to lie, they are pretty picky since the trends change so quickly. They told me they will typically not buy anything more than a year old, and do not take higher than a size 15 (for women). However, it was something that I was expecting to hear. They aren't going to buy things from you they cannot sell. I was happy to get whatever money out of this that I could, since they likely would give me as much at a rummage sale or from donations to Goodwill. I ended up getting about $15 from what they wanted, and I used some of it towards some clearance tank tops they had for $2 each. I got one American Eagle Outfitters top, one from Hollister, and another top I could use for my work, all for $6. Can't beat that!
Although it is tough to sell stuff to them, I think they offer a lot of good deals in stores like this. It was a weird experience for me because you are used to seeing racks with the same item in different sizes. Here, everything is categorized by size, then color. I remember last year wanting to find a specific color of blouse to go with a pair of pants I had, and going to a place like this would have been a lot easier than searching a typical store. If you have clothes that you should get rid of, or you haven't gone through your closet in a while, consider minimalizing your wardrobe and get some money for it.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Recent Struggles Update
Well, my husband and I are officially homeowners! We are still renting our house to our seller, due to the fact we also need to complete our lease at the end of July. We were completely thrilled that everything worked out okay and our closing went, well, as smooth as it could have gone.
Anyways, I'd also like to take this time to tell you about a recent struggle with consumerism that has been a problem with getting a new house. I have such an awful compulsion to fill it with new furniture. For some reason, since this is our first home, I find myself wanting it to look like a "real house". While I bought the previous piece of furniture in the last post on Craig's list, this has been one of my most difficult battles with consumerism in a while. Additionally, while I switched my major 7 times in undergrad, one of them was interior architecture, also known as interior design. When you know about all the colors, gadgets, and furniture that you have been staring at and learning about for years it is so hard to not think about putting it in your own place. I don't know how interior designers keep any money in the bank! I am artistic by nature, and enjoy projects like this where I am suddenly given the freedom to paint walls and exercise the other freedoms that come with being a new home-owner.
As I have likely said in a previous post, its so much better to replace items in the house one at a time, then they are more affordable, and I am using this post mainly to reaffirm that to myself. I keep telling myself our savings needs to stay put. Even when looking at used items, like I was considering a sewing machine so I could make throw pillows and curtains rather than to pay a high price for them, however, I haven't used a sewing machine since the 7th grade. I would really want to take a refresher class, which is an additional expense. I would like to think skills with a sewing machine would pay off in the long run as an investment, however, I am still debating about whether the class and sewing machine would be worth it or just wait to afford the appropriate home accents and decor.
Anyways, I'd also like to take this time to tell you about a recent struggle with consumerism that has been a problem with getting a new house. I have such an awful compulsion to fill it with new furniture. For some reason, since this is our first home, I find myself wanting it to look like a "real house". While I bought the previous piece of furniture in the last post on Craig's list, this has been one of my most difficult battles with consumerism in a while. Additionally, while I switched my major 7 times in undergrad, one of them was interior architecture, also known as interior design. When you know about all the colors, gadgets, and furniture that you have been staring at and learning about for years it is so hard to not think about putting it in your own place. I don't know how interior designers keep any money in the bank! I am artistic by nature, and enjoy projects like this where I am suddenly given the freedom to paint walls and exercise the other freedoms that come with being a new home-owner.
As I have likely said in a previous post, its so much better to replace items in the house one at a time, then they are more affordable, and I am using this post mainly to reaffirm that to myself. I keep telling myself our savings needs to stay put. Even when looking at used items, like I was considering a sewing machine so I could make throw pillows and curtains rather than to pay a high price for them, however, I haven't used a sewing machine since the 7th grade. I would really want to take a refresher class, which is an additional expense. I would like to think skills with a sewing machine would pay off in the long run as an investment, however, I am still debating about whether the class and sewing machine would be worth it or just wait to afford the appropriate home accents and decor.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
It's that time of the season
We have a strange tradition in my family, its been there as long as I can remember. My parents are incredibly frugal, and they have done so via the yard sale. We have both run them each year, and a frequent shoppers of them. When they come to visit me, it also seems to be a tradition, in addition to a game of who can find the best deal. Sometimes we try to find the goofiest things as well.
