The Budget Diet

Here I am (again)…your FREE personal organizer with your checklist for February!

Check you calendar!
Any birthday gifts or birthday cards you need to send? How about anniversaries? Plan ahead for all those special events by putting together a Greeting Card Organizer!

Super Bowl Party?
What are you serving or what are you taking to your Super Bowl Party? I’ve put together a Super Bowl Party Menu (aka Man Food!) that’s full of frugalicious and fast favorites.

Valentine’s Day
Don’t let Valentine’s Day sneak up on you! Be a “Budget Cupid” and order discounted gift cards or Groupons now, so you can save at favorite stores and restaurants. How about saving on your Valentine’s dinner – 11% off at Maggianos, 12% off at Morton’s Steakhouse, 15% off at McCormick and Schmick’s, 9% off at P.F. Chang’s and 11% off at The Cheesecake Factory. You’ll also find discounted gift cards to your favorite movie theatre, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret and more!

 
Spring Break Travel Plans?
It’s time to make Spring Break travel plans! In the spirit of budget travel, why don’t you take a good old-fashioned road trip? Have a family meeting, decide where to go, and let each family member plan a day of the trip (from meals to activities to lodging)! It’s a great way to please everyone and save money! Another option, find a Groupon Getaway to cure your spring fever! Groupon Getaways update each Tuesday, and these great deals can always be found on the right side of this page.

February is a great time to buy…
Bicycles
Boats
Home Theatre & Big Screen TV’s
Video Games
Wedding – plan an off-peak wedding and save!
 
Thanks FreeShipping.org for sharing your Best Buy Guide!

Weekly Challenge – Here’s to an organized 2012!

Your FREE personal organizer (that’s me!) is here to help you get off to an organized start in 2012! If your new year’s resolution had anything to do with saving money or getting organized, The Budget Diet girl is here to help!

Save Money!

A new year is the perfect time to take a look at your financial situation, and update your budget! If you don’t have a written household budget, try my budget basics! It’s a simple fill in the blank worksheet, so you’ll know exactly how much you have left to spend on food and fun! If your new year’s resolution is to save money, you don’t want to miss these articles:

• Cut Your Spending By $11 a Day and Save $4000 a Year
• Let’s Go on a Budget Diet
• If You Could Share Just One Money Saving Tip, What Would It Be?
• Resolution Solution – Reduce Your Bills

 
Get Organized!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could wave a magic wand, and all your Christmas decorations would be put away, nice and neat, labeled and ready for next year? There’s no magic wand, but you can save yourself a lot of time by organizing your decorations as you put them away. Follow these three simple rules for putting away Christmas decorations:

• Use clear plastic bins and label clearly!
• Roll each strand of lights and put in a plastic grocery bag to prevent tangling.
• Make a box of decorations that you no longer want and drop them off at Goodwill.

If you need tips to organize more than just your Christmas decorations, Organize My Life in 10 Short Days will get you off to a great start this new year!
 
Save Time and Money

Delegate, delegate, delegate! Let this be your motto for 2012, and you’ll enjoy more free time!

Let’s start by delegating some of your housework! Our family tradition is to hold a chore lottery on New Year’s day. I come up with a list of chores, write each one on a scrap of paper, put the scraps of paper in a jar & let the children choose their chores for the year. Here’s a list of chores that my children have been helping me with for years.

How would you like to take a night off from cooking? Let your children do the cooking (and cleaning) and enjoy your night off. It’s a great way for your kids to learn to cook!
 
Christmas Receipts and Instruction Books

Take a moment to staple your receipts to instruction books for toys, electronics or any gadget that has a warranty. Next, put them in your file cabinet in a folder labeled “warranties”, so you’ll know exactly where to find then when something is broken. If you need to tackle your file cabinet chaos, take a look at these file cabinet organization tips.
 
Check Your Calendar

Any birthdays, anniversaries or parties this month? If you plan ahead, you’ll save money!
 
Shopping Calendar

Thanks to the folks at FreeShipping.org for sharing their Best Time to Buy Guide! January is one of those months when retailers are clearing out, so take advantage of the savings if you need:

• Big Appliances
• Bicycles
• Calendars
• Carpet and Flooring
• Furniture
• Linens and Bedding
• Office Furniture
• Outdoor Gear
• Suits
• Video Games
• Wrapping Paper

 
January is also a great month to buy discounted gift cards! Did you know that according to the USA Today, 30% of Americans still have gift cards that are over a year old? More and more people are discovering that they can sell their unwanted gift cards, and YOU CAN ENJOY THE SAVINGS! $100 gift cards for as low as $70 to purchase brand name products at your favorite stores! PlasticJungle -Buy, sell & trade gift cards

Your free personal organizer, aka The Budget Diet girl, is always at your service with tips to help you keep your new year’s resolution!

Do you think you could go an entire week without paying full price for anything? Don’t pay full price for groceries, gas, clothes, haircuts, restaurants…you get the idea!

Of course, this money saving mom won’t leave you stranded, I’ll give you some tips to get started, and I’ll publish my savings each day. The challenge will officially begin next Monday, June 27th and end on Sunday, July 3rd.

