I can see clearly now

I lost a screw on my eyeglasses. You know - the one piece that holds the lens in the frame. Arrgh. It is about the fifth time this has happened to me...

So I dug out my handy eyeglass repair kit to fix them again. Only this time, it appeared the screw has been stripped. I couldn't fix them with the tools that I had.

I was ticked. While I do have contact lenses, I don't want to wear them all the time, and I got rid of my old pair of glasses years ago. My husband told me I should just get a new pair - after all, I've had this pair for more years than I can remember. (In fact, I don't remember buying them, which makes me think I was still living with my parents when I got them! YIKES!)

But I'm a cheapskate... The prescription is just fine. But I must admit, that I am tired of dealing with the lens popping out all the time.

So, I was pleasantly surprised when I got a letter from the Human Resources department of the college I just resigned from. Apparently, under my union contract, they are required to channel the funds from my vacation leave into a health savings account. So, I now have more than $600 to use on medical related expenses... including contact lenses and eyeglasses!

This was unexpected good news. I wasn't planning on getting anything from my former employer, and now I will be able to get new eyeglasses.

Of course, the cheapskate in me got the old pair fixed today (the optometrist's office did it for free). Now I'll have more time to find the best deal on a new pair of glasses.

Do you suffer from Affluenza?

My frugal friend and faithful reader Angie sent me a link for a fabulous website. It's actually the companion site to a PBS documentary entitled Affluenza. Angie said she caught the tail end of the show on television recently and thought I'd be interested. Unfortunately, I missed seeing the show, but the website is full of lots of fascinating information about how Americans live.

According to the website, this is the definition of Affluenza:

Af-flu-en-za n. 1. The bloated, sluggish and unfulfilled feeling that results from efforts to keep up with the Joneses. 2. An epidemic of stress, overwork, waste and indebtedness caused by dogged pursuit of the American Dream. 3. An unsustainable addiction to economic growth. 4. A television program that could change your life.

So if, after reading the definition of affluenza, you're still wondering if you suffer from it, you can take this quiz. Fortunately, I am not showing any signs of the disease, but I think I'll try to find the documentary at my local library just to make sure I don't get it.

The website has a lot of disturbing statistics about America's debt load and spending habits. I can only imagine that the numbers have worsened since the documentary was filmed in the 1990s.

I was cheered by one statistic that I found on the site: "Eighty-six percent of Americans who voluntarily cut back their consumption feel happier as a result. Only 9 percent said they were less happy. (Reported in 1995) In 1996, 5 percent of the "baby boom" generation reported practicing a strong form of voluntary simplicity. By the year 2000, some predict this number will rise to 15 percent. "

I hope that the number of people living a simpler lifestyle starts to climb even higher. Life is better when you control your finances instead of them controlling you. Life is better when know you are prepared for whatever life hands you.

More thoughts on frugal living

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about cutting expenses and living frugally so that I can be a stay-at-home mom.

So, I was thrilled to see Thrifty Mommy post "Top 10 Ways I have Cut Expenses."

This is a great post - not just for people who want to be stay-at-home parents - but also for everyone facing a challenging financial time.

The Hidden Costs of Working

When I was thinking about How I Became a Stay-At-Home Mom, I also thought a lot about the hidden costs of working.

Here are some of the things I thought about when I was considering returning to my job.

1) Day care for three little ones on a full-time basis would cost me at least $1300 a month.

2) I needed to have a professional wardrobe. When I'm at home, I get to wear lots of comfy jeans and sweatshirts.

3) It costs approximately $130 a month for gas just to get to work. And then you have to figure in the frequent oil changes and other maintenance on top of that. When I'm not working, I save a ton of money on car expenses.

4) When I was working, I often brought home take-out or we went out to eat because I was too tired to cook. (BIG expenditure!) I also spent more money on convenience foods. Now I cook more.

5) I often got invited for lunches out with co-workers or drinks after work, or Pampered Chef parties... and hit up for all the kids' fundraisers, too. It was fun, but it adds up.

6) If my parents did watch the kids a lot, they wouldn't want to babysit on weekends, which means my husband and I would not get very many dates. Not good. Parents need grown-up time, too.

7) I am not good at the working mom juggling act. I know moms that can do it and I'm so impressed with them... but I am not one of those moms. Our family just seems to function better with me home.

8) When I was working, I didn't have time to scout out great bargains or find great sales. I have saved a lot of money simply by being able to scour the internet, newspapers, and stores, for deals on everything from clothing to insurance costs.

9) Since I've been home, I have become more organized. And when you know what you have, you save money. I'm also not running out of things and being forced to pay full price like I did when I was a working mom. I can buy things on sale and stockpile them for later.

10) When I was working, I carried a lot of guilt about not being home with my son. I felt like everyone else knew him better than I did and it broke my heart. I don't feel guilty any more.

