FREE BUDGET HELPS FOR THE NEW YEAR ! TIPSTER TUESDAY POST

Can you believe 2011 is almost here? With the coming NEW YEAR, it's time to re-evaluate financial goals and plans and possibly take a bit of time to review and amend your budget.

My Last BUDGET CREATION Post with Tips on how to create and stick to a budget featured the basics of getting started! If you began to take a look at the basics of your household finances - the amount of money coming in and the amount of money going out - then you are on the right track! Now I have another great FREE Tool to get you headed even further down the path to make that process even easier!

Mint.com is a FREE service that helps you create a budget, track your spending, save money, and make your bank account a LOT easier to manage. Over 1,000,000 people already use Mint's online money management and budgeting software,(I've been using it for over a year!) and it's been featured on almost every morning show, newspaper, and magazine.

What I like most about Mint's FREE Software is that it does it ALL for you! It imports information from my bank account and CATEGORIZES them for me (gas, groceries, etc.) I can manually override if I need, but it does this very well and saves me a lot of time! They are also already setup with most banks and other accts that you likely already have and if you are like me, you have to pay each one separately online, etc. ALL of this can be done and automatically entered into your budget for easy and to the penny tracking! I LOVE this software! It really does do it all for you!

Very quickly becoming the BEST Free Money Management Software, they're adding over 3,000 users every day. Mint.com is tracking $175 billion in transactions, $47 billion in assets and has identified more than $300 million in potential savings for its users.

If you are serious about management your finances, you need to check it out! A great way to know exactly where every penny goes, keep you accountable and to keep yourself on track with your budget and financial goals!

EBATES = CASH BACK FOR ONLINE SHOPPING @ WALMART, TARGET, EBAY & ALL YOUR FAVORITE STORES ONLINE!

Most of you that know me by now, know that I Never pay retail for anything! There is always another store with a better sale, etc. and it pays to shop around. I can't remember the last time I paid the full retail price for anything!

This includes online shopping...even for some of my most frugal price comparisons, including bidding on Ebay! I will never again make an online purchase without getting CASH BACK for it! Yes, that's right...CASH BACK even from stores like WALMART & TARGET! Haven't heard of this before? Read on...

I use Ebates, where you can choose from over 1200 stores and even better than that, they have coupon codes listed with each store! So, you can use a coupon code or promo code to save on your purchase AND get Cash Back just for shopping at that store through Ebates!

To top it off, right now you'll get an instant $10 credit if you are new to Ebates!

How is this possible? Think of Ebates as a local mall with over 1,200 different stores, but with one huge difference. Online stores pay Ebates a commission (think of it as a finders' fee) on every sale and they split this amount with the consumer (me & you!). Each store pays a different commission, so users will save different amounts at different stores; users just have to look at the percentage next to the store name to see how much they will save.

Basically, it boils down to NEVER paying retail prices for online purchases! Always using a coupon or promo code to get a discount AND getting Cash Back !

SIGNUP WITH EBATES HERE and take advantage of the $5 Bonus and start getting CASH BACK on all your online purchases!

FOOD LION PRINTABLE In-Store COUPONS - STACK WITH YOUR MANUFACTURER Q's and a Sale !

Did you get your weekly savings email and PRINTABLE COUPONSs from Food Lion? If you have your MVP card linked up to your email, you'll get printable coupons emailed weekly. I just printed mine which included a rare $1 off Jif Peanut Butter and also $1 off Nabisco Chips Ahoy cookies.

You can stack these InStore Coupons with your Manufacturers Coupons(so 1 item using 2 different types of coupons)...match that to a great sale and you'll really be "couponing" !

You can also check out their MOBILE savings where you can send a text message and they will add certain coupons directly to your MVP card! Right now you can get a FREE box of cereal, BOGO Skinny Cow Ice Cream Cups, and $4.00 off Healthy Choice.

Just another reminder on Tipster Tuesday to take advantage of ALL that the stores offer to help us save money!

NEW CELLFIRE COUPONS Added! NO Clipping, NO Printing, NO Forgetting!

Cellfire is such a great way to effortlessly get your coupon savings! You can add coupons right to your stores grocery savings card. Check the list above for your store and then just choose the coupons you want and load!

NEW COUPONS ADDED 4/6:

Yoplait(r) Delights(tm) Save $1 Save $1.00 when you buy any flavor Yoplait(r) Delights Yogurt Multipack.

Yoplait(r) 32oz Save $.55 Save $.55 when you buy any flavor 32 OZ. Yoplait(r) Yogurt.

Yoplait(r) Fiber One(r) Save $1 Save $1.00 when you buy any flavor Yoplait(r) Fiber One(r) Yogurt Multipacks.

Betty Crocker Potatoes Save $.40 Save $.40 when you buy any flavor Box or Pouch Betty Crocker(r) Potatoes (Except Potato Buds(r)).

Wanchai Ferry(r) Save $1 Save $1.00 when you buy any flavor Wanchai Ferry(r) Dinner Kit.