Money Saving Tips

Buy Discounted Gift Cards – Think about what you need to buy next week, and then visit PlasticJungle.com to save up to 35%! . You can always find discounted gift cards for restaurants and retail stores, and if you’re lucky…you’ll find discounted gift cards that you can use for groceries and gas! Make sure to order these today because they take about 1 week to arrive in the mail.


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Shopping Online? – The Budget Diet girl has a 3-step plan to save money whenever you shop online.

1. Use Coupon Codes – Get in the habit of always finding a coupon code to save on your online purchases. Whenever you’re checking out online, you’ll always notice a little box that says “coupon code” or “promotional code”…don’t leave it blank! A simple internet search may yield big savings.
2. Check Price Comparison Sites – Websites like NextTag will compare prices on your item, so you can choose the best deal. Don’t skip this step!
3. Use Ebates – Always go to Ebates.com first to see if they offer cash back for the online store that you are shopping. Ebates offers cash back for thousands of stores! I just started using Ebates a few months ago, and I’ve already earned nearly $20!

 
Save on Groceries – if you’re not already clipping coupons and reading the sale ads, this might be a great week to start! Take a look at 2 ways to save money on groceries:

1. Buy Store Brands – As a general rule, if you buy store brands you will save about 25%! Try switching to store brands this week, and you’ll reduce your grocery bill without having to clip coupons!
2. Try The Grocery Game – If you have about an hour a week to plan meals and clip coupons, The Grocery Game will yield big savings. Sign-up for a free trial.

Save on Gas – With the price of gas at over $4 a gallon, it’s time to get serious about gas savings! If your grocery store offers a gas rewards program make sure you’re taking advantage of it! At Kroger, for every $100 you spend, you’ll earn 10¢ off per gallon for 1 fill-up. Another great gas savings option is GasBuddy.com. Simply enter your zip code to locate the cheapest gas in your area.

Save at Restaurants – There is no reason to ever pay full price for a restaurant meal! Discounted gift cards are always available for restaurants and sites like Groupon frequently offer restaurant deals.

Prescriptions – If you don’t ask your doctor if there is a cheaper option, you’ll never know! Learn about the 5 Ways to Save Money on Prescriptions.

Save on Pet Supplies - Pet treats, pet food, pet prescriptions can add up fast! If you’re still buying your pet prescriptions at the vet, you’re paying way too much!

 
 
 
 
 
Save on Clothes – The Budget Diet girl always suggests starting your clothes shopping spree at Goodwill or a thrift store, but if you must make a visit to the mall…please follow my 3 rules to save money!

Save on Home Improvement – Rarely does a week go by that I don’t have to make a trip to Lowes or Home Depot for something. Discounted gift cards are always available for home improvement stores, so make sure you always have one in your wallet for a quick 7% savings!
Home Depot – $50.00 gift card for just $46.50

This challenge will not be easy, and there will be times when you just have to do without. If you can’t find a discounted Starbuck’s gift card then you might just have to brew your own! Remember, patience pays – STOP, THINK, SHOP!

Consider the category list on the left side of this page your money saving “cheat sheet”. If you’re having a birthday party this week, click on the party index and discover how to throw a party for less. If you need to buy a gift this week, click on gifts and save! The Budget Diet girl can show you how to save money on just about anything!

Good luck and please click on the title of this article to share your money saving success stories!

A visit from my Uncle Moto proved to be a lesson in living a simple life. Let me first introduce you to my Uncle, and then I’ll share his philosophy on life!

Single White Male (never married)
Age: 74
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Occupation: retired

Got the picture? Now here’s how he lives a simple life:

No Cell Phone
Our first glimpse into his simple life was when he arrived at the airport, and we remembered that he didn’t have a cell phone. Moto’s philosophy, how important can it really be?
 
 
No Car
His cowboy boots are made for walkin’, and that’s exactly how he gets around. He’s not worried about rising gas prices!

No Cable TV or Satellite Dish
He believes in keeping his mind active by reading books and newspapers.

Computer?
He says he has one, but I’m guessing it’s barely used and still runs Windows 98!

Stress Level?
Happy, stress-free and debt free!

Moto’s life is like a scene from the 1950′s! Life in the 1950′s did not include cell phones or cable TV, and most families got by with just one car. Life was cheaper then, and Moto is on a mission to keep it that way!

Have you ever really thought about how much your family spends on electronics every month? Your weekly challenge is to add up your cell phone bill, cable or satellite bill and internet bill. If you are in debt and need to save money, maybe you should simplify your life and take a break from our wired world. Currently, we pay $250 a month for those luxuries vs. $57 in 1990 – makes me wish for a retro budget!

I’m not advocating that we all give up our cars, cell phones and cable tv, but there is something to be said for living a simple life!

Aren’t there days when you yearn for peace and quiet? Sadly, it takes a power outage to really get a break! We live in a wired world. Our lives are constantly interrupted by e-mails, phone calls and text messages. We’re lured by the computer to check the latest new happenings, sports scores, weather updates and e-mails. Although it’s nice to have access to constant information and instant updates, we’ve added to our stress level by never having a moment of rest and relaxation.