Tastier water just a click away

As regular readers of my blog know, I'm working to kick the soda habit. I'm also realizing that plain water is getting a little boring.

So I was happy to learn that True Lemon is giving out free samples. True Lemon, True Orange, and True Lime are crystallized substitutes that you can add to your water or use in baking and cooking. They are made up of 100 percent natural ingredients and contain no artificial or natural sweeteners. Each serving has zero calories and zero carbohydrates.

And here's another reason you should sign up: Every time someone requests a free sample of True Lemon, they donate 10 packets of True Lemon to Operation Gratitude, a non-profit organization that provides care packages to U.S. Troops. Now that's a deal that's anything but sour!

Sweet Treat!

Money Saving Mom posted an offer for a FREE Dairy Queen Blizzard and a chance to win $250 in Dairy Queen Gift Cards (now that's A LOT of free blizzards!).

Click here and play the Dairy Queen Blizzard Madness Challenge. When you sign up, you'll receive a coupon in the mail for the free Blizzard. There is a limit of one per household.

Money Saving Mom says the contest is sponsored by a Minnesota radio station, so it's possible the coupon is only good at certain DQ's.... but it's worth a shot.

How I Became a Stay-At-Home Mom

It's official! This week I resigned from my position as an academic advisor at a community college.

While it was a job I truly loved (I've worked there for more than 7 years, and I'm also an alum!), I decided that my family needs to take priority at this point in my life.

The decision was one of the hardest ones I've ever had to make. I enjoyed my job and the people I worked with are like a family to me. It will also mean a loss of about 40 percent of our family's income. On the other hand, being a part of my kids' lives on a full-time basis is one of the most challenging and rewarding things I've ever done.

Becoming a stay-at-home mom has been something I've thought about off and on since my first son was born nearly three years ago. But we had just built a new house with a GIANT mortgage and bought a new car and quitting my job wasn't in the cards. Plus, my parents took care of my son for free, so I didn't have to worry about day care costs.

I often told my closest friends that if I had two kids, I would continue to work, but if I had three kids, I would want to stay home until they were older. Flash forward two years later... and a funny thing happened...

I got pregnant with twins! Apparently a higher power was helping me make my decision!

I knew that my parents would not want to do full-time day care for three little ones. But at the same time, I was scared that we might not be able to live on just my husband's income. So here are some of the things we did while I was pregnant and still working full-time:

1) We lived solely on my husband's income for that entire year. We banked all of my income in what we affectionately called the "Special Projects account."

2) We upgraded our heat system to be more energy efficient so that we could shave approximately $200 a month off our heat bill.

3) We paid off our debts. We used our "special project" money to pay off our Ford Focus in just one year. We currently have no debt except for our mortgage.

4) We saved for a minivan. We knew that with three wee ones in car seats, we'd never fit in our Ford Focus, and our 2000 Chevy Lumina just wasn't going to be comfortable or reliable anymore. We traded off the Lumina, bought a minivan, and use the Focus wagon as a commuter car for my husband and a grocery getter when I go out without the kids.

5) We built up an emergency fund. This was especially helpful because I ended up on bed rest several times during the twin pregnancy and wasn't making my usual salary.

6) I took a one-year unpaid leave of absence from my job after the twins were born. I wanted a safety net - to make sure that we could survive on one income. And I found that we could make it work.

7) We made a budget. I'm not always the best at following it, but at least I know we have a plan.

8) I learned how to make my dollars stretch. I read as much as I could, visited tons of websites and shared information with friends and family on great deals. I learned about resources in my community. I learned about things I could do to make sure we were on track for retirement, even without my income for a few years.

9) I used the power of the internet. I love, love, love the internet. I have found so much information about frugal living and saving money. My list of favorite websites (see far right) grows bigger all the time. I have made several blogging friends who share my passion for frugal living and they inspire me. They remind me that there is so much that can be done to live a life of true prosperity.

10) I found ways to bring in a little extra money. I do some light bookkeeping for a friend of ours. The work keeps my mind sharp and keeps my resume from completely withering on the vine. I have also done a few surveys and similar things online to bring in some fun money.

11) I connected with people. I live in a rural area, so it was essential to my mental well-being for me to connect with people besides my three little boys. I am a volunteer for several organizations and I also connect with people via this blog. I make sure I get out of the house on a regular basis for solo shopping trips or to have lunch with friends. A healthy, happy mom, makes for a healthy, happy family.

12) I learned to be happy with all that I have. I don't have to keep up with the Joneses. I don't need to go out to eat four times a week. I don't have to have stuff to be happy.

These are just some of the things I did on my path to becoming a stay-at-home mom. It is a major move, but one that can be done, if you plan for it.

Thrifty folks mentioned in Newsweek

My frugal friend Sara and her husband Michael, authors of the frugal blog Be Thrifty Like Us, were featured in an article in Newsweek today.

