Most of us have been there: filled with excitement while looking at the store receipt that says: “You save 80% off your purchase today.”  However, week after week goes by and our bank accounts are not going up by the same percentage.  This is a question I see asked often:  How do I translate the savings my grocery receipt shows into money in my savings account?  The answer resides in yourSELF.

SELF-Discipline

Let’s face it, most of us lack it.  Personally I can’t trust myself to make sure I stash the $100 I am supposed to have leftover from my budget at the end of the month into my savings account.  Chances are very good that I will find “something” to spend it on.  This is why I rely on automatic savings.  Instead of saving left over money from my budget, I put away money as soon as a paycheck hits my account and live on the leftover money.  Backwards thinking huh?  This is also the fastest way to start living below your means because you learn to live on less than what you make and save money.  So, how do yo get there?  You do it in baby steps.  Start with an amount you feel you won’t miss at all or only a little bit.  Start with $25 or $50 every paycheck.  The secret is to start.  Then you move on to the next step.

SELF-Motivation

Once you have created the habit of putting aside a set amount of money every paycheck, challenge yourself!  Start with $25 but don’t keep that amount forever.  Push yourself to even higher amounts.  Challenge yourself to start saving for multiple purposes: emergency fund, retirement, college savings, car fund, etc.

I am a bargain shopper. But I use coupons and shop bargains not just so that I can say “Look, I saved 70% or $x.xx, my receipt says so”  I am a bargain shopper so that I can say: “Look I saved $xx my bank account says so.”  If you have been looking for a way to translate your coupon savings  into actual savings in your bank account I highly encourage you to give automatic savings a try.  Start small but challenge yourself big.

I don’t know if it’s just me but I have noticed that a lot of merchants are heavily promoting after Christmas sales this year. It seems they are trying to appeal to our desire to save money during this economic situation by promoting day after Christmas discounts. But don’t be fooled they are still trying to get you to spend. Here are some things you may want to consider before you hit these “sales”:

• Don’t get sucked in the “clearance” game. At some point or another I have fallen for this one: “what if I don’t need it? It’s XX% off!” Only to buy something that sits collecting dust and never gets used. Talk about a serious waste of money. So yes, maybe the item is 75% off but if you don’t need it then you are just wasting your money. Think once and then think again if this item you are thinking of buying really is something you will use. If it isn’t then keep your money in your pocket.
• Hold on until the greater discounts. The truth is chances are that you may be able to find the same items that are on discount at 50% when they go on deeper discount at 75-90%. As much as I am really looking forward to shop the clearance sales (because I am, don’t get me wrong), I am waiting until they hit 75% off. This is mostly because the only thing I really need is wrapping paper and I know chances are pretty good that there will still be left over when the discount is 75%.
• Watch the register. Make sure you are getting the advertised sales discount. It can happen that a store has not marked down all of their items and even though you think you are getting a higher discount, you may be actually getting a lower one. Don’t trust what a sign or sticker may say, scan items for prices if the store has price scanners or make sure the price at the register is the right one.
• Check expiration dates: This is particularly important if you are thinking on stocking up on food that has been packaged for the holidays or food that you can only find during the holidays. Make sure to check the dates and that you get only enough to be used by that date.
• Check return policies. Many stores don’t allow returns on clearance items. Find out what the store’s policy is and consider this when you purchase something.

Have fun bargain hunting but make sure you don’t waste your money.

Yay! Halloween is over, let the real fun begin: Clearance Shopping! Halloween Clearance is not only limited to costumes and candy. Basically any item that has Halloween theme on it should go on clearance. Here are some things to be on the lookout for if you shop at a store like Target that carries a wide variety of Holiday Themed products:

* Paper Napkins
* Food storage like Ziploc bags or containers
* Paper Plates
* Puffs
* Orange and black plastic totes
* Clothes: check across the store for slippers, underwear, etc.
* Storage bags and containers
* Halloween Themed

Some more tips for shopping:

• Always price check (spot the closest price scanner to you). Don’t trust the price tag on the item. You may be surprised by a lower price.

• Don’t limit your search to the clearance section. Some times it takes time to get everything moved to that special section so you may miss out from some bargain.

• If you live in a very populated area, chances are that a lot of items won’t hit deep discounts. Because there’s more demand chances are people will buy items at lower discount rates of say 30-50% instead of waiting for 75-90% off. Keep this in mind if you really have an eye on something.

