The Budget Diet

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.

~~~~~~~

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.

T.J. Maxx is located right next door to my daughter’s dance studio, so I often spend an hour browsing the T.J. Maxx bargains!

Let me tell you, if walk up and down every aisle at T.J. Maxx, you just might be amazed that the deals exist far beyond the clothing racks! Stores like T.J. Maxx are the secret to living the good life on a budget!

20 Great Things You Can Find at T.J. Maxx and probably never thought of!

1. Chi Hair Products (not the flat irons, just the shampoos and conditioners!)
2. Pet Beds
3. Skincare Products – yes, you can afford high end skincare at T.J. Maxx!
4. Fitness Balls, Yoga Mats and Weights
5. Workout Outfits
6. Undergarments to help you suck it in like Spanx at a reasonable price!
7. Skechers Shape-Ups toning shoes
8. Purses
9. Calphalon Pots and Pans
10. Dishes
11. Glasses
12. Gourmet Food Items like pasta, pasta sauce, soup mixes, coffee and salsa.
13. Scrapbook Paper and Kits
14. Notecards and Stationery
15. Accessories – an inexpensive way to add a decorative touch to your home! Don’t miss their seasonal decor!
16. Furniture – especially chairs and small tables
17. Artwork
18. Mirrors
19. Throw Pillows – a quick and inexpensive pick me up for a tired sofa!
20. Sheets – yes, you can afford Egyptian cotton!
21. Towels
22. Children’s Toys and Books
23. Baby Gifts
24. DVD’s
25. i-homes and other accessories for i-pods (my daughter told me to add this one!)

 
Please click on the title of this article to share your T.J. Maxx bargains!

Ever since the invention of co-ops and wholesale purchasing, consumers have been using the power of group buying to get great discounts on products they use everyday. Now that we’ve entered the internet age, finding ways for consumers to group together to create buying power has gotten even easier with sites like Groupon. Groupon is a site that offers daily deals on products and services in your area. If enough people agree to use the discount, everyone gets the deal. Sounds easy, right? Here’s how it works.

1) Sign up
It should come as no surprise that the first thing you need to do is sign up. Subscribe to Groupon’s Daily Deals. You’ll need to provide your location and a few other details, like your email address. Filling out as much of your account as possible will ensure that you are getting deals that are personalized and tailored to your needs.

2) Get Daily Deals
Once you’ve signed up, you’ll start receiving daily emails about businesses in your area who are giving away deals to people who opt-in. These discounts are usually at least 50% off, and can be up to 90% off, the regular price. The catch is that a certain number of people have to opt-in to the deal in order to get the discount. Once the minimum number of people opt-in to the deal, the deal is good for 24 hours or until the item or service is sold out.

3) Get Your Voucher
After you’ve opted in to a deal and the group number has been met, you’ll get an email with instructions on how to redeem your product or service. Usually, it comes in the form of a printable voucher, but it can also be a phone number or other means of contacting the seller.

4) Gifting
One of the great things about Groupon is that you don’t have to buy items for yourself. Groupon has an easy “buy it for a friend” button you can use to buy the item then send the voucher, product, or service to someone else. This can be great for birthdays, Christmas, special occasions, or just for fun, but you have to be on top of the deals in order to take advantage of them.

In this economy, we could all use discounts on great products and services. If you want to get those discounts, sign up for Groupon today and start saving money.

~~~~~~~

About the author: Diane Johnson primarily writes about online education, pell grants, and anything else that interests her. She enjoys traveling, reading, sledding, and shopping.

Save Your Money – Try an Online Children’s Clothing Swap or Toy Swap

Imagine going online and picking a box of gently used toys or children’s clothing for just $5 plus shipping! What’s the catch? All you have to do is list a box of gently used toys or children’s clothing – it’s a SWAP!

If you haven’t entered the world of online clothes and toy swapping, you’re missing out on huge savings! Did you know that the average family saves $569 a year by swapping children’s clothing online with thredUP

Intrigued?

Here’s how it works…

• Join ThredUP kids clothing swap (it’s FREE)
• Shortly after you join, you’ll receive your boxes for shipping – they’re medium flat rate USPS boxes.
• Browse the boxes on ThredUp.com and pick one! They are neatly organized by size and gender, and the average box has 15 pieces of clothing!
• Once you’ve picked a box, pay just $5 plus shipping. Shipping is always $10.95!
• Your box should arrive within the week, and it will be so much fun to see everything inside!
• Now it’s your turn to list a box, after all, it is a swap! There has to be a little give and take, and you need to get rid of some stuff!
• When someone chooses your box, print the shipping label and give the box to your postman! You don’t pay a thing!

 
Once you discover how much fun it is to swap boxes, you may want to become a pro member. Pro members ($5 monthly fee) receive a couple of really big perks…

1. Pro Members receive first dibs on all boxes listed!
2. Pro Members are the only members that can choose a Golden Thred Box which is filled with brand new clothing from the retailer of the month!

Thankfully, ThredUp.com has kept the swap simple because their members are busy moms! You never have to take photos of your items, just write descriptions and follow their golden rule: “send only what you are willing to receive.” Even better, you don’t have to wait in the post office line, just request a pick-up!

Start saving money today, start swapping!

Baby expenses can be overwhelming! Thanks to Lauren for sharing these tips, so you can save your money!

Guest post written by Lauren Dzuris. Lauren runs FindMyCarSeat, an Infant Car Seat website
that can help new parents find a great car seat while giving them tips and advice on everything from pregnancy to parenting.

~~~~~~~

We don’t realize how expensive a baby will be until they are actually here. Between the cost of diapers, formula, their whole nursery set, and all the odds and ends, we
spend a pretty penny. Although, they are of course worth every one! If you’re expecting a baby in the near future, there are several ways to cut the costs on your newborn’s supplies. Baby expenses can add up, but there are definitely ways to save your money. Need some ideas? Continue reading below!

Baby shower: First of all, I think the best thing you can do to save money is have a baby shower. When people know there is a baby coming, they are usually more than generous to help you out. You’d be surprised as to what people will get you!

Compare: Shop online, and always compare the prices of things you want. For example, our baby will need diapers for the next few years, so see what the cheapest alternative for that is. Also, look online to see sales ads and to compare what each store has the price for.

Garage sales: Garage sales are amazing for finding good deals! What you’ll want to do is find a subdivision that has a lot of children, and look for garage sales in that neighborhood. You will be surprised at all the clothes, toys, play yards, strollers, etc.

Friends and family: If you know someone that has children and is done having children, ask if they can help you out by letting you borrow baby items.
Friends and family are always willing to let you use their baby’s old items especially since they are no longer being used!

Resale shop: Resale shops are great! You can find great baby items that are barely used for just a few bucks if that! Yes, they may be used, and you may think that it’s “gross” to use these for your baby, but that’s why we disinfect the toys, and wash the clothes!

Having a baby can be very expensive if you don’t consider these tips. Although it’s nice to buy your baby some nice new things, they really don’t’ need all their outfits and toys to be new and name brand. You’ll be surprised how fast your baby will go through the clothes and toys which is exactly why it’s easy to find so many gently used baby items!