The article titled "It's Time to Trim the Fat" by Linda Stern talks about how Sara's family saves money on their groceries and other bills. As a big fan of their blog, I already know they practice what they preach. And I know they are terrific at finding fabulous bargains. I've gotten lots of great tips from their site. Check out the story, then be sure to read their blog, too.

Congrats, Sara and Michael, for hitting the big time and for bringing recognition to those of us trying to live a better life for less!

Stingy vs. Frugal

The other day a friend of ours called and was about to give me his cell phone number so that my husband could call him back . I told him to hang on while I found something to write with.

He cracked, "It must be hard to find something in the dark," implying that my frugalness would mean that I was operating without lights on in the house.

I've heard other comments like that from people... "Are you going to wash out this baggie?" "Do you always have a coupon for everything?" "How old is that pair of socks your wearing?"

There's a tone in their voices... it implies they think I'm stingy... I prefer the word frugal, thank you very much!

I think being stingy or cheap implies self-centeredness. It implies that you will do whatever it takes to save a dime, even if it's at the expense of others.

Frugality, on the other hand, is a lifestyle choice I have made for the greater good of my family. It represents the time I put into making the most of our limited resources so that I can be a better mother, wife, daughter, and friend.

There are certain things I will not do in the name of frugality:

I will not lie, cheat, or steal. This means I will not lie about my age to get a freebie intended for a teenager. I will not intentionally abuse the friendly new clerks at stores who don't know their company's coupon policies. I will not take a penny from the penny jar... ever. Even if I need it.

I will not spend great amounts of time doing things to save a tiny bit of money. I refuse to wash out Ziploc bags. I will not be melting down old pieces of crayons to make new ones.

I will not sell my soul for a few bucks. There are a million survey companies out there that will pay you 50 cents to tell them your whole life story. It's not worth the time.

Frugality means using your time and resources wisely to stretch your dollars. Stingy means conniving and conning your way to that same savings.

I hope that my friends and family see me as frugal, and not stingy. Frugality is a passion of mine, and it is a way for me to have the freedom to share a better life with those around me.

I hope that I am able to inspire all of you to be frugal.

Coupon drought

There are no coupon inserts in this week's Sunday papers due to the Easter holiday.

I am so sad. I actually read the darn newspaper instead of just diving into the sales coupons and circulars. I did notice on my Target receipt the other day, that they will be posting their sales circular online on Sunday. I'll take a look at it, although it's probably a corporate experiment to see if enough people will look online so they don't have to pay to print them anymore.

Anyway... it's a good thing the Easter Bunny will be bringing some chocolate to help ease my pain.

Hope you all have a great holiday!

Need a new cordless phone?

EDITOR'S NOTE (3/24): Apparently this must have been a special Friday only deal, because it now seems the price of the phone has gone up... making the final cost $5.99 plus shipping. Still not a bad deal, but not as great as a FREE phone. It's so frustrating when they switch up the prices on things!

Circuit City is offering a Uniden 2.4GHz cordless phone for FREE after mail-in rebate, according to this great tip from The Bargainist. The phone gets 4.5 stars out of five by customers. I don't have this particular model, but I do have two other Uniden cordless phones and have found them to work well and have decent sound quality.

The phone costs $15, which will be refunded via mail-in-rebate. Unfortunately, you do have to pay shipping and tax, which will set you back about $5. The phone must be purchased online before March 31 to qualify for the rebate. The rebate form must be submitted by April 30.

Not a bad deal if you are in need of a new cordless phone.

Fishing for savings

If you live in the Northwoods like I do, you know that most people either hunt or fish or both. My Dad is the ULTIMATE fisherman... and thanks to him, we will never go hungry! It's a good thing he catches a lot of fish, since he's quite invested in the hobby.

So I was quite excited to find some links for saving money on fishing for him. Thanks to Aneta at Saving Advice, here are some great links to mail-in rebate forms for fishing line, rods, and other goodies:

• Stren fishing line: $6 rebate on two boxes of Stren or one box of Superbraid.


• Berkley Lightning Rod: $5 rebate.


• Berkley Fireline: $8 rebate on any two boxes of Berkley Fireline line. Excludes Micro Ice.


• Berkley Powerbait: $5 rebate on 3 packages or jars of Berkley Powerbait.


• Berkley Trilene: $5 rebate on two spools of Berkley Trilene line. Excludes Pony Spools.


• Berkley Gulp!: $5 rebate on three packages or jars of Gulp! Bait.


• Berkley Tactix: $10 rebate on the purchase of a Berkley Tactix rod.


• Spiderwire: $10 rebate on any two boxes of Spiderwire braid. Excludes monofilament line.


• Abu Garcia: $15 rebate on the purchase of an Abu Garcia C3, C4 or Record Reel $79.95 and up.

