More Coupons From Your Television

My husband was browsing the channels on DirecTV this weekend and stopped on the News Mix Channel.  There at the top of the screen, was a banner ad for "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter' complete with a $1 off coupon.

Just click on the coupon offer and the coupon will be mailed to you. It was super simple to do.  I'm not sure how soon I'll get my coupon, but the website listed on DirecTV has an additional coupon for $1 off I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.

This isn't the first time coupons have been offered via television.  A friend of mine received a coupon for $4.50 off Coffeemate awhile back from her TIVO.

I hope that we see more of this type of advertising in the future. It's an easy way to access some high value coupons without having to clip them and the location of the coupon was not intrusive at all.

Have you ever received any coupons from your satellite or cable television?  Please share!

Occassional Treat or Unnecessary Expense?

For those of you who are regular readers, you know that I'm a big believer in the idea that the small things you do can really add up.  Clipping coupons, turning off lights when you leave a room, washing clothes in cold water - it can all make a difference.

But there's one area that I haven't been sure how to deal with.  And that's those little indulgences we partake in each week.

After last month's budget fail, I've been taking a closer look at all of our expenses, and there's one area that has slowly increased over the past few months:  candy, pop and snacks.  Now, I've cut down my soda consumption to almost zero, but I've noticed that we've been pretty lazy about other incidental purchases when we're out and about.  My husband will buy a snack and a soda when he fills up his gas tank, I'll grab a candy bar on a trip through Target, or get a treat for my kids when we're out and about.

I've noticed that not only are we all putting on a few pounds from this, but we're also spending about $30 a month on this stuff. 

Now some of  you may say, "Well, that's a dollar a day - that's not so bad for a family of five."   And others will say, "Wow, that's like the equivalent of a cable bill, a gym membership, or a night at the movies.

On one hand, I see these little expenses as wasters of our hard-earned money.  It's not like we need pop, candy, or chips. 

But on the other hand, I can't help but think that if we want a little treat, it really won't break us.  Shouldn't we be allowed a little leeway in this frugality thing?

What do you think?  Have you ever figured out how much money you spend on these little expenditures each month?  Do you feel a sense of entitlement to these treats or do you feel a little bit of guilt?

Do Gift Cards Make Good Gifts?

Gift cards are popular ways to spoil your loved ones during the holiday season.

But do they make for good gifts?

Here are some of the pros of giving gift cards:

Gift cards are easy to obtain. You can buy gift cards just about anywhere for any merchant, and it only takes a few minutes.

Gift cards are easy to ship. If you're buying gifts for folks who live far away, it is very easy to drop the card in a greeting card and put it in the mail. You can also send e-gift card codes to a recipient's inbox.

Gift cards are easy to personalize. You can purchase gift cards that reflect the recipients hobbies or lifestyle, and you can even design your own gift cards with photos. Remember, it's the thought that counts!

Gift cards make it easy to stay on budget.  It is easier to stay on budget because you are forced to set a dollar amount.  When you buy a traditional gift, you may be tempted to spend more money on the item than you would on a gift card.

Gift cards make it easy for people to splurge on themselves.  We all know people who never buy themselves anything.  Getting them a gift card for a store they would love to shop at can be a real treat.

But there can be some downsides to gift cards:


The recipient knows exactly how much you spent.  Sometimes this can cause you to feel a bit of guilt (i.ie. "Maybe I should get $25 instead of $15" or you may find the recipient is humbled by your generosity).   When you buy a present, the recipient won't know how much (or how little) you spent unless they try to return it, in which case, they probably would never say anything to you about it anyway!

The recipient may find a gift card impersonal.  Most people appreciate gift cards, but if the card does not reflect their interests, it's not a good gift.  Make sure that if the recipient can't use the gift card in a store near them that they can use it online. 


Gift cards carry some risk.  They can be lost or stolen.  The store granting the gift card could go bankrupt and not honor the card.  The gift cards may have fees or expiration dates.  If you do buy gift cards, be sure to save the receipts. 