My husband and I just closed on our first house this past Monday (hence why my posts have been behind), and now we are amidst looking for some new pieces for our new home. Craigslist, which in my opinion, can be comparable to a rummage sale, has been a new haven for me to search. I just got this year old lounger for only $150 (after talking them down from $175 of course). Especially when we are moving into a new place, its tempting to fill it with new furniture we can't always afford. Here are some good tips to follow when we find ourselves in this situation:
My friend over at Green & Cheap has also just recently written on this subject, so be sure to check it out as well.
My husband and I just closed on our first house this past Monday (hence why my posts have been behind), and now we are amidst looking for some new pieces for our new home. Craigslist, which in my opinion, can be comparable to a rummage sale, has been a new haven for me to search. I just got this year old lounger for only $150 (after talking them down from $175 of course). Especially when we are moving into a new place, its tempting to fill it with new furniture we can't always afford. Here are some good tips to follow when we find ourselves in this situation:
- If looking for new pieces, fill your home slowly by replacing pieces one by one as you can afford them. A few months ago I posted on creating an account that puts a small amount of money in it every pay check. Before you know it, you'll have some money for a new piece.
- Rummage sales can be your best friend in this scenario. The best times to hit, especially when you live in a college town like myself, is during May and July when the summer is providing great weather and college students' apartment leases are close to being up. Many live on another side of the country and won't be able to take some of their things with them. If they are selling a lot of their items (mine was trying to get rid of everything in the house), there is a good chance you can probably get a better deal by talking them down in price. If you can't, don't be afraid to walk away - they are likely more despirate than you to get rid of their furniture since they will be charged if it still in their apartment after their lease is up.
- Craiglist can also be resourceful for links to both furniture, rummage sales in the area, or anything, as you may know.
- I have also been finding websites like overstock.com to be helpful in the search for new furniture at decent prices. If any of you know of other great websites, please let me know or share them in the comments!
My friend over at Green & Cheap has also just recently written on this subject, so be sure to check it out as well.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Hair Cuts for Cheap
When I was a kid, my mother or grandmother always cut my hair. In fact, my mom did, and still does, cut many of my cousins' hair. However, both of them were also licensed cosmetologists. But for many families you don't have to be one to give haircuts. There are always commercials on for the next set of clippers to use on the men in the family. But what can women do?
I'm lucky to find that local beauty academies are great ways to save money on haircuts. Today I got my haircut for $7. When I go to my normal salon, I pay $25. If you are willing to sacrifice cutting the ties with your current salon or stylist, and perhaps not having a usual one either, consider going to get your hair cut by students. I've also read that if you are willing to get whatever style they choose, to be a model, you could get a hair cut for free.
Another issue for me is that I keep my hair very short. I struggle with it because to keep it at the desired length it has to be cut almost every 2 months, if not sooner. Shelling out $25 each time that frequently pained me a lot, but now, I can get them as often as I need, and I can keep the short hair that I love.
I'm lucky to find that local beauty academies are great ways to save money on haircuts. Today I got my haircut for $7. When I go to my normal salon, I pay $25. If you are willing to sacrifice cutting the ties with your current salon or stylist, and perhaps not having a usual one either, consider going to get your hair cut by students. I've also read that if you are willing to get whatever style they choose, to be a model, you could get a hair cut for free.
Another issue for me is that I keep my hair very short. I struggle with it because to keep it at the desired length it has to be cut almost every 2 months, if not sooner. Shelling out $25 each time that frequently pained me a lot, but now, I can get them as often as I need, and I can keep the short hair that I love.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Honeymoons
This post is a part of a weekly section for the month of June on how to save money for weddings.
This is what I believe many people think of when the word "honeymoon" comes up. It is a conventional, prescribed way of seeing things, given to us by the many vacationing commercials from places like Sandals, etc. In fact, this is a photograph from my honeymoon, in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. I thought this was what I wanted, but in fact, I often say the wedding was for me and the honeymoon was for my husband. I found out I was not so fond of the excessive heat and humidity (especially in one of the worst months, August), and I was also stung by a jellyfish while swimming in the ocean off of the shore of our all-inclusive resort.