So, if you're in the market for some fishing gear, check out these rebates before September. Don't forget the Minnesota Fishing Opener and Father's Day will be here before you know it!

Getting closer to soda-free!

I have only drank three sodas in the last 24 days!

This is a big accomplishment for me. The only other times in my life that I have foregone soda have been the two times I was pregnant - and that wasn't because I was trying to be healthy, it was because I had such bad heartburn any kind of soda burned going down.

So, now I can happily say I am nearly soda-free AND I'm not pregnant!

I started weaning myself off soda slowly a few weeks ago. I was drinking 2-3 cans of diet soda a day when I made the decision. Then I cut it back to one a day, and later to one every other day. I was inspired by my frugal friend, Susan, who gave up caffeine (and consequently, soda) cold turkey (so brave!).

She sent me a great link from the Simple Dollar about the hidden expenses of drinking soda and how to kick the pop habit. It was inspiring.

I've noticed that I am feeling healthier and that I am not craving junk food as much as I used to. I have lost three pounds since I've laid off the pop. The few times I have had a Diet Coke, I find that I can't sleep at night.

I've definitely noticed a signifcant change in my montly budget. I estimate that by drinking water instead of soda, I'm saving about $20 to $30 a month.

It hasn't been easy... in fact, the first time I broke my soda-free streak was completely by accident... I drank without thinking! I find that it's definitely more psychological than physical need. Once you break through the mental part, it's not that bad. I've noticed I'm even rubbing off a little on my soda-swilling hubby. I actually saw him with a glass of ice water the other day!

Another day, another great carnival

Northern Cheapskate is also featured this week in the Money Hackers Carnival hosted by The Amatureist Financial Journey.

Jason's top picks are definitely worth a look, as are the others. If you've got some free time, there's some good reading out there.

A great Festival of Frugality this week

I've Paid for this Twice Already is hosting this week's Festival of Frugality.

My article on How the Flu Shot Can Save You Money is featured.

This week's Festival is really awesome (and not just because I'm included). There are some really great articles on a variety of subjects. I especially enjoyed Cheap Healthy Good's article on how to recession proof your diet and the article "What I like About Walmart" written by Are You Going to Be This Way The Rest of the Time I Know You?.

I highly recommend checking out ALL of the great articles this week!

Tales from the (bargain) hunt

Today was one of those days I needed to get out of the house sans kids. I spent a few hours bargain hunting at K-mart, Target, and the local grocery stores.

I had a boat-load of coupons... saved a total of $48.19 with the coupons alone (not factoring in all the good sale prices).

Here are few of the good deals I snagged while out and about (prices include sales tax):
At Target: 2 packages of Kandoo wipes for 83 cents
2 softsoap pumps for $1.07
Softsoap Body Wash for 58 cents
Nestle Chocolate Chips for 99 cents
Goldfish crackers (6.6 oz package) for 69 cents
At Kmart: 2 fleece winter hats for $1.49 each
2 pairs of heavy winter gloves for $2.99 each
Loreal Kids shampoo for 68 cents
Garnier Fructis shampoo for 74 cents
Speedstick deodorant for 95 cents
Queen size bed sheet set for $5.32
At Ogle's (local grocery store): Two 20-ounce boxes of Raisin Bran for 50 cents each.
At Cub Foods: Six one-pound packages of John Morrell bacon for $6.00 (Thanks for the tip, Teresa!)
3 boxes of Betty Crocker Augratin potatoes for 65 cents each
1 dozen eggs for FREE with purchase of above potatoes.

Things to note: K-mart had GREAT clearance sales on clothing, winter outerwear, shoes, shampoos and conditioners, and all kinds of linens. Lots of stuff for 50 to 70 percent off. And for all you uncomfortable pregnant moms out there, I noticed Kmart had body pillows on clearance for $4.... how I wish I could have found that deal when I was pregnant with the twins! I also found that Target had started a massive clearance on its pet toys, so now's the time to stock up for your pet's next birthday or Christmas.

In all of my shopping today, I only had one annoyance.... The clerk at Target was very meticulous in ringing up my giant pile of coupons (that's fine). The woman behind me in line said her son uses coupons a lot and gets things for free. She was friendly, so I thought she was an ally. But when the clerk stopped to double check something, the woman behind me in line - who only had ONE item, by the way, said to me in a rude tone, "You really should just check out in customer service if you're going to use all those coupons... it slows down the line."

I smiled politely and brushed it off... but I wanted to scream, "YOU have ONE item. Why don't YOU go to the EXPRESS LANE?" I'm proud of myself for not being rude back to her, even though I really wanted to!

Anyway, I survived. And I saved money.

How a flu shot can save you money

Last Friday we took the boys to our weekly ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education) class. And once again, there were several kids and their parents absent due to illness. This is the third week we've had small classes. Most people who have missed, ended up missing two weeks as the illness cycles through their families.