Remember when a vacation really used to be a vacation? You would give family and friends the phone number of the hotel for emergency purposes!

Don’t you have moments when you wish you were June Cleaver?

Did you know that planning ahead is an essential money saving tool? Planning ahead allows you to save time and money (and your sanity)!

The Budget Diet girl (a.k.a. your free personal organizer) is here again with a checklist to help you plan ahead for April.

Check Your Calendar
Check your calendar and start planning ahead for any big events this month like birthdays, anniversaries or weddings. Take a moment and order discounted gift cards to buy these gifts, and you’ll save up to 30%! Remember, discounted gift cards take about 1 week to arrive!


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spring Cleaning?
What is it about April that makes us want to clean, organize and weed out? Get motivated to organize your closet by reading 5 Easy Steps to An Organized Closet or Weed Out Your Wardrobe (my personal favorite!) Cleaning out more than just closets? Learn how to clean out and make money!

Easter Decorations & Easter Treats
If you need some festive Easter decorations, my favorite stores for inexpensive holiday decor are Homegoods, T.J. Maxx or Marshalls!

What are you serving for Easter dinner? Start planning ahead, so you have time to clip coupons…don’t forget coupons for Easter candy!

Vacation anyone?
If you’re ready to plan your summer vacation, don’t miss “The Best Time to Go Guide”. You’ll discover the high and low season for 70 popular destinations including: Alaska, Bahamas, Boston, California, Cancun, Disneyworld, Europe, Hawaii, Las Vegas, New York, Sante Fe, Washington D.C. and many more!

Shopping Calendar: April is a great time to buy…

• cookware – perfect for college grads or newlyweds!
• electronics – most new models come out in the spring, so strike a bargain on last year’s model!
• sneakers
• office furniture
• snowblowers
• vacuums
• cruises – the weather is beautiful, & we’re in between spring break and summer vacations!
• fruits: sorry…this is not the best month for fruit!
• vegetables: artichokes, asparagus, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, greens, potatoes, sweet onions

 
Thanks to my friends at FreeShipping.org for keeping us up to date on the best buys each month!

Weekly Challenge – Organize Kids Artwork!

If you’re a mom with little kids, you know exactly what I’m talking about when I say “artwork overload”!

Your kitchen counter is piled high with preschool artwork, but you just can’t throw any of  it away.  Here’s a solution…create an art gallery in a hallway, laundry room or any room that needs to be “cheered up”.

Option #1: Inexpensive Frames
Use inexpensive frames for your gallery! Frames from Michael’s cost about $5 with a coupon. Mom will have to be in charge of rotating the artwork.

Option #2: Mount on Black Poster Board
Mount all artwork on black poster board for an inexpensive professional look. This option also requires Mom to do the mounting and rotating of the artwork.

Option #3: Magnetic Primer
Paint magnetic primer on a wall followed by your favorite paint color. Guess what? This entire wall is a giant magnetic board with room for lots and lots of artwork! This option also allows your children to hang their own artwork.

Option #4: Clothes Pins & A Rope
Secure the ends of a rope to the wall and use clothes pins to attach artwork. Another easy option for your children to take charge of!

Option #5: Grandparents Gallery
Get in the habit of sending artwork to grandparents (especially around the holidays) to brighten their home and put a smile on their face!

Now…go brighten up a room or hallway in your home this week!

If you have a clever solution to artwork overload that you’d like to share…please click on the title of this article to leave a comment. Thanks!

Image: Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Budget Diet,

Happy Birthday to you!

~~~~~~~

The Budget Diet has been sharing money saving tips with you for a year, and I hope you’ve learned a few tricks of the frugal living world!

Please help celebrate The Budget Diet’s birthday by sharing one of your favorite Budget Diet articles with a friend! (Just click the “tell a friend” button at the bottom of any article!)

Thanks and Happy Saving!

Weekly Challenge – Find your unused gift cards!

According to The New York Times, nearly $5 billion in gift cards goes unused each year! That’s right, $5 BILLION! That’s a lot of wasted money!

So, if gift cards are supposed to be the perfect gift, why aren’t we using them? In a Time Magazine survey, 27% of people had an unused gift card because…

• They had no time to shop.
• They couldn’t find anything they wanted.
• They forgot about the gift card!

 
Maybe gift cards aren’t the perfect gift after all!

How much of that $5 billion is sitting around your house? I’ll wait while you take a moment to go dig through your drawers and go dig though your wallet because there’s money to be found!

Now that you’ve found a few lost and lonely gift cards, what are your options?

• Use the gift card! Plan a gift card only shopping spree!
• Regift the gift card if it’s never been used.
• Sell or trade the gift card! It’s gift card selling season!

 
If you’re a bargain shopper, these unwanted gift cards are a treasure just waiting to be found! Get in the habit of checking Plastic Jungle each week and stock up on gift cards for your favorite stores. As of today, you could buy a Macy’s $25 gift card for $22.25 (11% savings) or how about a $50 Bath & Body Works card for $43.50 (13% savings).

Let’s put an end to the gift card madness and save the billions of wasted dollars! Let’s find homes for all the unused gift cards in the world!