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"Business, that's easily defined - it's other people's money."

Peter F. Drucker








 




 
Featured Savings Articles

Great Savings in Postcard Printing
The cost of living is pretty high nowadays that we need to consider saving a penny. Clothesline, groceries, and office supplies - everything has increased in value. Thus, extra effort to save is a must. Every penny counts. This is the reason why I am ...

Home Audit: Ensure Optimal Insulation Levels For Maximum Energy Savings
(NC)–"Improving your home's insulating system is a speedy and cost-effective way to increase energy-efficiency and comfort in your home, reducing heating costs in winter and cooling costs in summer," says John Peterson, Insulation Expert, Owens ...

September Means Savings For Vacationers
Most vacationers travel during peak travel times, but if you're looking to save money this year, make your travel plans for September. For the most part, vacation sites come in two flavors: 1. Beautiful in the summer, but intolerable in the winter 2. ...




Maximize Savings on Everyday Items!
 
Frugal living is more than a lifestyle. It's a passion. Call Me Crazy! I love It!

Why, who wouldn't love getting paid to buy products that they use everyday?

Here's how I do it.

I purchase an item that has a rebate offer (either a store or manufacturer rebate) while it is on sale and use a coupon during purchase. That's it! Using this formula I almost always come out ahead. When all is done, I've gotten back more than I actually paid for the item.

Even when I do have to pay for the items like deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes it's about 50 cents for a item that would cost up to $2 -$4 originally.

Am I the only one out there that gets excited about this? I doubt it! At least I hope not. That would make me "Crazy", wouldn't it? But a lot of folks just don't know how to combine money saving measures to maximize savings.

My local drugstore (which by the way is a national chain) often advertises items free after rebate. Hey, that cuts down on a lot of work for me. Easy Money! I e an also lucky enough to have a grocery store in my area that offers rebates and offers double coupons (sometimes even doubling $1 coupons as a special promotion). Needless to say, with six mouths to feed (myself, my husband, and four kids) I'm lovin' that idea!

As the editor of www.simpledebtfreeliving.com, I'm always looking for new ways to save money. Visit us and follow one of the e-mail links to share your ideas or just let us know how excited you get about frugal living! Let me know I'm not the only one. Then we can put my family's worries to rest. They think I'm really crazy.

Here are a couple other ways that I save on items we use everyday:

1. Always use items that are reusable rather than throw away

For example: Reusable coffee filters, cups and plates, and my favorite pet peeve -

The great sandwich bag conspiracy

The major manufacturers of sandwich bags would lead us to believe that it takes rocket science to keep a sandwich fresh. Ask yourself this, How long do you need to keep that sandwich fresh anyway? It's not like it's going to the moon. It's just going to the office or school for a few hours.

The most practical way to approach this is to purchase reusable sandwich size containers. This is also very environmentally friendly reducing a great deal of waste. If however, these have trouble finding there way back home ( which is likely if you have children), you can save substantially if you purchase the plain old pleated sandwich bag that cost a mere fraction of the razzle dazzle zipper kind. Your mother used these for years and years with great success. I have used both methods for years and have never received a complaint of a stale sandwich!

You'll find that doing these little things like, using real cups and plates instead of paper or plastic throw away, and recycling containers for storage or even to use in craft projects, can save a lot of money. Each by itself may seem minor, but when put together amount to tremendous savings over time.

2. Don't buy it if you won't use it. Things like small kitchen appliances, repair tools, and gardening tools are good examples. We know they'll make our life easier if we just had the opportunity to use them.

There are 101+ small countertop kitchen appliances available to chop it, grind it, mix it, open it, bake it, grill it...well you get the message.

Simplify your life and narrow it down to a couple you just cant live without. For me its my blender and my food processor. Although, I'm seriously considering a bread maker. Not quite sure if it's worth the money yet. Especially when I'm so close to a bread outlet. But, you can't beat the taste of fresh baked bread. I'm not counting the coffer maker it's kind of standard equipment these days. I wouldn't dare ask you to give that up! What am I crazy? Well , maybe...

It's little things like the example above that identify frugal living.

3. Aways get the best value for your money. Shop around. If this is a major purchase you will want to know what to look for. Research and compare products on the internet or in sale flyers. There's nothing more challenging to the retailer than an informed consumer. That's what you want to be. An informed consumer knows when it's a good value! Informed Consumer - More Savings



About the Author
Cheryl Johnson is a mother of four helping herself and others become, and remain, debt free. Simple Debt Free Living is a self-help plan for personal financial independence including home business ideasto earn extra income.



Savings News


Life savings gone, 'Madoffed' best-selling writer back at work
CNN - 2 hours ago
Call it gallows humor, but Alexandra Penney has just lost her life's savings. Author and artist Alexandra Penney says she lost her life savings investing ...
Alexandra Penney Makes a Run for the Border New York Magazine
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Fewer School Days Means Calif. Savings, Family Spending
MSNBC - 39 minutes ago
By Kristine Frazao Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing shortening the school year in California's public schools by five days. ...

Jakarta Post

New TV trends: Internet movies, 3-D, power saving
The Associated Press - Jan 8, 2009
This is less radical than dispensing with LCDs altogether to use a different technology known as organic LEDs, yet it promises power savings and eye-popping ...
Video: Loaded: Happy New Year! CBS
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A smaller, cheaper CES: Will it be better? OCRegister
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Arizona courts ordered to find cost savings
Arizona Republic, AZ - 18 hours ago
Along with ordering court officials to look for cost-saving measures on their own, McGregor also set priorities of where to look. One included finding ways ...

Florida TaxWatch: Cost-saving recommendations worth $2.5B
Bizjournals.com, NC - 22 hours ago
... and it is especially important that the citizens weigh in and work with the Legislature to find sensible cost savings, said Dominic M. Calabro, ...
Florida TaxWatch Money Saving Tips WCTV
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