Inexpensively Frugal Blog Network » Money Saving Monday

Money Saving Monday: Vacations

Heather Sokol — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:49:56 +0000

With spring break around the corner, it’s time to find ways to save whether you’re staying home or off on a fun vacation. We’ll be sticking around for the week this year—but I’m determined to be sure the kids have a good time anyway. Our children’s museum membership will (once again) provide a day of free entertainment. I think my discount Bouncer Town pass will finally be put to use as well!

Our beach vacation is planned for June—we’re saving big by traveling with my best friend and her daughter. The beach house we’re splitting costs less for an entire week than any beach hotel I’ve ever priced! Sharing the travel expenses and the condo rental is one way to save money, but we’ll also be grocery shopping & grilling meals on the beach. The hubby is very excited that we’re planning to do next to nothing for an entire week—it will be our first real chance to relax in a long time. Plus, not spending a ton of money on events & activities will really keep the budget down! Later today, we have a guest post from a vacation expert, sharing even more ideas for saving money on spring break.

But, we want to hear your ideas first! The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas each week. Join us on Money Saving Monday to share your budget tips for Easter baskets—I know you’ve all got great ideas to help the Easter Bunny save a bundle.

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Money Saving Monday: Gardening

Heather Sokol — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 19:57:01 +0000

A home garden is a fantastic way to save money on produce throughout the summer. We were not very successful last year, due to a lot of unexpected family travel. This year, however, I am determined to grow plenty of our favorites! One of the items on my 40×40 list is to grow and preserve enough vegetables to last through the winter. I don’t have my sights set quite that high this season, but I’m hoping to make good progress.

One of the simplest ways to save money is to start your plants from seed, rather than waiting later in the spring to purchase plants. It takes a lot of care, but you can purchase an entire seed packet for less than half the cost of a plant. Many can be sown directly into the soil in the next month or two; others will need to be started indoors now! A growing light or pad will help your seedlings thrive. Actually, one of the kids at our girls’ school just researched growing lights vs. regular lamps as his science project and discovered a fluorescent bulb was more effective. I think I’ll be trying my hand with one of these Germination Stations this year. We’ll have some expert tips later this month to help us all as we get our money saving gardens started!

We also want to hear your ideas for frugal gardening. The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas each week. Join us on Money Saving Monday to share your budget tips for spring break—whether you’re planning a beach vacation, amusement parks or a staycation, we want to hear your frugal ideas!

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Money Saving Monday: Medical Expenses & Prescriptions

Heather Sokol — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 18:25:45 +0000

As I type, my nephew is hacking right next to me. It’s just that time of year—cough syrup, saline, tissues, medical bills. And, it all adds up to big bucks. There are several ways to lower your medical expenses, though. From using coupons on over the counter medications to finding ways to save on prescriptions, I work hard to keep even the unexpected expenses within our budget.

One of my biggest expenses is our middle daughter’s eyeglasses. She is currently visiting the eye doctor twice each year, often needing new lenses every time. The first time she got glasses, I spent almost $200 letting her pick out whatever would make her happy. When she broke them just a few months later, I learned my lesson big time! Now, I fill her eyeglasses prescription online! We get a complete pair of prescription eyeglasses—frame AND lenses—for $39! I’ve seen cheaper sites but none that carry kids frames for this price. At $39, we buy her a backup pair & sunglasses each time her prescription changes. It makes her happy, keeps glasses on my rough & tumble girl and saves a bundle of money! (Right now, I can even save $12 off any purchase from 39DollarGlasses.com by using code Twitter—just in time to get new sunglasses for spring.)

Now, we want to hear your ideas for medical savings! The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, please share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great ideas from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas each week. Join us on Money Saving Monday to share your budget tips for starting a garden—I can’t wait for spring to arrive, and I want to be prepared!

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Money Saving Monday: Surviving Winter

Heather Sokol — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 01:44:56 +0000

I make no secret about my loathing of winter. I was clearly made for a much warmer climate. Alas, winter is not ending any time soon and it seems I’d be stuck in no matter where I lived this month! Whether you need to bundle up to play outside, entertainment for the masses indoors or tips on cutting down your winter heating bill, we want to help you through the rest of winter.

I’m kind of a bunker down and avoid the cold & wet girl, myself, but the kids love to play outdoors. Typically, I wait to buy snow boots & pants on clearance. The stores tend to mark them down before the first snow has even melted. It’s a great way to save money on snow gear they don’t get to wear much anyway. I am also really big on passing these down. I don’t save clothes from year to year due to changing styles and rough wear, but seasonal items tend to last a little longer. This is why I always mark coats, seasonal items and sporting goods with our last name—it leaves room for each girl to use it without announcing to the world that it once belonged to her older sister.

