The Budget Diet

If your current mattress is more than 7 years old, you will want to start some comparison shopping. There are so many mattresses on the market that it is hard to know which one is right for your needs. The best way to find the perfect mattress is to test them all out at your local mattress store. In recent years everyone seems to be comparing the Sleep Number vs. Tempur-Pedic. Both of which have received great reviews from buyers. Here is the inside skinny on these two great options.

The Tempur-Pedic has been the forerunner for all memory foam mattresses. While other mattress companies have started making memory foam, the Tempur-Pedic stills remains a consumer favorite. These innovative mattresses come in king, queen, and twin sizes. They are also available in split versions as well, which cost more. Each Tempur-Pedic mattress offers reduced motion transfer, are allergen resistant and require no flipping or turning. Some models have superior features, but even the basic model of Tempur-Pedic is enjoyed by owners.

Sleep Number beds are rather different in design than Tempur-Pedic, but also have received superior reviews from consumers. These beds feature an air system that allows a user to set the mattress at whatever number is most comfortable for their height, weight, body type and sleeping habits.

Users can then adjust the firmness of the mattress after selecting their own sleep number. Other features allow users to adjust the head or foot of the bed by just the touch of a button. Finally, king and queen versions allows multiple bed occupants to set their own number on their own side.

Whether it is Tempur-Pedic or Sleep Number you decide to purchase it is more than likely you will start sleeping better than you did on that old, worn out mattress.

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A kitchen makeover is an exciting project because, in most homes, the kitchen serves as a hub for the entire family. For families with budget restraints, remodeling a kitchen is often a huge financial investment, and it is important to find the most cost-effective ideas possible. Thankfully, you can pinch a few pennies in several areas without sacrificing the desired results. Whether a homeowner is striving for clean, modern lines or cozy, old-fashioned appeal, the following ideas may help lower the cost of the new look:

Small Changes with Huge Impact

Labor is a big part of the cost of any kitchen remodeling job, but most homeowners can perform at least a few of the tasks themselves. These small steps can all lower the cost of the project significantly.

• Rather than purchasing new cabinets, paint the doors or trim of the old ones and replace the hardware with a different style.

• Stained cabinets can be sanded to the original wood and painted with polyurethane for a natural look, or distressed and painted for an antique appeal.

• Change the wall paint color scheme and cover the bar stools or kitchen chairs with a matching fabric or use slipcovers on the backs of the chairs.

• Use magnetic sheets or appliance paint to update the outer appearance of any appliances that still work properly.

• When new appliances must be purchased, make sure to shop the area home stores for floor models, which are always less expensive.

• Replace outdated faucets with a more stylish model.

• Add space saving dividers, corner shelving inserts, and pull-outs to the inside of cabinets and apply new shelf liners.

Cost Cutting Tips for Bigger Savings

Many homeowners are unaware of the options available on expensive items, such as flooring and counter tops. By visiting a home improvement store or doing some research online, they can often find more inexpensive ways of obtaining their vision of the perfect kitchen. The following suggestions are just a few of the great ways to save money on big ticket items:

• Purchase laminate that has the look of marble or granite rather than purchasing real stone, or cover counter tops with smaller tiles of granite, rather than using a single slab.

• When using tiles for a backsplash, use cheaper plain colors and form a pattern or only add more expensive decorative tiles as a border.

• Purchase leftover flooring tiles in matching patterns and colors and use to form a pattern.

• Shop around for discount kitchen cabinets that come ready to assemble, rather than spending big on pre-built ones.

• Choose wood or ceramic flooring that is easy to install and simple to clean.

• Buy as many large ticket items as possible from auctions or venues such as Craig’s List, and keep an eye out for giveaways on sites such as Freecycle.

The planning process of remodeling a kitchen may be the most important when it comes to savings. Patience in gathering materials and searching for the best bargains will ultimately lead to a beautiful room at the lowest price.

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This is a guest post from Melissa Cox, who enjoys the challenge of furnishing her home on as tight a budget as she can and always tries to save money by doing things herself where she can. She’s particularly pleased with her cherry wood kitchen cabinets that she put together herself when redoing her kitchen recently.

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Image courtesy of: Maggie Smith / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Every Saturday morning my friend Ellen would shop garage sales, and return home to show off her treasures. I used to marvel at the treasures she would find until I wised up and joined her!