My husband and I always get a flu shot. Our kids do, too. And while there are no guarantees the flu shot will prevent us from getting the flu, it is a risk I'm willing to take, especially since more than 30 people have died from influenza this season already.

I know so many people who scoff at flu shots. They have lame excuses for not getting one: they're too busy, they don't want to spend the money, they think it doesn't work, they say it makes them sick... the list goes on. I think they are making a costly mistake.

Think about it from a numbers standpoint: The average cost of a flu shot, which can help protect you from getting the flu and/or minimize the length/strength of symptoms is $10-$20. Some health insurance plans cover that cost completely.

Let's say you don't get the flu shot, and then you get influenza. At first you try to self-medicate with over-the-counter remedies at a cost of about $15. Then you miss a few days of work, costing you productivity (about $150-$200+/day). Then you are still miserable, so you go to visit your doctor ($20 for a co-pay to as much as $250 for a visit). The doctor gives you a prescription ($10-$40). And hopefully that takes care of it... but if it gets worse, and you end up hospitalized, all of these numbers increase exponentially.

The truth is you can't get the flu from the shot, although a few people will get flu-like symptoms for about a day. And you can still get the flu even if you've had the shot, although it's usually not as bad as if you didn't get the vaccine. Dealing with those issues is still better than the 5-14 days it would take you to recover from the full-fledged flu.

Getting the shot takes a second and you can get one at clinics, hospitals, pharmacies and public health offices. You can read more facts about the flu vaccine from the Center for Disease Control's website.

Getting the flu shot doesn't just help you - it helps everyone around you - especially children, people with chronic health issues, and the elderly. If you stay healthy, I can stay healthy (and vice versa).

If you haven't gotten the flu shot yet, there's still time. And PLEASE get one next year.

Why take unecessary health and financial risks?

Cereal Coupons galore!

There are a few decent cereal coupons floating around on the internet right now. If you're able to be patient for the great sales, these coupons will make your money stretch even further.

First of all, there's only a little bit of time left to use the $2 off Post Honey Bunches of Oats Chocolate Clusters coupons. The best deal I've seen for these is at Walmart. After the coupon, each box will cost you 24 cents.

Then, there's another great coupon for $1 off Kellogg's Rice Crispies with Real Strawberries. I saw Cub Food has Kellogg's cereals on sale for 4 for $10, which after the coupon would make them $1.50 a box.

You can also get another $1 off Rice Crispies with Real Strawberries coupon and a $1 off Quaker Oats Cinnamon Life Cereal here.

Raisin Bran is also $1 off with a coupon from Smart Source. For my local readers: Combine two of these coupons with the 2 for $3 coupon from Ogle's to get two boxes of Raisin Bran for 50 cents each! (The Ogle's coupon was part of the 8-week refrigerator magnet mailing they sent out about two months ago and there's a limit on two boxes per household.)

And if all this talk about cereal is giving you a headache, go here and get a $2 off any size Excedrin coupon. I was able to use this coupon on 24-count bottles of Excedrin at Target to get them for FREE.

Know of any other fabulous deals? I'd love to hear them!

My First LeapPad mistake

Almost a year ago a sweet, well-intentioned relative generously sent us a "My First LeapPad" toy that her son had outgrown. The only problem was that, despite putting in new batteries, it wasn't working right. It appeared that the little stylus pen thing wasn't working. At the time, I was very, very pregnant with the twins, so I shelved it thinking I would deal with it another time.

Fast forward, months later, and I go on a cleaning and purging rampage. I overhaul the boys' closet and come across this broken LeapPad. In an unfrugal, stupid, and unenvironmentally-friendly, move, I threw it away.

Because I had kept all the books and cartridges for the My First LeapPad, I decided I would find a new one. As I was looking at the sales on the LeapFrog website, I discovered that you can replace the stylus pens. And you can replace them for only about five bucks. I could have FIXED the thing... easily and cheaply.

ARRRRGH. But I was on a mission. I wanted to replace the My First LeapPad. I checked Ebay... with shipping they were all running about $15-$20. I searched every toy website I could find and all the major discount stores. Nada. Even the LeapFrog website was (and is) sold out of them. I was able to find several of them online for $30 each. I don't mind eating crow when I've done something dumb, but I didn't want to eat $30 worth!

In the end, I was able to find it at Toys 'R' Us for $20 with free shipping. Not bad considering what the used ones were going for on Ebay. The more important thing is that I learned a valuable lesson. I learned that I should work harder to seek solutions to fixing what I have instead of getting impatient and throwing things away.

Free online courses

Freebies4Mom is celebrating craft week with tons of great tips for saving money on crafts. Today she's featuring an article by the Northern Cheapskate on digital scrapbooking.

