Hi my name is Kate! I am always on the hunt for the best deals to combine to get everything for next to nothing or even better FREE. In addition to coupons and daily deals I find during the week, I will help you create meals and live on a budget! I hope you enjoy my money saving tips.
Monday, June 30, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Pinching the last penny til payday. We've all been there . Tips on how to stay on track & make it .
Last week I had 2 huge bills to pay . My rent & line of credit . Plus I had to waste $40 in gas money to go to my Jeep dealer and see what is wrong with my car for the 3rd time . Every month / week I make a budget to the T and know exactly what I can spend , I pay all my bills on time to increase credit , and I know exactly his much money I'm going to need until the following week. I need about $50 .
If you absolutely need extra money and a bill may be late . Call the company ! I've called my insurance company before to take our my $$ a few days later. And it's not late . As long as you're current on all bills usually companies won't have a problem .
Last week I sold a bed set for $100 . That helped me pay for my phone and some gas for the week. This week I selling a gift card on EBAY . Every bit helps .
I also Do Not shop for anything I absolutely don't have the $$ for or need . I wait for sales at clothing stores or shop online .
Have an emergency fund for things that go wrong in life or you need a few extra bucks to make it through the week. I have 2 savings that I can't touch only if something drastic happens . And I have a line of credit up to $500.
Turkey Spinach salad w/ cran raspberry dressing . For the 4th.
1/2 c whole berry cranberry sauce
2 Tbs raspberry vinegar
2 Tbs seedless rasp jam
1/3 c olive oil
In blender combine all ingredients except oil . Blend until smooth . While blending gradually add olive oil . Refrigerate .
Salad:
8 c fresh spinach , torn
3 med kiwi fruit , peeled & diced
1 c fresh raspberries
1/2 c whole berry cranberry sauce
2 c diced cooked turkey breast
3/4 c coarsley chopped macadamia nuts
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl . Serve with dressing
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Getting the best price on everything ! Learn to negotiate & haggle.
Clothes: ask a store manager ( cashier probably won't know or have authority to save $$) . Ask about upcoming sales, or if there is any coupons . Be polite . If the store doesn't have a deal , you can probably find the same item online ( EBAY, Amazon, blue fly , etc).
Antiques & collectibles: always treat antique shops like a yard sale. And the more you know what the item is worth the better you can haggle. But first chat up the dealer & show enthusiasm for the item you want. Then negotiate . You can also go to antique auctions or ask the dealer if there is any final day clearance .
Cell phones : I did this last year ( and posted months ago ) . Call your carrier and ask for a better rate . I was paying as much as my car payment & called AT&T . I explained my situation and she looked at how much I used per month . I saved $60 then . After a few more months I thought it was still outrageous amount for a cell phone so I went to a pay as you go . I pay only $60/mo for unlimited talk/ text/ data. If your carrier isn't budging tell them you're going to switch companies . That usually works .
Home repairs & renovation : If you have a friend or your husband can DIY it . Even better ! Make sure that person knows what they are doing other wise you will pay double just to fix it . Otherwise shop around . Call 3 different contractors and get estimates for free. Go with the cheapest one. And look into home stores ( Home Depot , Lowes) for discontinued items . My parents bought ceramic tile flooring at Home Depot for $100. It tiled the whole down stairs ( 5 rooms). Or lumber liquidators & habitat for humanity re-stores are great places to find super cheap items . Shop around .
Medical and Dental : call your insurance company and ask what they cover before you do any major procedure . And check into doctors offices & dentist for cheap but good care . I have a dentist in my town that is outrageous for fees & insurance doesn't cover all of it . But if I drive 1/2 hr away I can get the same work done and my insurance covers most if the visit. Try not to go to ER walk in clinics if possible . It will cost you up to $100 . Call your doctor and make an appt . Depending on your co-pay ( I pay $25) it will save you about $80.
Car repairs : you almost always get better deals if you're a regular customer . They have an incentive to keep you coming back & be happy. And it really pays to know exactly what is going on with your vehicle . I've had mechanics not fix the problem and I still fork over the money . If you have a mechanic friend , even better! I do , he usually charges me $20. Or look it up on YouTube and inspire yourself ( I suggest small jobs ).
Rent: I started renting again last August . I had all my ducks in a row ( finances , stable job, haven't moved around ) so I saved $35 instantly off my monthly rent . I also negotiated the security deposit . I asked if I could do a payment plan if I couldn't get all of it together ( I did ) . They had no problem . The company was willing to increase my rent for up to 6 months until the security deposit was paid. You could also negotiate your rent by offering to take out the garbage , mow the lawn, plow, or paint.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Coleslaw for the 4th !! Grandmas Recipe
Lettuce
Carrot
Onion ( very little , only to taste)
1 Apple
Mayo
I use a food processor to shred everything . Make sure it's just shredded not soupy .
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Monday, June 16, 2014
Recipe for success on Father's Day
Pulled pork
2 tbs veg oil
1 pork shoulder
1 bottle / pkg chili sauce
1 can sloppy joe mix
1/2 c low - sodium beef broth
Put pork shoulder in crock pot . Mix all ingredients in a bowl & pour over pork . Cook for up to 6 hours or until meat falls apart .
Serve on hamburg buns.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Saturday, June 14, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
Made dinner with leftover meat . Cost less than $2.00 to make this meal.
Meat $1.15
Orzo $ .15
Onion/pepper $.10
Organic printable coupons.
My BFF has gone completely organic . In efforts to help her I did some research . Here are some sites to get printable organic coupons . ( also the Sunday paper has come out with healthy coupons so you can feed your family on a budget & be healthy too)
Whole foods
Mambo sprouts
Common kindness ( put that in a earlier post on a new coupon website I had found)
Hopster
Simple truth
Earth fare
Health E-savers
Ready to fill up the stockpile!
I haven't got coupons in awhile . Usually I spend $30/ less in groceries. And that's every other week. Put the stockpile of body wash ,shampoo, shavers, laundry soap & food items are dwindling down to nothing . So it's time to gather coupons & stock up .
I just E-mailed a bunch of companies for free coupons . I told each one that I enjoy their product & asked if they would send me coupons by mail?
Here's a list of companies I contacted :
Birdseye .com
Armandhammer.com
Windex.com
9lives.com
Tyson.com
Freihofers .com
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Monday, June 2, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
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