The recommendation of the all-inclusive resort came from my parents, who come to a place like this every year during the winter. While you can get your money's worth, if you aren't into drinking a lot, or eating a lot, you might want to reconsider your options. However, where we DID save money was the fact we did take this honeymoon in the off-season. We also took a package deal through Apple Vacations to save some money, which I don't know if I would recommend again, but technology keeps expanding every year and we now have great websites like Priceline.com, and Orbitz.com, that can offer stellar deals. I have been actually watching cruise line deals with Priceline for a while now, and last week there was a deal for a 4 day cruise to the Caribbean for $199 a person!
Booking through a travel agent you will come across extra fees, booking fees, etc., so I would recommend booking a trip for yourself if at all possible. The real deals will be online if you know the right places.
The other thing to note, as I was saying earlier, is make sure to find a place that both of you can have some fun. The tropics are just one place where people go. My parents went to Yellowstone Park, and my husband's parents went to Niagara Falls and Cooperstown, NY (My Father-in-law is a big baseball fanatic). If I could do it all over again, I would have considered a cruise. While they are all-inclusive too, I found myself bored sitting at a resort all day. I am someone who needs an adventure everyday, while my husband was content just reading a book on the beach. Find what is fun for the both of you! And while my parents recommended this to us, be sure its what YOU want.
Also, honeymoons do not have to be an extravagant expense, it is another thing pushed onto us by society. A couple of years ago my friends did a road trip of the state, another one of my friend's getting married next month is staying at a cabin for their honeymoon. Weddings are so much about prioritizing, because it is likely that everything you want will not be there. If you can live without a fancy honeymoon, than go without it. The important part is that you have fun and enjoy the special time to bond with your new spouse.
This is what I believe many people think of when the word "honeymoon" comes up. It is a conventional, prescribed way of seeing things, given to us by the many vacationing commercials from places like Sandals, etc. In fact, this is a photograph from my honeymoon, in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. I thought this was what I wanted, but in fact, I often say the wedding was for me and the honeymoon was for my husband. I found out I was not so fond of the excessive heat and humidity (especially in one of the worst months, August), and I was also stung by a jellyfish while swimming in the ocean off of the shore of our all-inclusive resort.
The recommendation of the all-inclusive resort came from my parents, who come to a place like this every year during the winter. While you can get your money's worth, if you aren't into drinking a lot, or eating a lot, you might want to reconsider your options. However, where we DID save money was the fact we did take this honeymoon in the off-season. We also took a package deal through Apple Vacations to save some money, which I don't know if I would recommend again, but technology keeps expanding every year and we now have great websites like Priceline.com, and Orbitz.com, that can offer stellar deals. I have been actually watching cruise line deals with Priceline for a while now, and last week there was a deal for a 4 day cruise to the Caribbean for $199 a person!
Booking through a travel agent you will come across extra fees, booking fees, etc., so I would recommend booking a trip for yourself if at all possible. The real deals will be online if you know the right places.
The other thing to note, as I was saying earlier, is make sure to find a place that both of you can have some fun. The tropics are just one place where people go. My parents went to Yellowstone Park, and my husband's parents went to Niagara Falls and Cooperstown, NY (My Father-in-law is a big baseball fanatic). If I could do it all over again, I would have considered a cruise. While they are all-inclusive too, I found myself bored sitting at a resort all day. I am someone who needs an adventure everyday, while my husband was content just reading a book on the beach. Find what is fun for the both of you! And while my parents recommended this to us, be sure its what YOU want.
Also, honeymoons do not have to be an extravagant expense, it is another thing pushed onto us by society. A couple of years ago my friends did a road trip of the state, another one of my friend's getting married next month is staying at a cabin for their honeymoon. Weddings are so much about prioritizing, because it is likely that everything you want will not be there. If you can live without a fancy honeymoon, than go without it. The important part is that you have fun and enjoy the special time to bond with your new spouse.
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