I recently discovered another great resource for people wanting to learn more about the how-to's of digital scrapbooking, as well as other information about using your computer.

And best of all, it's FREE!

Hewlett Packard offers several free online instructor-led courses. Each course is comprised of numerous lessons, and you get access to a course message board where you can ask questions and discuss the topic with the instructor and other classmates. Instructors are considered experts in their fields.

The classes are self-paced, and last for just a few hours or a couple of weeks, depending on the subject.

Classes cover such topics as digital photography, digital entertainment, computer security, using PowerPoint and Excel, digital scrapbooking, and creating your own cookbook.

I took one of their basic digital photography courses online several months ago. I found the lessons to be easy to understand and the community was very welcoming and helpful. It was definitely worth the time invested.

The digital scrapbooking class looks really great, too. Now I just need to find time!

Festivals and Carnivals Week of March 10

Northern Cheapskate is featured in a couple of blog carnivals this week. Please check out the Festival of Frugality hosted by Green Panda Treehouse and the Money Hacks Carnival hosted by My Dollar Plan.

Some of the interesting reads from the Festival of Frugality include:

Paying it Forward - Coupon Style. Grocery Coupon Guide shows us how we can share our coupon savings with others. I often give coupons I won't use to friends or family and I try to share tips with all of you, too, so I liked these ideas.

Free Money Finance reminds us that haggling is a great way to save money on all kinds of things.

Cheap Healthy Good posts about personal responsibility and your lifestyle. I totally relate to this post!

Here are some of the interesting reads from the Money Hacks Carnival:

There are no more excuses for not budgeting according to Oh My Aching Debt.

Think Your Way to Wealth has a great post about Vending Machines and the "Convenience Factor."

Debtopedia reminds us that we should be balancing our bank statements every month. I must admit... I need to work on this.

Tipster Tuesday: Help for Paint Fumes

It always seems like the only time you have to paint a room in your home is when the weather is too cold to open a window.

So here's a trick for helping dissipate those paint fumes: Peel an onion and cut it in half. Put the onion cut side-down in a bowl with about an inch of water. Then leave the onion and bowl in the room overnight. For some reason, this helps reduce the fresh paint smell.

Shamless self-promotion: Ebates

Sign up for E-bates via this link and make a qualifying purchase before March 31 and we'll both get $10.

Ebates is a shopping portal of more than 800 merchants that allows you to earn cash back on online purchases made through their site. I've used this service several times since I signed up in January (thanks, AnnMarie, for referring me!) to purchase things I normally order online (items from Lands End, photo printing).

I've seen some companies on Ebates offer as much as 22% cash back on your purchases.

Since January, I've earned about $25... and I didn't do anything dramatically different from my normal internet shopping. It was easy!

So, if you have an online purchase to make in the next couple of weeks, and you'd like to make $10 and some change, AND, you'd like to help your favorite cheapskate make $10, use this link.

Thanks for allowing this shameless self-promotion. :-)

Organizing on the cheap

You don't need to rush off to Target or The Container Store to get organized. There are simple things you can use from around your house to tame your clutter.

First off, be sure to do a thorough purge of stuff you don't need. You may be able to free up storage containers when you empty them of your excess stuff.

Recycle containers from other things. Baby food containers make great storage for crafters. They can hold scrapbooking embellishments like eyelets and brads, or sewing notions like buttons and pins.

Empty milk crates make great storage for items out in your garage.

Diaper wipes containers can be used to hold kids' art supplies or other small toys.
Coffee cans can be used to store small items. Plastic potato chip cans can be washed out and used to store pasta or rice. Cereal boxes can be decorated with paper and used to store magazines.

Dollar-store photo albums can be used to organize recipe cards and clippings. The albums protect your recipes from the hazards of cooking.

Re-purpose storage containers. For example, I had some flat, long Rubbermaid containers cluttering the back of my cupboards that I wasn't using for anything. I used these as drawer organizers for my kitchen utensils.

Hangers can be used to hold belts. Shoe caddies can organize kids' toys. An empty wrapping paper tube can tame the tangles from your Christmas tree lights.

There are so many options for organizing your stuff, if you just take a look around.

What are some things you've used to organize your home?

A little help for Daylight Savings

Caribou coffee wants to help folks cope with the adjustment to Daylight Savings Time.

During their "Don't Snooze it. Moose it" promotion, get a free extra espresso shot in your beverage on Sunday, March 9 and Monday, March 10.

We all could use a little extra caffeine this time of year!

Still more "Gifts to Grow"

Just a reminder for those of you with kiddos in diapers: the Pampers "Gifts to Grow" program has been extended through March 2009. So keep saving those codes!

For those of you not familiar with the program, you collect codes from Pampers products that become points at the Pampers website. The points can be redeemed for all kinds of goodies like toys, children's books, videos, photo printing, and gift cards. You pay shipping and handling fees.