• Don’t be upset if you don’t find the same clearance items or discounts others are finding. Some stores are slower in marking down their stock and others may not mark them down at all but box up the items and send them back to the main warehouse.

I hope to find some really cheap costumes for my kids later this week. The ones I picked up for them last year have been a great source of entertainment all year long. Plus I didn’t have to buy any costumes this year as they wore what I bought for them at 75% off.

Share your clearance hunting tips or finds with us. Happy hunting!

These summer vacationing at home is what most families can afford to do.  Unfortunately, as most of you moms with one children or more can testify, staying at home usually means more cooking, more messes and more chores in general.  Why must the satisfaction of cleaning your home have to last so little?  According to a recent Clorox survey, over 60 percent of the Moms surveyed reported an increase in cleaning around the house as their families now spend more time at home. Cleaning my home is NOT how I want to spend this summer.  Mom Central got together with the MommyDocs and came up with a list of Five Tips for Summer Staycations to keep your family safe and your house cleaner during the summer months this year:

Staying Safe at BBQs. According to a recent survey, 70 percent of Moms are cooking more at home and many are likely switching up their meal routine with an outdoor BBQ. Make sure your kids have a safe BBQ experience by keeping them away from the flames and any sharp knives. Also, don’t forget to check that your child’s hamburger is fully cooked. Always keep a thermometer on hand to be sure all food has reached the appropriate inside temperature.

Keep the Pool Cool and Clean. If your kids love to spend hot afternoons in kiddie pools, you know the importance of cleaning the pool area. Dump out water after each session, and keep the pool clean by disinfecting it with a solution of ¾ cup bleach* to one gallon of water. Don’t forget to rinse well and dry thoroughly after each cleaning (never leave any water in the pool). Be sure to always supervise children when they are in or around any water.

Staying Healthy and Hydrated. Spending time in the heat means kids will be more prone to becoming dehydrated. Remind kids to take frequent rest/drink breaks in the shade when playing outside and try to avoid activity during peak sun hours. Encourage fluids before, during, and after outside activities.

Having Peace of Mind at Playgrounds. Sometimes just getting out of the house is the best way to keep it clean, but before letting kids loose at the playground, ensure the safety of the equipment. Swing seats and slides can really heat up in the sun – test them out before your kids hop on to avoid burns. Be sure the playground surface is composed of a soft material to help prevent injury. All playground equipment should be routinely checked for any broken or loose parts. As always, adult supervision is a must at all times!

Saving on Spills. Spending extra time around the house, especially with kids, often means more spills to clean up. Synthetic sponges and kitchen cloths can start to smell and carry bacteria, but you don’t have to toss them out after a few uses. One option to reduce bacteria is to sanitize sponges and dishrags by soaking them in a bleach solution (¾ cup of bleach* to a gallon of water) for 5 minutes in the sink. Don’t forget to rinse and dry when done. A wet sponge can also be microwaved to get rid of bacteria.

Do you Ebate?  Well, if you don’t I have a deal for you too good to pass on.  If you already use Ebates, this deal is also for you. Ebates is currently offering $5 for every friend you refer and starts using their service.  Not only will you get $5 but so will your friend.  On top of that, if you refer more than three friends, YOU and YOUR Friends will get $10 each instead of only $5.

But to get your referral fee, you need to get your friends to start using their service.  The great news is that right now there’s an easy and practically free way to get started on Ebates.  As I blogged last week, JCPenney is offering $10 off $10 or more purchase code.  What you can do if you are new to Ebates, and what you can share with your friends you would like to refer is:

Sign up for Ebates. Once you are signed up, select JCPenney as the first place you will shop online. When you are in the JCPenney website, select an item or items close to $10 in value.  Use the code GR8DAD to deduct $10 at checkout.  You will need to pay shipping which starts at $4.50 BUT, that’s easily covered by the Ebates Referral Fee.  Basically you are getting your JCPenney purchase for free, the referral fee covers the shipping and because you shopped through Ebates you will get 4% back on your purchase from Ebates.

I think that’s a pretty good deal and I want to thank Crystal, the Money Saving Mom, for spelling it out so well for us.  Want to learn more about Ebates and how it works?  Check out my initial post about it here.