Frugality seems to be a large topic of interest in the blogosphere, so I have decided to start another weekly series covering just that; frugality. I will be exploring a frugal way to cut costs, right in own homes, starting with the letter ‘A’ through the lettter ‘Z’. Yep, 26 weeks of money saving tips. I use most of these in my own home with great success. Let’s get started….
A is for Advertisements
Advertisements are a huge help to the frugal homemaker because, as we all know, comparison shopping is one of the best ways to cut your costs. Shopping only at one store not only limits the selection and variety you’re receiving, but also the cost. I don’t subscribe to the daily or weekly paper, but I do have a list of stores of whom I go to the websites and view their weekly ads online. Just to name a few…
- Wal*Mart
- Target
- CVS
- Walgreens
- Dollar General
- Hobby Lobby
- H.E.B
But let us not limit ourselves there. Just because an ad doesn’t belong to a specific store doesn’t mean it isn’t an advertisement chuck full of savings. There are, literally, hundreds of these ‘flyers’ hovering over us in cyberspace. Check out my list of coupon sites down on my right tool bar. Likewise, check out your favorite brand’s website. Kodak, is all the time, having specials to get free things. Betty Crocker is always promoting freebies. And those fast food places we can’t seem to fit in our budget anymore are feeling it too. Signing up at your favorite restaurant’s website will include you in their “bait and hook” promotions giving you high price items for free. Meaning - if they can bait you with a coupon for “whatever”, they figure you will buy more. Save your coupon for that once in a while outing and save yourself $3. I understand this sounds like a lot of work, and a lot of junk-mail, but sign-up for their email specials. There are things you will be sent via email, as a “favorite customer” that never reaches the “public”.
WARNING:
I would, however, suggest doing this, create a special email account for this alone. Your regular email account will be littered with offers and you won’t be able to decipher, at quick glance, genuine email and super savings.
One more quick tip - coupons are the coolest and they come IN those ads you’re throwing away! When I first started using coupons I justified NOT using them because I used the ‘off brands’ anyway - I was already getting the best deal, but that didn’t prove to be the case. When you find coupons and use them in conjunction WITH a sale, you get the item for nearly FREE! That price can’t be beat!
For instance -
Last week CVS had Sally Hansen nail polish on sale for $.99 per bottle. I had already purposed I was going to get four (4) bottles. I had two $3 off any two bottles coupon. Two bottles, on sale, equalled $1.98 which was within the coupon limits - I received four bottles of nail polish FREE.
It takes purposed time to do it this way, but I’m testimony - it works. Carve out an extra 45 minutes in each day to check ads and plan your savings.
Here’s a challenge - something for me and you. Beginning today, start keeping account of the money you save using coupons and sale ads. At some point in the, more distant, future I will post my savings and you can tell me what you’ve saved! These days - a penny saved, is a penny earned!
