Insurance Savings

Have you called your insurance agent lately? You might have a HUGE savings surprise in store for you if you do. My husband and I have been in our house just over two years, and for quite some time I have wanted to look into saving some money in on our homeowners and auto policies. But, as so many other things go, life gets in the way, and I forget to make the call. Besides, insurance is not a fun topic to talk about. But, I was extremely glad when I actually made the time to call 2 weeks ago. After having our agent check our home and auto policies and shop other insurance companies, we are now saving over $750 a year by re-writing these policies!!! And, the policy coverages/details are exactly the same as before. After a few minutes of being mad that we could have saved the money sooner, I was astounded and thrilled that a couple phone calls saved that much money. WOW! So, do yourself a favor and check into your insurance policies - you may have Christmas paid for and not know it. If you need some help looking into auto insurance savings, here is a helpful guide.Click Here!

Save - Sales on Toys

You know how your kids move through stages of interests as they age? My soon-to-be 6 year old daughter is not interested in her current collection of toys, so I need some ideas for her December birthday and Christmas. And, even though my second daughter has the benefit of many hand-me-down toys, she is not interested in the same things as her big sister. I like to "window" shop at Toys-R-Us and use their website to check out new toys coming for the season. Here is a quick link to get you started on your shopping list.

Save Early Shop Late!

Yes, November is here...let the holiday season begin! My family is trimming down the spending this year. Save, save, save - my new motto. I plan on saving by shopping internet deals. Don't let shipping costs scare you away because most sites offer shipping deals or free shipping. And, even when you have to spend a little on shipping, the convenience of shopping from your pc (late at night when all are asleep!) and having items delivered to your front door make the expense worth it. My first daughter was born on December 23rd, so going out of the house to fight the crowds at 9 months pregnant was out of the question. Internet shopping was the answer, and I saved a ton of money with careful selections. Why wait in line to get that special toy for your little one? Or, why search for the hard-to-find gift for your husband or dad? I find the men in my life are sometimes the hardest to shop for, but when it comes to sports, hunting, fishing, hiking...guy stuff central is Dunhams. They have a huge selection, great promotions, and a clearance department. Get a head start on your shopping list, or start developing ideas for those you are shopping for. Good luck!

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Save Green by going Green - Energy Savings!

Saving money is great, but when I can pair it with energy savings, it's a 2fer! My husband and I have had a freezer in our garage for years. It has always been used for bulk food purchases, and although the garage has not been totally convenient, I have loved having it. Lately, due to a tighter budget we have not needed all the space it affords. I decided it was environmentally irresponsible to continue using it right now with so little inside, so we unplugged it and brought everything into our kitchen freezer. I knew it would be a bit crowded in my small freezer, but I'd get used to it.

Then I realized how this energy saving change would also save money. First, it is easy to purchase more when I have the room to store it. So, I will save on groceries right away because I don't have space in the freezer. Second, having it all in my kitchen conveniently forces me to use what I have on hand before I even go grocery shopping. It is a great way to help manage our grocery budget...I wish I would have thought of this sooner. Cutting our family-of-4 grocery bill has proved to be difficult, and this change will help out. So, give it some thought...do you really need that extra freezer, or can you also save some more "green?"

Early Planning = Savings

Plans for home improvement projects can save you money! Careful list-making for your project will prevent rash decisions while you are in the store. In the past when my husband and I have not had a detailed list at the home improvement store, we purchase "stuff" just in case we need it. Rash purchases = unnessesary items = returns to the store = wasted time & gas. Save your money by planning ahead and shopping from home. With free shipping to your local Ace Hardware store, you can shop from the convenience of home computer. Then on your next run of errands, stop by Ace to pick up your items. I love the feature of shopping from home, browsing the clearance items, and finding rebates & special offers. Nothing beats shopping early with my budget and list in hand. What early shopping habits save you money?

Simple Soap Savings

OK, some of us will go really far to save a buck, and my blog will include many extreme ways to save. So, here is one of those ways to be frugal.

Do you have any idea how much liquid hand soap you go through in your household? Like so many other things, my family goes through more than I wish to buy in a year. But, stretching it out is easier than ever - here's how. First, buy one of those foaming hand soap pumps. When it is empty, use your regular liquid hand soap to refill it, but you need to mix it with water to get the foaming action. The recipe is 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of liquid hand soap. Combine, stir and voila! You can make one small bottle of liquid soap last about a year. And, if you buy in bulk, that huge bottle of hand soap will last so long it won't be on your grocery list for a ridiculous amount of time. Please note that the hand soaps without moisturizers tend to work better.

What are some of your "extreme" money-saving ideas? Share them here!

Find Just the Right Costume and SAVE!

It happens all too often. I can "shop 'til I drop" and still not find what I am looking for. Then, I get so frustrated knowing I just wasted the gas to go to several different stores, and I still don't have what I needed. If your child is looking for a particular costume, but you just can't seem to find it. Or, if you have a costume party coming up that you are not prepared for, don't drive around anymore. The Costume SuperCenter has an incredible selection of costumes for all ages, and they have just about every type of costume you could dream of...all at reasonable prices. Visit them here to get exactly what you are looking for and save your gas money. You'll have exactly what you wanted delivered right to your door.

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