frugality

The following is a guest post from Courtney at The Discount Heroes.

Photo by Zeafonso

I remember when I first saw a coupon insert in the newspaper. I immediately viewed it as junk to throw out. I thought it was just extra weight to make your paper cost more. It wasn’t till I became a stay at home mom and living off one income that made too much for government assistance but not enough to pay for what we really needed that I needed to find a quick alternative.

A friend directed me to the ways of couponing via blogging sites (yes, Deal Seeking Mom was one of them). Thanks to one of the money saving blogs, I got my hands on Stephanie Nelson’s book, Greatest Secrets of the Coupon Mom. I had to give those newspaper inserts a second look.

I educated myself on the value of coupons and how to use them effectively, and suddenly those coupon inserts became a life-saver. I later started clipping Internet coupons and requesting coupons from our favorite brands. I had no idea back then that a coupon could even get you free stuff! Now I have an entire bathroom cabinet of free stuff! Some freebies have even made it into our pantry and freezer.

There’s quite a few tips I’ve learned along the way of transaction disasters and failures. There are easy things you can do to make sure you’re maximizing the value of your coupons and really saving with coupons.

1. Realize sometimes the value of a coupon doesn’t beat the store brand price. If you’re cool with eating store brand, don’t be afraid to buy them just because you have a stack of coupons to redeem. It’s about saving money on things you love – not saving money because you have a coupon in hand for something else. If it’s not cheaper with a coupon, don’t buy it (but many times, when paired with a sale, it does become cheaper).

2. Beware of the big sales. While you’ve been dreaming of that side-by-side washer and dryer in pink, just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean you should buy them (even with a coupon). Always check your budget and if the funds aren’t there, don’t pretend that they are. I admit we once opted to eat grilled cheese for a whole week to afford something we didn’t really need during a big sale. Please, don’t do that. The Discount Heroes post deals daily but do not recommend taking advantage of all of them unless they are completely free. Those deals are there to help out when it’s something you’re already looking for.

3. Beware of “free with purchase” coupons. While we do post them on our site, beware of the “free with purchase” coupons. You’re spending out of pocket for something you may already have at home or could seriously deep down just live without. Were you in need of buying that clearance item to get the other free item, or are you buying it because you have a coupon? Is the extra weight you gain from eating all of that free food you have coupons for at Arby’s, Auntie Ann’s, Jack in the Box, Jamba Juice, etc., really worth getting out for when you could just stay home and eat a little more healthy with things you already have on hand? You may want the free food because you’re “too lazy” to make it yourself. I have news for ya – fast food doesn’t energize you either. While those free with purchase coupons look really good, you have to stop and ask yourself if you really need it.

4. If it’s not something you would normally buy, don’t buy it. You might like it. This happened a lot with me and clearance items. I would get a fantastic deal on a clearance item – like soap – only to find out that the store is no longer going to carry that item. Then I end up wanting to buy it at regular price at a different store.

5. Have your coupon and know what you want. Consider that 30% off coupon for Borders for example. Have a book in mind when you walk in. Get it and get out! Don’t know what you want? Hand your credit cards to your husband and browse online for your book of choice. Most places that put out high discount coupons like that do so when there are other sales going on in the store. If you avoid walking around the store, you’ll be less tempted to buy other items and spend more money that you weren’t planning to spend.

While this is very valuable information, I didn’t spend any money at all to learn this – aside from learning from falling into temptation by these very things.

I recently teamed up with another awesome mom, Alicia, who co-writes for our site: The Discount Heroes. If it weren’t for someone introducing Alicia and me to the world of couponing and all the resources out there, we would be in real financial trouble.

Alicia and I want to pass all of this information to you. Helping others improve their financial situation is our passion and so we created the site as a source to host this information. We’ve been there and we know what it’s like trying to live on less than you make – and even to lose a job. We even recently started teaching local classes for free to extend a face to face opportunity to learn more and have questions answered.  

If you are interested in learning more about coupons, there is a huge supply of information out there and people willing to help you. Some people charge for this information, but The Discount Heroes do not. It is not only free to view the deals we post online, but it is also free to take one of our local coupon classes. We want to meet you where you are – no matter what your financial situation looks like. We are dedicated to helping you save and make it through this rough economy and beyond. We are not financial experts by any means, but we have learned a ton about it from personal experience and hearing other people’s stories.