Pillsbury Sweet Rolls Save $.40 Save $0.40 when you buy any TWO Pillsbury(r) Sweet Rolls OR Grands!(r) Sweet Rolls.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Save $.55 Save $.55 when you buy Cinnamon Toast Crunch(r) cereal.

Hamburger Helper(r) Save $.75 Save $.75 when you buy THREE any flavor Hamburger Helper(r), Tuna Helper(r) OR Chicken Helper(r) Home Cooked Skillet Meals

Coupon Terminology - The ABC's to Couponing Lingo

Time to de-mystify for some of you who are new to couponing! I hope that you find this "key" useful and if I've forgotten something, please let me know by posting a comment!

Q = Coupon

BLINKIES = coupons dispensed from the little red boxes with blinking lights near products in the grocery store

CATALINA = these coupons are typically generated at check-out for specific items, or to be used as cash on your next purchase.

MFC or MFR or MFG = Manufacturer’s coupon

TEAR PAD = A pad of coupons or MIR near a product or on display in the store

PEELIE = Coupon you peel off the product

BOGO/B1G1 = Buy One Get One

DOUBLE COUPON = Coupon that grocery store doubles in value

DND = Do not Double (Some coupons have this lang-SOME DOUBLE ANYWAYS!)

MIR = Mail in Rebate

P&G = Proctor & Gamble (Newspaper Insert)

SS = Smart Source (Newspaper Insert or printable at SmartSource.com)

RP = Red Plum (Newspaper Insert or printable at RedPlum.com)

RR = Register Rewards (Walgreens)spendable like cash at Walgreens, earned by purchasing specific products

SCR = Rite Aid's "Single Check Rebate" program

UPR or +UP = Rite Aid spendable cash/dollars that print on your register receipt for purchasing certain products

IN-STORE COUPONS = Store specific coupons

ECB = ExtraCare Bucks (CVS) Printed on bottom of Receipt and can be used like cash at CVS, must be used with your CVS card

Easy Saver Catalog = Walgreens own coupon book found right inside the door at Walgreens, contains coupons that are stackable with manufacturer’s coupons and rebate information


OOP = Out of Pocket

STACKING = multiple use of coupons – manufacturer’s & store coupons and/or rebates.

WYB = When You Buy

FAR = Free after rebate

IVC = Instant Value Coupon -(usually automatically deducted w/no actual coupon needed)

TIPSTER TUESDAY - TONS of Printable Coupons & deals found in April Good Housekeeping Mag

Sorry for the late post! It's been a busy day:)

I picked up the April 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine today and was absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the amount of coupons, deals and freebies inside! I started posting them individually on facebook for all of you, but there were so many I decided to do an all in one post! The deals in this GH for April definately make it well worth the issue cost!

There are lots of COUPONS to CLIP (really good ones!) and the following are the online offers:

Printable BRICKS Coupon from LaurasLeanBeef.com

Become a Facebook Fan of Scotties for a $.50/1 PRINTABLE BRICKS COUPON

PRINTABLE BRICKS COUPON - $1.00 off 100 Calorie Pack Cheese Bites

PRINTABLE COUPONS for Pepperidge Farms Baked Naturals

Some really cute FREE DOWNLOADS from Hersheys Kisses

FREE SAMPLE KIT from Poise

PRINTABLE BRICKS COUPON for $5.00 off Neutrogena Clinical AND a $15 Mail In Rebate

PRINTABLE Uncle Bens Coupons

Some really great ones! I'll be picking up this magazine every month now ! And of course, I'll post my findings for you!

Happy Printing:)


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Tipster Tuesday - Marriage & Budget

Well, this weeks Tipster Tuesday is a little different than usual!But there are actually two tips I'm gonna share that I've been very excited about.

My hubby and I had fallen into a "rut" for the last few monthes or so. I was working about 50 hours a week with mixed up hours/shifts so I had been either at work or asleep, literally! That's not only wearing on the one doing it (me!) but it wears down the other half as well. I had to take a step back and remind myself of all that is important to me in my life. The top of the list being my children and my hubby. While the rest of the world looks on and things things are going so well for you, they have no idea. Working those kind of hours every week takes it toll on everyone. And it's only when you take the time to slow down and analyze things that you realize it. It's so strange how people around you can praise you for "doing so well" based on their own idea of what "success" is. Well, I'm sorry, but working 50 hours a week, rarely getting to see my children other than late at night when they are already asleep or early in the morning long enough to say I've gotta go to work...that's NOT my idea of success or of my life "going so well". It never has been. I went back to work in 2008 because circumstances called for it, but as always, circumstances change and priorities reallign :) In the past 15 years, I've worked a total of 3 years outside the home, the rest was either with my own business, or my extra money making ventures. I'm an obsessive budgeting, penny pinching, thrift store shopping nut(!), have no debt other than house & a very manageable car payment, so to conform to someone elses idea that I am "doing well" only when I am working outside my home, just because that is the "normal" thing to do...well, it's just senseless to me. I'm grateful that God has planted in me some great creativity and skill to be able to predictably earn money from home with various outlets. So anyways, yes, I'm bucking the "normal" and the "doing so well" comparisons that I get measured up with!