What treasures can you find at a garage sale or yard sale? Here’s a list (in no particular order) of some items I discovered when volunteering at a school garage sale:

• Terra Cotta Pots
  All sizes 50¢
• Sterling Silver Jewelry -
  All the jewelry, real & costume was in a basket marked 50¢
• DVD’s
  50¢…that’s cheaper than renting a movie, and then you can sell it back at a garage sale or half price books.
• Jean Jacket
  Name brand, $2.00! Clothes are always a bargain at garage sales, but you must be willing to dig! The clothes are usually piled in a heap on a table, and there will not be a dressing room.
• Birkenstock Sandals
  $1.00! A lady found 6 pairs!
• Locker Shelf
  Like new for just 50¢.
• Samsonite Suitcase
  Brand new with tags for only $1.00!
• Set of Dishes
  $10.00 for the entire set! Yes, this is why Ellen had a set of dishes for every season!
• Lladro Madonna
  $2.00! Somebody must not have known the true value of this! You just might find the next star of The Antiques Road Show at a yard sale.
• Stuffed Animal
  50¢ for a brand new giant Easter Bunny! If your children are always begging for new toys, and you find yourself always giving in and blowing your budget…maybe it’s time to take them to a garage sale! Toys abound at garage sales and yard sales!
• Mountain Bike
  I told my son that there was no point in spending $200+ on a brand new bike for college that was going to sit out in the rain, so he found a great $40 mountain bike at a garage sale!

 
Of course, I can’t promise what you’ll find at a garage sale, but I can promise you’ll find some bargains!

Please remember The Budget Diet’s rules for shopping at Garage Sales, Goodwill, Consignment Shops and Thrift Stores:

• Be Open Minded
• Shop Often
• Be Friendly
• A Bargain is Only a Bargain if You Can Use It
• Use Your Imagination
• Shop in Upscale Neighborhoods

 
Start your Saturday morning off with a bargain! Get in the garage sale habit!

Please click on the title of this article to let me know what treasures you have found at garage sales and yard sales.

In today’s economic climate, many find it an extreme challenge to get ahead and keep money in their pockets. With gas prices off the charts, the price of food climbing the ladder with ferocity, and the costs of housing, phones, children, etc., life can carry with it overwhelming financial stress. However, money saving options do exist in the world, providing a plethora of outlets; helping to pinch those pennies and ultimately save money for those more important things in life. While many may cut out coupons from the daily newspaper, other highly valuable options do exist. Websites such as Ebates, Mr. Rebates, iGive, and UPromise not only offer easier, more convenient shopping alternatives, but they also offer great deals in receiving coupons, rebates, and guided information regarding keeping the cash in your wallet.

Ebates

How it Works:
This company was started in 1998 by two District Attorneys with reputations of prosecuting those committing fraud and identity theft.

The website offers 21 categories for shopping, including Baby & Kids, Clothing, and Music & Movies.

In order to get any rebates or coupons, one must set up a free membership through the website. Upon doing so, a member has instant access to savings. Simply select a category and see the websites that provide a certain percentage of cash back. For example, if a person is interested in purchasing toys, and a toy store is offering 8% cash back on all purchases, a member must click on the website offered through Ebates. Ebates will take note, adding an 8% total of whatever is spent to the member’s account. It’s that simple. Four times a year or more, Ebates will send a check to the member via snail mail or directly to his or her Paypal account. If a member chooses to do so, Ebates will also donate the rebate to the member’s favorite charity.

There is also a section at the bottom of Ebates entitled “Ebates Daily Double”. Here resides a section for those companies who have doubled their rebate value. Taking a look at the Daily Double provides an excellent opportunity for saving.

Mr. Rebates

How it Works:
Mr. Rebates, launched in 2002, offers 2000+ online stores to shop from. The Better Business Bureau gives this site an A+ rating.

Similar to Ebates, Mr. Rebates encompasses the same saving concept. However, Mr. Rebates adds a number of categories to its shopping list, for instance: Automotive, Garden, and Green Shopping.
Typically, the rebate confirmation will only take 3-5 business days through this website. However, it may take up to 30 in some cases. Choosing a category through this site will not only provide what coupons are available, but the cash back percentage. Mr. Rebates also has the option of friend referral, offering more money to those friends accepting the request, and using the service.

iGive

How it Works:
Just like Ebates and Mr. Rebates, iGive allows a member to set up an account, taking advantage of many shopping opportunities. However, this site adds its own little flair. Upon setting up an account, a member will be asked which cause he or she would like money donated to. For example, if a person wants to rescue retired greyhounds, iGive will donate the rebates acquired to whichever greyhound rescue charity the member chooses. An excellent source for charities who need funds, iGive provides extra funds for those needing it most.

upromise

How it Works:
This site, like the others, transforms rebates, providing them to those seeking out a college education in the future. Here, a member may choose a budding child, be it a daughter or son, grandchild, or niece or nephew, and put the rebate money aside, saving it for that child’s college education.

Each of these sites provides a great deal of savings; the perfect way to keep cash in your pocket or the ideal way to donate to those you feel need it most.

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Jeff Acaits is a freelance writer who has previously covered personal finance matters including private student loans.

Photo courtesy of Free Web Photos

Rule #1 – Be open minded!
Don’t go shopping for a specific item because you probably won’t find it! If you go in looking for a size 8, black cocktail dress, you’ll likely come out empty handed. Instead, go in looking for a cocktail dress and look at sizes 6, 8 and 10 because alterations work miracles!