Pampers has also announced that they will be having more contests and will be expanding their catalog of "Gifts to Grow" rewards to include donations to charities. They also say they will be offering free shipping on select items.

I don't have any particular brand loyalty when it comes to diapers - whatever I can get the best price on are the ones I buy. Still, with everything increasing in price, it's nice to be rewarded with something.

Woo Hoo! More (almost) free cereal!

MoneySavingMom is reporting that the Post Honey Bunches of Oats Chocolate Clusters coupons have been reset - which means you can print more of these coupons for $2 off one box.

Click here for all the details. Locally, the Super Walmart carries these for the cheapest price. With the coupon, you can get each box for 24 cents!

This cereal is pretty tasty. And, apparently, Post is determined to get America hooked on it!

I'm done with PayPerPost

I am done with PayPerPost. You will never again see me write a blog entry that has been paid for by PayPerPost or any similar type of company.

From the moment I signed up with PayPerPost, I had reservations. I should have listened to my heart instead of with my pocketbook. I apologize to my readers.

So I have removed all sponsored posts (all two of them) from my website. I will not be taking any money from PayPerPost. The decision was a tough one for me to make, but here are a few of the reasons why:

I felt sleazy writing sponsored posts. It felt like I was selling a piece of my soul. I didn't like the feeling that my message was being controlled by an outside party.

PayPerPost was not user-friendly. Both posts I created were originally rejected (one of them twice) for trivial reasons. My theory is that they make a habit of rejecting posts, because while you fight with them to get your money, they are getting free advertising.

I did not care for the "opportunities" that were presented to me. Most of them were for credit card services, mortgage companies, and computer services. Most of the things I could have blogged about for money would not have fit with my vision for this blog.

PayPerPost took up too much time for the amount of money they paid you. (Especially when you have to fight with them to get posts approved). My time is worth more to me.

I feel a great sense of relief to be done with sponsored posts. You'll still see advertising on my site, but it will stay to the outer edges.

Thanks for your patience with me as I learn more about this blogging business.

Sometimes you just have to ask...

Sometimes it pays to ask for coupons or freebies.

Just ask Tom Locke. In 2006, he embarked on The $39 Dollar Experiment: Asking Random Companies for Free Stuff.

Armed with 100 stamps and a wicked sense of humor, Locke wrote to 100 different companies. His work paid off. In total he received nearly $273 worth of coupons and merchandise.

For those of you on a insatiable quest for freebies and coupons, check out his site. It will both amaze and amuse you.

It may even inspire you. I know that since I have started reading Freebies4Mom, I have made it a mission to pay attention to the brands I buy. If I see a website on the package, I visit it and sign up for their mailing or e-mail lists. And The $39 Experiment reminded me that being diligent can pay off.

Last week I realized that during my quest for goodies for parents of multiples, I completely missed contacting Luvs... Duh! So I sent off that info. I also called Frito Lay, just to see if they would send me something. In just a few days, they sent me three coupons for $1 off any Frito Lay products along with some tips for finding some of their print coupons.

I sometimes feel like I'm on a fishing expedition. I cast my line and see what kind of deals I can reel in.

Latest Target buys

Last night I ventured out to my local Target. Much to my dismay, they have removed the entire display of Market Pantry string cheese. They also did not have any of the animal crackers, either. Oh, well.

I still got some good deals. Using a combination of Target coupons and manufacturer coupons, I got the following deals:

-Morningstar Farms chik patties - 99 cents each (normally 2.99)
-Excedrin Back & Body and Excedrin PM - FREE
- Tylenol (four bottles of the travel size) - FREE
- Colgate toothpaste (full size tube) - 25 cents

So, not too shabby. Plus I enjoyed some kid-free time.

Some diaper coupons for you

Just got some more diaper coupons in my inbox, and thought you might like them.

They are for Luvs Diapers at Target. Don't forget to combine these with manufacturer coupons for even greater savings.

I can't wait to be done buying diapers. We're getting ready to start potty training our oldest. Whew!

A really stupid idea

I am a BIG proponent of personal responsibility. In fact, taking personal responsibility is probably my guiding philosophy in nearly every aspect of my life.

If you've gone and screwed up something, gotten yourself in debt, then what are you going to do about it? That's how I live.

The subprime mortgage mess has haunted me for a long time because of its relationship to personal responsibility. I am angered by the thousands of people who bought huge houses they couldn't afford, all the while not reading the terms of their mortgages, and then cry like babies when their interest rates went through the roof and their homes were worth less than they owed. And I was angered by mortgage lenders who had predatory lending practices that helped (note that I said helped) create the whole mess. Everyone wants the government to take responsibility. No on wants to take the responsibility for their own mess.

