personal finance in a coupon blog

After reading this article on why the CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch hates fat chicks, I was appalled. I mean this is America where the majority of the population is size 10 and above.

They're always in the news for something including the recall of offensive t-shirts that poked fun at Asians with slogans such as "Two Wongs don't make it White".  Now they're stirring the pot again by saying that if you're plus-sized, they don't want your business. Read More »

Ok, before you're scared away by the words "Tax Day," hear me out. I know taxes can be painful. They're tedious, potentially costly, and you're never quite sure you did them right. But we at Savings.com are on a mission to highlight the pros of Tax Day. First, there are the Tax Day freebies. Second, there's the potential for a refund! And most importantly...there's Tax Day Ryan Gosling. Read More »

(photo credit: foshydog)

Recently, Samoa Air started to charge by weight. What this means is that you would pay for what you weigh and what you want to carry on, as in bags. How it works: you would go on their site and guesstimate your weight and get a rough idea of your total trip cost. But it doesn't stop there, once you get to the airport you will be weighted again, so there is no room for white lies or fibbing.

While this may sound very attractive to people who are on the lower weight side or business travelers who may not need to carry a lot of bags, for those that are on the heavier side, this may be a form of "concern bullying" as many media outlets have put it. 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 »

^{(Pictured: Pistachio Ringo. Photo credit: Erin West)}

Happy National Puppy Day! You're probably busy enjoying all the National Puppy Day barbecues and parades, but if you need a break from all the action, I've compiled my best tips on frugal dog ownership. Read More »

As you know doubt are aware, today is Pi Day! What's that? You haven't heard of this obscure "holiday" that rose to popularity in the last 10 years?

For the uninitiated, March 14th (3/14) is Pi Day, an annual celebration of the famed mathematical constant. Over the years, we have broadened the holiday to include Pi's more popular homophone counterpart- pie. In honor of Pi(e) Day, here's a list of the best Pi Day deals and freebies across the country. Read More »

Here at Savings.com, we like to hit the red carpet in style. We save you money, all while being fashionable at the same time. Some of our employees wanted to show you how we celebrate...



Auggie is our winner for best "Golden." He likes to save you money on all your fashion needs. Read More »

^{Image courtesy of Girl Scouts of Rhode Island.}

It's that time of year again- the time when we have way, way too many Girl Scout cookies around. Sure, it's fun at first. But a couple of pants sizes later, you may be looking for some ways to use up these delicious little guys. I've got you covered- here are the top alternative uses for Girl Scout cookies. Read More »

(photo credit: Target)

We are currently experiencing one of the most significant flu seasons in over a decade. You can always visit CDC.gov for the latest statistics, but as of the date of the writing of this column, over 122 cities are still seeing "elevated" incidence of the flu. Unfortunately, a few dozen infants and children have lost their lives to the flu this season, and even more adults. As scary as it is, there are things you can do to help reduce yours and your family's risk of contracting the flu.

The CDC makes the following recommendations:

• Get a flu vaccination. Medical experts agree that this is the #1 most important step you can take to protect yourself and those around you. Remember that the goal of flu shots is not just to prevent deaths, but also to prevent suffering from flu symptoms and to reduce complications, time lost from work, and spread of disease in the community.
• Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. This is a good start, but it's not enough. Some flu viruses have been found to live on surfaces for up to eight hours, which is why you need the vaccine in conjunction with good hygiene habits.
• Stay home when you are sick. Cover your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze.
• Practice overall good health habits. Eat healthy foods, stay hydrated and get enough sleep.

Read More »

By now, we're all aware of Lance Armstrong's fall from grace. In an interview with Oprah this week, the pro cycling champion and Livestrong founder admitted to doping to win his seven Tour de France titles.

Naturally, the public isn't too crazy about Armstrong these days. But what to do with all those yellow Livestrong bracelets we collected over the years? Here are a few ideas. Read More »

Have you heard? Target is going to be continuing their online price matching policy. They had unimpressive holiday sales and they're partly blaming this on "showrooming."

What is showrooming? It's when a potential customer goes into a store to just to check out a product, such as physically seeing or touching it. But, they don't buy it in the store. Instead, they go online using their phone at the store or online at home to search the web for the best price.

Maybe this practice did impact Target's sales and possibly other retailers.

Consumers have the upper hand when comparing prices now. We can find anything we're looking for with a simple Google search. Read More »