personal finance in a coupon blog

What are your money saving goals?  Stop for a second, close your eyes, and breathe.  Are you sticking your feet in some warm sand in Bali, drinking coconut water and feeling the light ocean breeze brushing your skin?  Or do you see your baby waving their hand goodbye as they leave to go to college?

We all save money for a reason.  If we have a goal, it makes the sometime grueling process well worth it and heightens the stakes.  I for one have been saving to get our first home for the last 7 years.  Finally, we are positioned nicely to make that purchase and all my struggles, not getting the clothes I wanted or going on a nice family vacation, were all worth it!

This week, I stopped and revisited my goals again, after reading some of the great tips from our DealPros.  Everything from having the right financial mindset to staying motivated when couponing will help me reach my goal. Read More »

Whether it's a little drama in the couponing world or eating some ice cream cake during the heat of the summer, our DealPros have it all.

Manufacturers using restrictive wording to prevent stacking deals or something like that.

I love a little drama and this week Lisa of Smart Spending Spot gives her two cents on the New wording on coupons.  Read why manufacturers are being ridiculous and because of this, she may even shop at the store she hates very much, Walmart. Read More »

The school year has finally kicked off for us Angelenos. Yay!  Since I still haven't received the official list of school supplies needed, I am glad that all the Back to School sales are still going on.

As any school-aged parent knows, Back to School spending does not stop with school supplies and clothing because there are other associated costs throughout the school year.  Last year, I had to pay for a portion of the field trips, chip in on monthly beverage fees, provide monthly snacks, bought teacher's gifts and the list goes on.

If you just started the school year and want additional Back to School ideas, our DealPros are awesome at doing just that.  If you're not interested in anything school related, they also have tips on reducing your cable bill, making popcorn out of the wok and more. Read More »

If you're like me, it's one week till freedom!  Well, not really.  It's the start of a new school year which means it's time to spend some money on new clothing, school supplies and other essentials.  But what if your budget doesn't allow for too much spending, that's where our DealPros come in.  I look to them to help me get through the "savingsblock" that always happens when I stare at the piles of ads and printable coupons that sit atop of my dining room table like Mt. Everest. Read More »

This week our Network of DealPros has some great posts that will help you dramatically reduce your budget! 

It may seem like produce is one of the hardest things to save money on, but you really can reduce your spending and still eat well. Check out How to Save Money on Produce on Cleverly Simple. Lynette says, "For the past three years I've been filling my produce drawer and have stayed within my grocery budget by following a few simple tips."

You've heard the scoop that super centers and office supply stores are allowing you to price match. But is Price Matching: Worth the Effort? Find out from our own DealPro, Values Val. "You may have seen the ads: Walmart and Target both say they will match their competitor's sale prices. Since the school supply deals are at so many different stores this week, I decided to put those policies to the test."


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We have an amazing network of DealPros! These are people that work hard every day to help others save money and live a better life on a budget. Check out this round-up of the top content from our DealPro Network. 

Back-to-School Supplies - Not Just For September! The back-to-school deals are in full swing, but some of you may be thinking....I don't really need those things. Check out this post on The Coupon Challenge for some unique ideas on using back-to-school items. 

Know your favorite products' highest and lowest price cycles. Jennie Sanford from Bargain Blessings teaches monthly Savings Nation Grocery Classes, and this is something she helps all attendees walk away with - save money by watching the price cycles. Learn how Jennie does this on her feature in the Denver Post this week.  Read More »

Our DealPro network is such an amazing group of bloggers and people that genuinely strive to help others save money and live a better life on a budget. Here are some great posts by our DealPros this week that will help you save both time and money so that you can lead a better life of savings!

Makin' and Savin' Some Money

100+ Tips to have the best garage sale ever! Whether you want some extra cash, or are just ready to clean out all the "junk" in the house, this post has got all you'll need to pull of the "best garage sale ever." Check it out on DealPro site, The Thrifty Couple. They also have a link to the Garage Sale Kit you see pictured above. Read More »

(photo credit: flickr user Fifth World Art)

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and holiday last Wednesday. I've been out of town the past few days home in Arizona, where the word "round-up" takes on a whole new meaning. For those of you who had never had the chance to visit the desert, the stereotype of cowboy hats, the rodeo, and 100 degree "dry heat" ring true, as well as the latest couponing scandal. But this is a bit of a different round-up, although I am typing this while wearing a pair of cowboy boots. Enough about me and my attempt at fashion though. It's time for the weekly round-up

One last thing though- I'd like to bring everyone's attention to a very special matter...it's 7/11 day, y'all, which means 7-11 is giving away free Slurpees! Don't miss out! Visit your local 7-11 from 11am-7pm for 7.11 ounces of frosty goodness.