But tonight, I heard a really stupid idea on ABC News .... So stupid that it made me the most mad about this issue that I have ever been.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke suggested mortgage and other financial companies reduce the amount of people's loans to provide relief to homeowners. "Principal reductions that restore some equity for the homeowner may be a relatively more effective means of avoiding delinquency and foreclosure," Bernanke said in the ABC News story.

Did you catch that? Bernanke wants to allow people to get a break on their loan simply because they can't afford it.

This is wrong, wrong, wrong. All you are doing is rewarding people who refuse to live within their means. They bought more house than they could afford, didn't understand the terms of their loan, and got in over their heads. Why is that the federal government's problem? Why should these people get rewarded with a reduction in their mortgages?

I pay my mortgage faithfully in fullevery month, on time, sometimes even pay a little extra on the principal.... where's my big break? Why can't I get the amount of my mortgage reduced? Why can't I get rewarded for good behavior? Perhaps if I let my house go into foreclosure, I could get a chunk of the principal knocked off. That's one way to pay off my debts faster, I guess.

The other thing that bothers me about Bernanke's suggestion is that for some people, it won't fix anything. These people are so much a part of the debt culture that the second they get any equity back in their homes, they will cash it out for all kinds of things - vacations, kid's college, debt consolidation loans for their credit cards.... And in six months they'll all be right back where they started.

It's time people stopped whining and started doing some critical thinking. Take some responsibility, people.

Tipster Tuesday: Timer switches

It's time again for Tipster Tuesday. My tip this week involves energy savings.

When we built our house nearly three years ago, one of the things we did was have our bathroom fans put on a 15-minute timer switch. That way we wouldn't forget to shut off our bathroom fans after a shower or other activity in the bathroom.

The timer is also great for preventing excessively long showers. You know that if the fan switches off when you're in the shower, you've been in there too long. It makes you move a little bit faster in the morning. I now try to get completely ready (shower, hair, everything) in that fifteen minute time frame. So I save time, too!

Mmmm... free animal crackers

Target has done it again!

iMommies found this great tip for getting free animal crackers at Target.

Go here and print the coupon for $1 off any two Nabisco cookies or crackers. Take the coupon to Target and use it to purchase two small boxes of Barnum's Animal Crackers (they cost 50 cents each). Use each coupon to get the two boxes of crackers for free!

The coupon expires March 29. Don't forget the free string cheese deal ends this week.

These deals are a great reminder to pay attention to the sizes listed (or not listed!) on coupons.

I did our taxes!

Well, I did it. I did our taxes. All by myself. Yay me!

This was the first time I have ever attempted doing my own taxes. I used H&R Block's TaxCut software and it took me about 3 hours from install to e-filing to finish the job. I could have been done sooner, but I wanted to look over everything carefully.

The software was fairly easy to use. We're getting a decent refund, which we expected since we had a big decrease in income, a lot of mortgage interest to deduct, and the addition of two new family members this year. We'll be using our refund to build up our emergency fund and to start saving for our next car purchase (which isn't for at least four more years). We've already made some adjustments to our withholding for 2008 so that Uncle Sam doesn't get as big of an interest-free loan as he did in 2007.

Anyway, it's a huge relief to have that task out of the way. And now that I know what a relatively simple process it was with the software, I doubt I'll be going back to H&R Block or an account until I'm making my millions. (Hee hee!)

A disappointing freebie

I am always sending away for freebies. I love getting samples of products. Since most of them take several weeks to arrive, I often forget that I have even sent for them.

This past week, for example, I have been surprised by all kinds of the goodies in my mailbox. I received a DVD, a pedometer, a binder, and coupons for free yogurt. So I was pretty excited to see a Gillette Fusion in my mailbox Saturday.

As I was about to crack open the box, I noticed it was labeled "Here's your 18th Birthday Gift from Gillette." (There's no one in my house that age.) And then I noticed that the package wasn't addressed to me. My mail carrier had delivered the Fusion to the wrong address! No free Fusion for me! So sad!

My mail carrier frequently delivers this guy's mail to us. We have the same last name as this guy, although we're not related. I've gotten enough of this guy's mail mistakenly delivered to me to be pretty certain there are NO 18-year-olds in his house.

A friend of mine said, "It's a freebie, the guy's not even 18 and probably doesn't have an 18-year-old son, either."

But I can't do that. It is NOT my mail. It's illegal to keep someone else's mail, not to mention unethical. Plus... I'm not an 18-year-old male, either! I am not entitled to this freebie just because my mail carrier made a mistake.

I will be putting the Fusion back in the mail Monday with a note that it was delivered to the wrong address.

The whole incident made me think. It is wrong to send for freebies that you don't really qualify for. It's wrong to send for freebies you don't have any intention of using. It's wrong to send for multiples of the same freebie. If you abuse companies' generosity, they won't give out freebies and great coupons anymore.

Just because something is free, doesn't mean you can ignore what's right.