We want to hear your ideas for surviving winter! The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas each week. Join us on Money Saving Monday to share your tips for saving on medical expenses & prescriptions—the big thing around here right now is strep throat. I know you’ve got great advice for staying healthy!

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Money Saving Monday: Budget Date Night

Heather Sokol — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 19:51:23 +0000

Whether you are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a sweetie or looking for ways to connect with your significant other on a regular basis, finances can often get in the way. Even if you are already married, a regular date night is a complete necessity. You need to spend time together without the distractions of daily life, away from kids & family, to enjoy one another.

In addition to stay-at-home dates, with a little creativity, you can enjoy budget date nights outside of the house. The hubby and I have been very proactive about dating for the last year or so. We have gone through a destruction and repair phase, and have placed a high priority on date night—even if it isn’t always cheap. However, we have utilized coupons and a few unique opportunities to fit the alphabet dating project into our budget. Along the way, we’ve discovered a few inexpensive (and often free!) ideas:

Bookstores: In addition to the simple pleasure of walking hand in hand through the aisles of books with my hubby, bookstores often have added events such as poetry readings, local musicians or open mic nights.
Coffee Shops: Neither of us are coffee drinkers, but hot chocolate sure is nice (and low cost) on a cold, winter’s night. You may also find the occasional event here, too.
Museums: Our local art museum is 100% free! We have also explored the Children’s Museum—sans children—on our previously purchased membership.
Local Parks: From trails to bird watching to scheduled events, your local park can be a source of free entertainment for couples, in addition to families.
Geo-Caching: We had such a fun time on our geocaching date, that we’ve considered adding it into the queue again! If you don’t have a smart phone or gps, you can go treasure hunting together with a low-tech Letterboxing outing.
Video Arcades: Not free, but we’ve spent hours on a single roll of quarters. It’s low key, sometimes competitive and a lot of fun.

Now, we want to hear your ideas for dating on a budget! The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas each week. Join us on Money Saving Monday to share your frugal tips for surviving winter—how do you stock up on winter supplies, hats, coats, gloves and what do you do when you’re stuck inside?

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Money Saving Monday: Superbowl Party

Heather Sokol — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 13:01:56 +0000

In less than a week, the biggest game of the year is on television, and the parties are on! Whether your hosting a small gathering, throwing a huge shindig or attending one of your own, we’re here to share tips & tricks for keeping it on a budget.

One of the best things about hosting a Superbowl party is that the entertainment is already figured out for you. However, there are a few free & inexpensive things you can do to provide options for the non-sports fans who may attend. They’ll really make your party stand out! Besides, everyone knows the real show is between the game—what iconic ads will we see this year? Are you ready to play in the AdBowl? Register in advance, then come back to vote on your favorite Superbowl commercials after the game. They even have printable worksheets and a FREE iPhone app so you can play along during the game! If you’re looking for more printable Superbowl games, there are several fun ones here. Python even has anti-football “girly” games (of course, this girl loves her Colts!), including Super cookie bake-off!

Now, we want to hear your ideas for planning a frugal Superbowl party! The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas each Monday. This week kicks off our new “For the Love Of…” series. We’ll be offering advice on doing the things you love, on a budget. Join us on Money Saving Monday to share your budget tips for date night—it’s important to stay connected to your significant other so how can we plan frugal dates?

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Money Saving Monday: Utility Savings

Heather Sokol — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 13:32:54 +0000

There are a variety of ways to lower the costs on utility bills you already have to pay—budget billing, comparison shopping and simple alternatives are some of the easiest. They don’t require you to reduce your consumption in anyway. You only have to work with your current provider or consider finding a new one. Real impact in your bills comes when you find ways to decrease your actual use. One quick, obvious way to lower your electric bill is to turn off items when not in use. But, did you know many electrical products continue to use power even in standby mode?

Of course, it’s kind of a pain to walk around unplugging things every night. Not to mention the precious items you can’t unplug like DVRs and cable boxes. That’s where this doodad really comes in handy—it allows you to cut power to several items at once while leaving a select few in standby at all times. This particular model even allows you to select one item as the control outlet. You could plug your t.v. into the control, your DVR into the always on outlets and the rest of your home theater system into the other outlets. Every time you turn off the television, the power gets cut to the rest of the strip!

Now, we want to hear your ideas for saving money on utitities! The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas each Monday. Next week kicks off our new “For the Love Of…” series. We’ll be offering advice on doing the things you love, on a budget. Join us on Money Saving Monday to share your tips for Superbowl Sunday—I know my Indy friends will be ready to go all out, but let’s keep it frugal!