3 Lessons From Grandma I've always said that if I'm half as cool as my Grandma at her age, I'll be doing well. I love tip #3 on this list "Read the newspaper". It may not need to be a physical copy of the newspaper, but being informed on news helps you take stock of what's taking place in the world around you, and can also provide you with extra conversation topics. Read More »

Happy Independence Day! The Savings.com crew is out of the office and off celebrating our freedom from work oppressive laws and countries, but I had to take a minute to show you my favorite DealPro posts of the week. The first part is full of recipes and cooking tips, while the second half has overall saving tips.

Recipe: Summer Berry Ice Box Cake With mid-summer temperatures at a high, it's hard to think about turning the oven on and baking a cake. When you're jonesing for something sweet or need to throw together a quick dessert for a cookout, look no further. With strawberries, blueberries and a graham cracker crust, this cool treat is sure to be a hit.

Summer Sandwich Series DealPro Sarah is putting her new Panini press to use and coming up with a bevy of sandwich ideas. If you think a grilled cheese is boring, you just need a little imagination. This may not be included on Sarah's list, my favorite version involves cranberry-walnut bread, sharp cheddar, havarti, spinach and honey mustard. If you don't think that sounds amazing, I just don't even know what to say.

Recipe: BLT Dip What's left to say? It's a BLT in a tasty dip form. Grab some pita chips and turn the music up, it's officially time to party.

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We're half-way through the week, so it's time for our weekly DealPro round-up. Check out the top 10 posts that caught my eye below.

Rewriting Your Price Book Chances are that when you visit the grocery store, you typically stock your shopping cart (or basket, if you're a small town girl living in a lonely world) with generally the same items. By putting together a list of prices that you're spending on each item, you can get a better idea of when an item is lower or higher than normal. If you like to switch things up by visiting multiple stores, this can also show you what stores you should be purchasing certain items in.

Easy and Fun Ways to Earn Extra Income This Summer: Invest $100 and Make a $500 Profit Yes, it sounds spammy and Pyramid scheme-ish, but it's from our DealPros, so I can promise you that it's not. Besides, any article that talks about Otter Pops is something that I'm on board with.

Magnetic Chore Chart Ideas Let's face it, most of the time, kids aren't exactly jumping up and down at the prospect of doing chores. Chores can be a great way to teach your kids responsibility, but don't expect them to remember them entirely on their own! Creating a chart will help you keep track of who's cleaning what. While each household probably has their own version of a chore chart, here are some fun ideas for making yours something to display and not hide in the kitchen.

Using Recycled Glass to Make Flowers My Pinterest feed is filled with adorable decorations and DIY projects on a budget. This one is a little more labor-intensive, but yields great results.

Operation Christmas Cash- Saving Up For Christmas All Year Long Christmas is a huge cash drain for many families, and while Credit Card use has its place, no one should be going into piles of debt so that their child can have a new Furby (...or whatever the hot new toy is this year. My knowledge of children's toys stops circa 1999). By setting aside a bit of money throughout the year, you can have a spending fun saved up ahead of time and splurge a bit more.
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Happy Summer Solstice, y'all! June 21st is the longest day of the year, and officially marks the beginning of summer. Tonight at 4:08 pm PST will mark the exact time when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer, and reaches the farthest north in the sky. The word solstice comes from the Latin word "solstitium", meaning "sun" and "to stop", as the sun appears to stop it's seasonal progression, before it disappears southward in the later months. Summer always makes me think of activities, so below, I've rounded up some fun recipes to try, DIY, and my favorite saving advice.
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Another day, another DealPro round-up! See below for our favorite posts of this past week...

How To: Stay Fit On A Budget We're already half-way through June, and it's bikini and shorts season. If you've been putting off working out because of concerns about the costs, this is the post for you. Getting in shape and staying healthy doesn't have to break the bank. If you prefer the treadmill to the sidewalk, find out how to get a discounted gym membership. If you like workout videos, you can often look up how-to's on Youtube or other sites.

6 Ways to Find Organic Coupons If you've ever wanted to start couponing but think it's impossible because you only shop at stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's, then I've got news for you- it's not! Grocery stores are grocery stores, and they all accept coupons! It may be a little trickier to find deals on smaller brands, but it's doable. This handy list outlines six ways you can find coupons on healthier foods.

I'm Clipping, I'm Dealing... But I Don't Feel Like I'm Saving Money If you've recently started incorporating coupons and free rebates into your drugstore shopping trips but still don't feel as if your bank account is showing a difference, then read on.
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