Rule #2 – Shop often!
Take the time to browse Goodwill and Thrift Stores regularly since the inventory changes daily! Remember, browse does not always mean buy! Consider your shopping excursions “treasure hunts” because you won’t always find a treasure! I promise, once you discover your first amazing deal…you’ll be hooked!

Rule #3 – Be friendly with employees!
Make friends with an employee, and you just might be able to get them to call you when a certain item comes in! This is especially true at consignment stores. My mother is a knitter, and one of her “friends” called her when 100+ skeins of yarn were donated and put on sale for 25¢ each! Being friendly might also help you bargain on the price!

Rule #4 – A bargain is only a bargain if you can use it!
Only buy items you absolutely LOVE! If you start buying items just because they’re a bargain, you’ll quickly run out of space!

Rule #5 – Use your imagination!
Look beyond the chipped paint or tarnished silver, and imagine what a good cleaning or fresh coat of paint will do! I have a friend that loves to brag about her $10 chair – it was a thrift store treasure that was in perfect condition, but it had very dated upholstery. Of course, she had to spend a bit on new fabric, but the chair now looks like something out of a designer magazine!

Rule #6 – Shop in upscale neighborhoods
Yes, you can find consignment shops and thrift stores in upscale neighborhoods, and this is where the treasures are waiting! Cocktail dresses abound in these stores because many of the woman in these neighborhoods attend charity functions regularly and will not wear the same dress twice! My teenage have a closet full of Polo and Jos. A. Bank khaki shorts all from Goodwill, all for $5!

Please click on the title of this article to let me know what treasures you have found when shopping thrift stores and consignment shops.

Why don’t you start a garden this weekend and save money on produce all summer long! Master gardener and author Stephanie Suesan Smith shares step by step instructions on planting a small container garden.

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Gardening can feed your family cheaper than buying produce at the supermarket. A few squash plants can feed an army, and so can a few tomato plants. However, the array of products pushed at would be gardeners is truly bewildering. It doesn’t have to be that way.
 
 
Photo courtesy of Free Web Photos
 
Essentials for Container Gardening

• Container – get one that measures one foot by one foot by two feet deep. That is a good size because it is big enough to keep the soil temperature relatively constant, give the plants room, especially for their roots, and you can still move it. You can put it on one of those stands with wheels if necessary to keep it mobile.
• Soil
• Fertilizer
• Water
• Plants or Seeds
• Sunlight – The sun exposure is not negotiable, vegetables do not product well with any less than six hours of sun a day.

 
Now that you have this big container, what do you put in it?
A mixture of 50/50 potting soil and compost works well. This keeps the soil loose and fertile. Be sure and wear a dust mask when pouring in the potting soil and compost into the pot — some people are susceptible to an airborne fungus sometimes found in such things.

Fertilizer
Fertilizers are not as complicated as they seem at first glance. All plants need nitrogen to grow. They also need phosphorus and potassium and a host of trace elements. Fertilizers replace what the plant takes out of the soil so it is there for the next plant. They also add nutrients to soil that doesn’t have what the plant needs. The needs of different plants differ. Tomatoes use one fertilizer, other plants use other ones. Just make sure that you read the label and only use a fertilizer if the vegetables you are growing are on it. Then follow the label directions and it will work.

Water
All plants need water, too. You want to keep the soil moist but not squishy.

Seeds
Seeds can come from many different places. The seeds at the supermarket or big box store are adequate for someone who just wants some fresh vegetables for their family. Nurseries and places such as Seed Savers Exchange have better quality seed, but it is somewhat more expensive. Buying seeds on sale at the end of one season to save for the next usually disappoints, however, as the germination rate is pretty low.

What can you grow in a square foot pot?
Square foot garden spacing:

• Large plants such as a tomato, squash or cucumber can grow one to a container. Trellis the vines up to save space.
• Medium plants such as lettuce can grow four to a container.
• Small plants such as beets and spinach can grow nine to a square.
• Very small plants such as onions and carrots can grow 16 to a square.

 
The founder of square foot gardening, Mel Bartholomew, claims a four by eight can feed a family of four for a year. I would not go that far, but it can significantly reduce your food costs after the initial purchase of supplies. In addition, SNAP (food stamps) can be used to purchase vegetable seeds and plants to grow food for your family. Studies have shown that children are more willing to eat vegetables they have grown, so this is also a way to develop good eating habits for your family.

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Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.D. is a master gardener, writer, photographer, and woodworker. You can find more gardening information at her blog, http://stephaniesuesansmith.com, or in her book, Preparing a Vegetable Garden From the Ground Up.

I just ordered a $40 Lowes gift card from PlasticJungle.com for only $37. My gift card will arrive in about a week…just in time to plant some spring flowers!

You’re probably saying, “it’s only a $3 savings”, but if you get in the habit of buying discounted gift cards to stores you normally shop or restaurants where you regularly dine…the savings will really add up!

Take a moment and think about your spring to-do list…(think, think, think)!

Do you need spring clothes for the kids?

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