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Eating Healthy On a Budget

Heather Sokol — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 13:03:35 +0000

One of the reasons I hear all the time for not using coupons is you can’t find deals on healthy foods. It’s just another coupon myth—my family eats very well, and we do it on a tight budget. I pay attention to sales, stockup when I find a deal and make seasonal choices to keep our costs down.

Buying fruits and vegetables in season is the best way to keep your produce expenses under budget. While my girls really enjoy strawberries and grapes all summer, I’m not about to spend $4 per pound in colder months. Right now, we have clementines and bananas. We look forward to the return of our favorite summer fruit later in the year! This year, I am planning to store some to last throughout the year. This summer my mom and I prepped & froze 16 dozen ears of corn. I love having “fresh” corn on hand all winter. I’m definitely tackling that project again this summer, along with canning green beans and tomatoes. Are you living off a summer can or freezer stash? How else do you feed your family healthy foods without going broke?

We want to hear your ideas! The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We hope you’ll set a 2010 goal to join us for Money Saving Monday each week. We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas. Right now, our articles are ingfocus on helping you get started with your resolutions, inexpensively. Come back next week to share your money saving tips for getting out of debt—many of you are setting financial goals to work towards a debt free live, and we’d love to hear your ideas!

This post is part of our New Year, New Budget series. We are concentrating on New Year’s resolutions and helping you find ways to tackle them inexpensively. Over the next few days, our articles will focus on two coordinating resolutions—”get fit” and “lose weight”—with frugal tips on eating healthy and working out.

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

Money Saving Monday: 2010 Financial Goals

Heather Sokol — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:28:09 +0000

Last week, we invited you to share your general New Year’s resolutions—it’s part of our effort to help you live the life you want, for less. This week, we hope to hear about your specific financial goals. Are you saving money to buy a house in 2010? Is it time to start saving money for college? Do you hope to take a vacation this year?

No matter what your plans are for extra money, there are really only 2 ways to do it—make more or spend less. A combination of the two is the ultimate plan, and we’ll have tips all year to help you get there. Team Inexpensively will share ideas on saving money in all aspects of your life, so you don’t have to give up your favorite things to change your budget. We’ll launch our New Year, New Budget series this week. Part 1 will focus on your New Year’s resolutions, helping you keep them without affecting your budget. Part 2 will feature Make More, Spend Less ideas to help you reach your financial goals!

Now, we want to hear those goals and your dreams. The rules are simple: write about the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We hope you’ll set a 2010 goal to join us for Money Saving Monday each week. We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas. For the next two weeks, our articles will focus on helping you get started with your resolutions, inexpensively. Come back next week to share your ideas for eating healthy on a budget!

Sharing is Caring

Related posts:

New Year’s Resolutions

Heather Sokol — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 16:21:10 +0000

I hope everyone has had a fabulous holiday. We are still out of town, enjoying a relaxing Christmas weekend with my family. I’ll return this evening, and I’m ready to look ahead to next year. This week is often a time of reflection—what went well, what we could do differently next year and remembering favorite moments of 2009. I’ll be doing this here at Inexpensively, in addition to at home with my family. First, though, I want to hear about your resolutions for 2010.

Inexpensively plans for the new year are underway, and we want to be sure we’re helping you reach the right goals. Are you hoping to save money for something big next year? Planning to (finally) get organized? Is this the year you start eating healthier? Whatever your goals, we want to help you achieve them, inexpensively. My own resolutions are usually a bit off the wall. In 2003, I decided a nightly bubble bath would be a great idea—and I still work in a bit of relaxation every week to keep me sane. Two years ago, we swore off all drive-thrus—it didn’t necessarily eliminate fast food but who wants to park the car, drag in 3 kids and eat greasy, overpriced food? Tonight, I’ll be plotting out my resolutions on my blog, Someday-style. I’ve decided to list 10 things to do in 2010 rather than something to change or eliminate. Topping the list? A Disney vacation with my family (and, yes, I’ll share my budget tips & progress along the way.)!

Now, we want to hear your own stories and ideas. The rules are simple: write about saving money on the given topic, mention MSM and link back to Inexpensively in your post, then come back here to add your permalink in the Mr. Linky. Be sure to grab the banner to let everyone know you’re participating! If you do not have a blog of your own, you are welcome to share your tips in the comments. Then, check out the great tips from Team Inexpensively and our readers.

We hope you’ll set a 2010 goal to join us for Money Saving Monday each week. We love to hear about your tips, tricks and frugal living ideas. We’ll be kicking off the year with another round of resolutions. Check back next week to share your budget goals for the year!

Sharing is Caring

Related posts: