personal finance in a coupon blog

If you haven't yet tapped into the many free or nearly-free items at your local drugstores each and every week, then you are about be thrilled! Even some of the best money-savers don't know the trick to getting tons of your household necessities for free or nearly free each week. Indeed, the best deals of the week almost always can be found at your local drugstores , just as long as you know how to find them and what to look for. There are many excellent blogs out there that take you through the weekly deals at the drugstores, and my blog, Saving Money Plan , is just one of them. Let's take a quick look at how these drugstore deals work (some people call this "the drugstore game") and how you can start bringing hundreds of dollars in free items home with you! Read More »

Many magazines have coupons in them these days. Read More »

In today's tight economy, more consumers than ever are looking for alternative ways to stretch their Christmas shopping dollar. The key to saving money when shopping retail is to find the deals in advance and stick to your budget. With proper planning, you won't be tempted to pay full price for any of your gifts.

The early arrival of Black Friday this year offers consumers more time for holiday budget planning. It seems that the traditional day after Thanksgiving mega-deal day, has been turned into an entire season. Some stores started as early as Halloween with their 'Black Friday' savings.

Along with Black Friday, shoppers can also look forward to Cyber Monday online shopping deals. Many websites list stores and their Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals for your convenience. When ordering online, many payment screens have a space to input a coupon code for additional savings. Many times, you can quickly pop onto a coupon forum website and find a valid coupon code. Read More »

It is possible to whiten your teeth inexpensively.  A regular size bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide will cost you about $1 or less at most stores. It is the main ingredient in all those over the counter whitening products. Check out a list of prices and ingredients in Crest Whitestrips . That's right!  It's just good old Hydrogen Peroxide.  And it will cost you about $30, just to get a regimen of their whitening products.



Here's how I whiten my teeth : I use a small amount of hydrogen peroxide as a mouth wash twice a day for 7-10 days. Read More »

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday because it is pure. It is about getting together and enjoying company. But somehow each year I hear of someone stressing about the who, what, where, when and whys. If it is all left up to one person, naturally the task will bury them. With luck and a bit of delegating, some of the duties can be farmed off to others in attendance. Just remember that the purpose of the day is bigger than any bird on the table and the impression you give is more about the company you provide to others, not the jello mold.

 

I'll be here to help with food questions, tips and trick anytime by email and in person via Skype (FoodieDaddy)  Wednesday 5-9 and all day Thursday - except during dinner. Read More »

This week, in our continuing quest to bring you the week's best in money-saving articles, we present six missives ranging from the truly informative to the head-scratchingly absurd. Submitted for your reading pleasure, there's a signpost up ahead.

Your next stop, the Cat Herding Zone.

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I spent the week in Las Vegas at a conference and as such I was inspired to write this post. Las Vegas--aka "Sin City"--is world-renowned for its gambling, a past-time whose charms elude me. In my opinion, if I'm going to be dropping a wad of cash I want to see something leather in my closet to show for it. Spending money on slot machines, roulette wheels and the like is the equivalent of taking a match to your bankroll and setting it on fire.

Except when you do that, at least you'd enjoy some warmth...

And so I started thinking of other extreme money wasters for those with money to burn:

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So this week, as promised, I am kicking off my list of top ten holiday gifts in the consumer electronics realm. The following represents the types of products that look to be hot sellers this holiday season. To make the list seem less broad, in some cases I have picked specific brands that will likely be at the top of everyone's wish lists in their respective categories.

I really tried to focus this list on those items that have been reduced in price and--coupled with some great Black Friday sales or Cyber Monday deals--could be scooped up at a tremendous bargain. After part two next week, if you agree, disagree or are left wondering why your most sought after item didn't make the cut, drop a comment and let's keep the discussion going until the last of the turkey is gone and the mistletoe starts to whither away.

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In one of my previous posts, Take Me Out To The Bar Game, I wrote about how you can save money by going to a bar instead of watching a live sports game. Turns out people all over the country are taking that advice a step further and just watching the games from home.

Recently the Washington Post reported that NFL TV ratings have been rising due to the recent economic downturn. They're claiming that more people are watching games from home either because they want to get their money's worth out of the HDTV they bought or because watching games from home is free. Both theories make sense.

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With Black Friday fast approaching and the holidays right around the corner I thought I'd highlight some great green gifts that might not be on your list, but would make a great edition, particularly for that hard to shop for fuddy duddy. These trendsetting green gadgets and gizmos aren't only environmentally conscious, but they'll also turn your friends green with envy.

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This week's Featured Store has been growing and selling quality fruits from its Oregon orchards since 1942, adding an online store to its mail-order catalog and warehouse in the late 90s to help customers order their favorite fruits with more ease. The Fruit Company is a family owned and operated business in its third generation of fruitful felicity with each generation adding their own spin to The Fruit Company heritage. Read More »

The Holiday season is upon us. Time for mistletoe, eggnog, brisket and big savings. It's a great time to start stocking up on gifts for everyone in your life. I personally love giving and receiving bath products. They are always useful, they're not fattening, and--through the magic of gift sets and promo codes--they are a fabulous bargain.

There's a perfect gift of beauty for everyone on your list. Check it out!

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