To learn more about couponing and ways to save or to attend a free class in the Tulsa, OK area, visit www.thediscountheroes.com today!

In my guest post on Simple Mom last week, I talked a little bit about how there are situations in my life where quality trumps price.

“Sometimes – in fact, many times – quality trumps price. I’m willing to spend more on a well-made item that will last for many years than buy a cheaply-made item that I’ll use for a short period and then dispose of in some environmentally unfriendly way.

Isn’t this the true meaning of frugality – knowing where you’re willing to cut corners, and which things are important enough to you to pay more?“

More often than not, items that I’m willing to spend more on revolve around my children. While couponing and drugstore shopping are a necessary means to make ends meet with my husband currently laid off, when he’s working they’re a tool to give us the extra wiggle room in our finances that gives us the freedom to spend more on areas that are important to us.

To expand on these thoughts, I thought it might be useful to provide some specific examples of items that I am willing to pay more for quality and, more importantly, why.

:: Car Seats

My children’s safety is important to me, so I didn’t hesitate to purchase the very best in car seats and boosters for them over the years. After much research, we chose the Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seats and Britax Parkway Boosters for our kids.

Yes, it was a pretty penny to spend up front (and thankfully we’ve never had to put them to the test), but the peace of mind in knowing that we purchased some of the highest rated models on the market was worth the price.

:: Quality Shoes

A second area where I don’t like to skimp is quality shoes. Yes, I could walk into Payless or any big box stores and purchase a pair of shoes for a fraction of the cost, but these shoes tend to be cheaply made and will probably fall apart quickly or pinch and hurt my kiddos feet.

A proper shoe fit is especially important for toddlers learning to walk, and for this reason, Stride Rite is the first store I take my kids to to purchase shoes. Their certified fit specialists ensure that I’m buying the proper size and style, so I leave the store confident that I’ve got the proper size shoe for my child’s foot. Busy moms may want to take advantage of their E-fit sizing system. It makes ordering shoes from home easy by walking you through the shoe fitting process step by step.

:: Well-made Strollers

In all honesty, I’ve spent far too much on strollers over the years to figure out what works best for our family. If I could pick just one stroller that works well in almost any situation, it would be my InStep Ultra Runner 2 Double Jogging Stroller. It works just as well in a crowded mall as it does when walking around our neighborhood, and it folds up surprisingly compact when you remove the front wheel (which is SO easy to do). It’s lightweight enough for me to hoist in and out of the car on my own and fits through any standard doorway.

So what are some things that I’m willing to skimp on or find alternatives?

Children’s clothing – Hand-me-downs, yard sales, consignment stores, and Target are our shopping venues of choice for the kids. Old Navy and the occasional trip to the GAP outlet are about as high end as we get, and I never buy anything there that’s not on sale or clearance priced.

Diaper Genies – Perhaps they’ve changed since I received mine, but the Playtex Diaper Genie is one item that I definitely could have done without. The inserts are exceedingly expensive, and it really didn’t do that fantastic of a job containing odors, especially since we’ve almost always had two, if not three, in diapers at one time. Wrapping them up in a grocery bag and taking them straight outside to the garbage can is what works for us.

Full-size highchairs – These have always been just a nuisance for me. They take up way too much space, and there’s just not a good place to store it between uses in my house. We purchased a Fisher-Price Space Saver High Chair and have been nothing by pleased with it from infant to toddler use.

Whether I scrimp or splurge, I do always search for the best price on an item. One of my favorite resources for baby and kid deals is Baby Cheapskate. Angie’s always in the know on the latest and greatest!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic. What baby and kid items are you willing to spend more money on? Is there anything that you wish you hadn’t purchased or would have looked for a less expensive version?

The following is a guest post from Cheryl at Swap Savers.

Doctor visits, medications and other medical costs can add up quickly especially if you have children or an illness.  Here are some money savings tips related to medical costs.

Negotiate with Doctors/Hospitals – Most people don’t realize you can negotiate medical costs with your doctor or hospital. In fact according to 2005 Harris Interactive poll two thirds of patients who negotiated with a doctor, dentist or hospital were able to lower their bill.  In relation to my personal experience, one time I was sick and without insurance.  I explained my situation to the doctor who didn’t charge me for the visit and gave me enough free medication so I didn’t have to fill a prescription.