Gift cards make it easy for people to splurge on themselves.  While they can be a real treat to the recipient, they can also be a curse if it causes them to overspend.  Be careful your throughtful gift doesn't lead your recipient into unnecessary spending.

What do you think about gift cards?  Do you like to get them?  Do you like to give them?

Enter the Kmart Bluelight Special Sweepstakes

As a kid I remember the excitement of seeing a Kmart employee wheel the infamous Bluelight out to a special section of the store. You could sense the anticipation on the faces of eager shoppers as they craned their necks to see what the savings would be.

And then I remember getting my feet run over by a little old lady with a heavy shopping cart.

But I digress.

Kmart is bringing back the Bluelight Special this holiday season and to celebrate they will be giving shoppers on Twitter a chance to win a $50 gift card everyday!

In addition to the chance to win daily, everyone following @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $500 Kmart shopping spree – how cool is that?!

To enter this sweepstakes, all you have to do is follow @KmartDealsnNews on Twitter from your personal Twitter account and issue a Tweet everyday using the hashtag: #KmartBLS.  Each day is a new opportunity to win, so the more often you tweet - the better your chances are to win a daily prize! 

 

The sweepstakes ends December 23. For more info on sweepstakes details, check out: http://tr.im/kmartBLS, and for Official Rules: http://tr.im/kmartBLSrules.

In addition to being entered in the sweeps, you'll also learn about the hottest deals at Kmart.

And if you haven't done so already, please follow Northern Cheapskate on Twitter, so you can learn of other great deals.

Win $100 from Ebates!! (And Get Great Deals, Too!)

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

I'm celebrating my two-year anniversary of my blog, the holidays are upon us, and there are fabulous deals to be had everywhere!

And Ebates wants to give one lucky reader $100 cash to spend this holiday season!

What is Ebates? Ebates is an online shopping portal that allows you to earn as much as 25 percent cash back on your purchases at more than 1,200 select retailers.  It's easy to use Ebates to save money on purchases you were planning on making anyway.

How to Use Ebates
1) Sign-up for an account at Ebates.  It's free and just takes a few minutes.  After you've earned your first $5.01 in cash back, you'll receive a $5 bonus just for becoming a new member.
2) Search for the store where you would like to shop.  There are more than 1,200 great stores to shop. You can also search by item and then select your store from the merchants that carry the item.  If you're just browsing, you can even search by the percentage of cash back. 
3) Once you find the store where you plan to shop, just click on the link for it.  Ebates will create a tracking ticket so it can make sure you get your cash back.
4) Place your order.  Your cash back will be credited to your Ebates account in just a few days.  Ebates cuts checks quarterly - and you'll get your first "Big Fat Check" from Ebates after you've earned $5.01 or more in cash back from Ebates.  Don't forget, if you're new, you'll also get a $5 bonus for signing up.  Please note, that referral bonuses don't count towards your $5.01 total.
5) Tell your friends and family about Ebates.  For each person you refer to Ebates, you'll get $5.  So, for example, if you sign up for Ebates through this post, you will get $5 for signing up and I will get $5 for referring you. Win-win!
6) Connect with Ebates.  Stay on top of all the latest deals from Ebates by signing up for e-mail alerts, becoming a fan of Ebates on Facebook, or following Ebates on Twitter.

Using Ebates to shop for the holidays is really a no-brainer - you can shop online from the comfort of your home at stores where you were planning to buy anyway, find coupons and special offers like free shipping, and do it all for FREE.  Plus there are no forms to fill out, and no points or miles to redeem.  Just join Ebates for free, shop at their 1,200 stores, and get paid cash back.  It's so simple!

Throughout November and December many Ebates merchants will be offering double cash back deals and other specials.  If you're planning to buy some big ticket items, you could really save this season!

And now for the giveaway!!

Ebates is giving one lucky reader $100 cash to start their holiday shopping! 