Anyways, my point before I rambled...hehe...was that in the last couple weeks, my hubby and I have been working through a lot of issues that stemmed from me working so much. We really just needed to spend some time together...amidst the craziness of life, kids, bills, etc., etc., sometimes we forget that. That's Tip #1 this week...to make a conscious effort to reconnect with your spouse. So I've done a couple things that I'm excited about and just had to share with you all!

First of all, I booked us a little getaway to a really nice 4 star hotel(Big Savings at CheapOStay!)...just 2 nights and not so far away, but with two purposes in mind! Joyce Meyer is coming to Winston Salem which I had planned to go to and carpool with friends, but he said he wanted to come with me! I thought that would be the perfect time for us to get away from everything and have some alone time. So we'll be heading to Winston to see Joyce on that Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I can't wait! I told him I booked us a room, but didn't spill all the details about it, so our very nice suite with a jacuzzi tub will be a surprise!

To top it off, ( and FINALLY, here is my other tip!)I decided we needed to make a weekly date night. Always say it and never do it...so it got added to my schedule. And, of course, eating out usually blows a budget and completely absorbs any money you saved on other things, so I found a way to eat out with my husband once a week, for less than I can cook at home! Here's how !

Tip #2 this week :

With this site, you can purchase gift certificates online any day of the week to some of your favorite places! The savings are unbelievable! You can get a $25 gift certificate for just $10.

To top that off, when you sign up to get their emails, you'll get the discount codes, so here's what I did:

I purchased $100 worth of gift certificates to 3 of our favorite restaurants and I only paid $6..yes, SIX BUCKS for $100 !!! That was one $50 gift certificate and 2 $25 gift certificates. You print them out and they are valid for 1 year. I love it! I don't know why I didn't know about this before now, but now that I do, IT IS ON !!

So do you need to spend some more time with your significant other? Need to plan a date night but don't want to blow your budget? Go snag a gift certificate for $10 or less!

That is a definate Frugal Fabulous Find! And spending some alone time with my awesome husband is the icing on the cake !





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Tipster Tuesday : Ways I made money from home in 2009 !

With Tax Time approaching, I've been organizing all my income and expenses from 2009. I've become so addicted to deal hunting at yard sales, thrift stores, Goodwill and others like it, and I began to pickup things that I knew were awesome deals, even though I didn't need them, and to re-sell them for a little extra money. I've found several outlets to do this and they have all worked well for me. Don't get me wrong, there is an "art" to doing so and some skills that are very helpful, which are learned in the process. I plan to post every Tuesday with some tips on ways to make extra money online...legitimately and without jumping through a million hoops:)

So, here's my 2009 breakdown! Don't forget that I do also work a full time management job, so these efforts have been on my days off or my insomniac nights :)

1.) My number one money maker is Ebay. I have sold everything from bras to Kitchen tools and household items to Vehicles. I do frequent "spring cleaning" in my house no matter what time of year it is! If we haven't used or worn it in monthes, it's time for it to go! I have my own strategies that have developed from my trial and error listings, so that I can pretty much count on each item I list to sell now. I'm gonna post many of these in an upcoming Tipster Tuesday!

My 2009 extra income from Ebay (minus fees & shipping costs)
$2,004.22

2.) Next in line is my book sales on Amazon. I am a true bookworm! I read anything and everything I can find that has to do with lving a Christian Life, (Beth Moore, Joyce Meyer and Lisa Bevere are my FAVES!) Books about budgetting, living a debt free life, parenting, marriage and you name it...I've probably read it! I have built in bookshelves in my living room and they are overflowing. I realized what a shame to keep them all to myself once I had read them and then I stumbled on Amazon. Unlike Ebay, there are no upfront listing fees and they stay listed until sold.It's much easier to create a listing because all you do is input the IBN # off the back of the book and it pulls the stock information and recommended selling prices for you, based on book condition. It's so easy that I began searching for books on my flea market and yard sale trips and found that I can snag them up pretty cheaply. I inspect their condition before I buy to ensure it will sell and, of course, if it's not something I want to read myself, I won't sell it! I started with Amazon about mid-year so I expect much more in 2010, but here is my 2009 breakdown:

Amazon book sales for 2009 (minus fees & shipping costs)
$ 160.53

So, basically, I had NET income of $2164.75 in 2009 for what I like to consider "recycling" of home items! I always know that an extra 50 bucks here and there helps out, but didn't even realize myself how much extra income I'd made until getting ready to do my taxes!

I'll follow up next Tuesday with more money makers that have worked for me! I tell all my friends that I guarantee I can find $500 in their homes right now...things they no longer use or need, and with this economy, it's time that we all become wise stewards of what has been intrusted to us! Not mention it helps keep a clean and organized home!