Ask for Free Samples – Anytime a doctor prescribes a new medication, ask for a free sample before you fill the medication in case you are allergic or the medication doesn’t work for you.  If you require prescription refills you can also ask for free samples to help cut down on the costs.

Buy Generic Prescription and Over the Counter – In some cases generics medications can cost one-third the price of brand-name medications. By law a generics drug must contain the same ingredient as the brand-name drug.  When your doctor is prescribing a medication, request the generic equivalent.  When purchasing an over-the counter medication you can read the label to make sure the medication is the same dose and name under “active ingredients”.  The only exception to this savings tip is when the name brand medication is on sale and you have a coupon (the price may be less).  You can visit brand name websites for available coupons.

Compare Medication Cost With and Without Insurance – This may also surprise people, but some medications are less expensive without insurance.  Some insurance companies or mail-order companies require you to pay a minimum co-pay amount which can cost more than the medication without the insurance.  Always check both prices before purchasing a medication.

Exercise – The best way to avoid illness and medications is to be healthy.  Regular exercise can provide many health benefits such as lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, improving your immune system, decreases stress levels, maintain a healthy weight, and increase flexibility and energy levels.

Swap Savers is a social network for frugal folks who love freebies, coupons & rewards.  Check it out!

The always fabulous Angie of Baby Cheapskate has done it again. She just opened two new Freepeats locations in Memphis TN and Va. Beach/Norfolk!




I shared with you how excited I was when she opened one here in Columbus back in October.

New Memphis TN and Va. Beach/Norfolk members get a FREE lifetime membership when you sign up by February 14th, but don’t despair if you don’t live in one of these areas. Angie’s got a special promotion going on for the month of February:

“Introducing the Freepeats.org February “Love to Give” Promotion: Join any Freepeats group in February and post five offers of baby clothing, toys or gear* on your local Offers Board before the end of the month. I’ll refund your membership fee.”

What a great way to “mom it forward”!

Laundry – it’s a necessary chore we all have to do (some of us more than others, LOL). Maybe you’ve often thought about ways to make the process easier (check out Organizing Your Way today for some super tips on this topic), but have you really thought about ways you can save money while doing it?

There are probably dozens of ways you can cut corners, but here are just a few quick and easy tips that will help you save a bundle over time.




Use the correct amount of detergent. I’m willing to wager that you’re using a lot more detergent than necessary! Most people fill the cap to the natural fill line where it flares out, but if you look closely at the inside, the fill lines embossed inside the cap are well below this mark. Take a Sharpie marker and clearly define them so you know you’re dispensing the proper amount every time. Do the same with your fabric softener if you use a liquid.

Cut your dryer sheets in half. If you use dryer sheets, you can make a box last twice as long by simply cutting them in half. Alyssa from Keeping the Kingdom First did a fabulous vlog about this tip several months ago. This actually works! You clothes will be just as soft, static-free, and clean-smelling by using only half.

Wash your clothes in cold water. I’m sure you’ve heard this one before, but it really does save a lot of money. Estimates are that an average family can save up to $70 a year just by switching. This may not be a viable option if you have small children because some stains are next to impossible to remove in cold water, but you can opt to use cold water whenever possible.

Use a shorter cycle. Unless your clothes are heavily soiled, there’s no reason to wash them any longer than that. Shorter cycles equal less energy used, so that adds up! Save the longer wash cycles for the extra dirty clothing.

Hang your clothes up to dry. This is another tip that may not work for everyone, but if you have the room in your laundry area, hanging your clothes up to dry or using drying racks will help you save on your energy bill as well. Unfortunately, I don’t have the room for this, and our housing association bylaws don’t allow clothes lines.

And finally one bonus tip for any drycleaning you may have:

Use an in-home drycleaning solution like Dry Cleaners Secret. Dry cleaning can be expensive! A product like Dry Cleaner’s Secret allows you to spot clean as need and then just toss your dry cleaning into the dryer. They come out smelling fresh and clean and wrinkle free. See their site to find out how you can get a sample pack that will clean up to four garments for just the price of shipping ($2.99)!

So there you have it – employing simple and easy tips like these can save you big bucks over the long term!

Do you have any other simple tips for saving money on laundry? I’m completely open to new ideas on how to save on this never-ending task of mine.