To enter to win this giveaway, simply fill out the form below before 9 p.m. CT Tuesday, Nov. 24. If you're reading this in a feed reader or in an e-mail and you can't see the form, please click here.


 
You must be a US Resident age 18 years or older. Please only one entry per household. Duplicate entries will be deleted. The information I gather will only be used to notify the winner on how to claim their prize.

I will randomly draw one winner and notify that person by e-mail once the contest is over. The winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize, or I will draw a new winner.  The winner will receive the prize in the form of a $100 credit at Ebates, which they can spend however they like.

While you are welcome to comment on this post, please note that comments are not considered a valid entry. You must fill out the form to enter!

Thanks for making the past two years at Northern Cheapskate so wonderful! 

Disclosure:  I am a long-time member of Ebates and will earn referral fees if you sign up for Ebates through this post or through any other links at Northern Cheapskate.  Ebates is providing the $100 cash prize to one lucky reader in honor of my two-year blogging aniversary.  I was not compensated by Ebates in any other way for this post.  The opinions reflected in this post are my honest opinions about a fabulous service and were not edited by Ebates.  Please see my full disclosure policy here.

Winners of the Cook's Ham Giveaway

I love ham because it's easy to prepare, serves a lot of people, and makes for great leftovers.

Looks like a lot of you enjoy ham, too, because 524 of you entered my giveaway to win one of 2 Cook's Hams.  I used the random integer generator at Random.org to pick my winners.

And the winners are:

#308 - Angie M.
#440 - Michael D.

How do you know you've won?  Check  your e-mail!  I've sent the winners an e-mail telling them how to claim their prize.

Cook's Hams come in several tasty varieties and their website gives detailed instructions on how to prepare your ham.   One of my favorite parts of their website is their recipes.

Here are the top seven recipes from the Cook's Ham website that Northern Cheapskate readers picked as their favorites.  Be sure to try them out the next time you make a ham.

Baked Spiral-Sliced Ham With Sugar and Spice Pecan Rub

Ham and Egg Breakfast Bake

Pomegranate-Glazed Ham

Baked Stuffed Sweet Pototoes with Apricots

Cherry Sauce for Ham Steaks

Cook's Ham Tortilla Christmas Tree

Yukon Gold Potatoes and Ham

Thanks to all who entered and I hope you have a happy holiday!  Be sure to stay tuned for more fun giveaways at Northern Cheapskate!

Free Resources for Holiday Newsletters

When you're a writer and you're married to a writer, avoiding the holiday newsletter is not an option. It goes against your very nature.

It can be a challenge to keep costs down on your holiday newsletter - especially if you also like to include photos.  And you have to remember there are postage costs, too!

In order to save on holiday newsletter costs, I recommend using a free template to design them, printing one color copy of your newsletter, and then finding a place that makes inexpensive color copies.  You'll save a lot of time having someone else print them, and the cost of photo copies is cheaper than buying your own printer ink and paper.

Another alternative for those of you who like to do photos and newsletters is to include a simple snapshot (or create a 4x6 photo collage) with a newsletter that is printed in black and white.  Printing in black and white will also save money, and you can print 4x6 photo prints quite cheaply (or even free if you're a new member to an online photo company). 

You can also send postcards instead of cards or newsletters, which will save a lot of time and money for postage.  We have friends that have used the photo postcards to direct family and friends to their family website.  It works well!

And of course, there is the greenest option:  Send an e-newsletter!  You can send cards or newsletters via e-mail for free, and it's good for the environment, too.

Here are a few resources for holiday newsletters.  There are good holiday newsletter tips and freebies here:

HP has a great guide for putting together a good holiday newsletter. They also have free templates to help you create your newsletter.

Microsoft Office - the ol' industry standard for all things letter-like -  has its own collection of free holiday newsletter templates.

Google Docs also has a variety of free designs for holiday newsletters to download.

Epson's Creative Zone also has a collection of free templates to download for your holiday letter.

Do you do a holiday newsletter? How do you save money on your newsletter?