personal finance in a coupon blog

(photo credit: The Creativity Exchange)

Have you ever wasted time running around the house looking for a pair of pants that you didn't bother to lay out the night before because you knew exactly where they were…or so you thought? Have you rummaged through stacks of disheveled coupon inserts when a fabulous deal popped up with a coupon that you know you've seen before…somewhere?

Not only do these things make you mumble under your breath that you will never let them happen to you again, but they also cost you time and money. It's pretty clear how being unorganized can waste your time. But how does it waste your money too? Well what happens when you don't have something that you need? You buy it. And what happens when you can't find something that you need? You buy another (even though you know it has to be around here somewhere). Read More »

LOS ANGELES - Citing an unquenchable desire to get the best holiday deals, Los Angeles couple Finn and Laurie Thompson secured the first spot in line for Black Friday at an area Best Buy. Despite the fact that the annual day of discounting is nearly eight months away, the Thompsons were inspired by "HolidApril," a concept put forth by coupon site Savings.com suggesting that the 2013 holiday shopping season should and would start immediately after Easter.

The Thompsons exuded messianic certainty that living outside a big box store in a tent was the only reliable way to secure access to the best deals. "When I'm on my deathbed and somebody asks 'Did you do everything in your power to get 80% off a 56' Panasonic TC-PVT50 HD 1080p UberPlasma TV' I want to the answer to be yes," stammered an emotional Finn Thompson. "Plus last year I tore my ACL rib-kicking the gentleman in front of me when the doors opened, and our health insurance doesn't cover injuries to the extremities." Read More »

April is the cruelest month. But there's no reason it can't be the jolliest! One consistent piece of feedback we've been gotten from our audience is that the holiday shopping season is WAY too short. Why confine such a festive and relaxing occasion to just one month a year? Our Savings Scientists looked into the matter and the bubbling solution they concocted in our state-of-the-art Deal Lab is finally ready for public consumption. We're proud to present HolidApril!

So get your bells on, spike up a big batch of eggnog, unsheathe your credit card, and get ready to sing some Fa La Las. Because we're going to teach you about the 268 days of Christmas. You're welcome. Read More »

Easter is just around the corner, in fact tomorrow! In case your not ready there are some last minute Easter dinner and dessert recipes for you to try. The kids can keep busy while you're cooking with some easy crafts from items you already have in your house. If you haven't dyed eggs yet, there's step by step instructions on how to dye them with crayons, stickers, tissue paper and more. Creating one of a kind eggs is something that the kids will love! Have a safe and Happy Easter!

Freebie #1: Free Kids meal at Outback with the purchase of an adult entree. Easter Sunday only.

Freebie #2: Instructions for making a bunny cup.

Freebie #3: How-to instructions to make a TP Bunny. I love this one! Read More »

Easter is this weekend and you may have already gotten a start on buying items for your child's Easter basket. But if you're still in need of some last-minute ideas that won't break the bank, we've got a few easy ideas for you.

I always struggle with ideas of what to put in the basket that will be meaningful and personalized for each child and not just random little trinkets or toys that will be forgotten within a few days. I also try to only give one special candy in their basket to keep it healthier. For those of you with older children, pre-teens and teenagers, it will get even tougher to think of gifts they will enjoy as their interests are more specific as they grow. So, here are some ways you can create a personalized and special Easter basket geared towards your child's interests without spending a lot of money. Read More »

I don't mind telling you I have three Roku boxes in my house. That's not me being boastful; it's me revealing how much I love Roku boxes.

The new $99.99 Roku 3 takes the place of the Roku 2 XS as the high-end model in the line, and it's without a doubt the company's best box yet. But questions remain: Is it worth the extra cash, and does it beat the Apple TV at its own media-streaming game?

For the uninitiated, a Roku box plugs into one of your TV's HDMI ports, then serves up nearly every video and audio service known to man: Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, HBO Go, Netflix, Pandora, Slacker, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Vudu, and literally hundreds of others. Read More »

Did you know taxes are due right around the corner?

Of course you did, and you're probably almost done preparing everything as well. However, before you file them away and checkmark that box off your to-do list, ask yourself one question — are you totally prepared to file?

We spoke with Thomas D. Fisher, CPA, LLC and asked: What are the top five tax mistakes people make every year?

Check out what he told us, and be sure to get your own ducks in a row before signing those magical slips of paper. Read More »

(photo: Getty Images)

It's Easter Sunday this weekend! While Easter can become a very costly holiday, like anything in life, you can drastically reduce the costs by making some small changes and doing things yourself.

From your basket to your dinner, with these easy Easter makeover tips you can cut costs to stay on or below your budget:

The budget-friendly Easter basket

Easter baskets can be very costly. However, if you follow these 8 tips on how to put together a Easter basket on a budget from Northern Cheapskate, your basket will be pocketbook friendly. You should also think outside of the box when you think of inexpensive ways to fill an Easter basket like Thrifty Tiff and/or consider these 32 cheap kids Easter basket ideas from Sami Cone. From hair ties to lip balm, these items can all fill a basket nicely and be reused. Read More »

It's Spring break this week (at least for Los Angeles Unified School District) and Easter Sunday is coming up this weekend. What are your plans for Spring break and Easter?

In lieu of sending my daughter to camp for 1 week, I'm having her stay at home with me. In order to make sure she isn't bored throughout the day, I made a mini-camp schedule filled with arts, crafts, sports and gardening. Not only will this keep my daughter happy during her break, I'll be happy because I've saved $500 on camp costs.

For Easter, the kids will be participating in an egg hunt which they always look forward to. Instead of doing it in my own home, I take them to a local event and pay $5 for each of them. Because I do this, I save about $40, a day's worth of time and energy, plus the kids enjoy it more because they have a friendly competition with kids their own age.

Since I get to save money on Spring camp and the Easter egg hunt, this week I'm going down my list of birthday gifts I need to purchase and actually purchase them. To get things started, I've got this week's top 5 deals for you: Read More »

We here at Savings.com strive to help everyone save money, no matter their living or non-living status. Our latest Savings pro can show you how it's done, and help you survive a zombie apocalypse in the process.  Read More »

If you've ever tried to use a tablet as an e-reader, especially a big tablet, you know that it's not exactly ideal. Larger, heavier models can be hard to hold for long periods, and I find them especially unwieldy for reading in bed. Read More »

Easter is just a few short days away, and most people rush out, last-minute, for decorating and fun craft supplies. But there are some simple ways that you can celebrate Easter, but also be frugal at the same time - even if you did procrastinate in preparing!

Here are 10 tips for how to celebrate Easter on a budget.  

1. Use leftover baskets from the previous year, or use baskets that you have on hand. Almost everyone has baskets in their homes, so utilize what you have! 

2. Use leftover green tissue paper from the holidays to stuff your baskets vs. buying new plastic grass. 

3. Go for the plastic eggs vs. decorating real eggs. These can be used again next year, thus saving you money in the long-run.  Read More »