Money-Saving Banking Tips

First-off, it is usually pretty easy to find a bank that will give you a "free" checking account, especially if you are willing to sign-up for direct deposit.  Don't pay for an account if you don't have to.  Be sure to check out your local credit union, too.  Sometimes they have the best deals.  You may even find a bank that will offer free checks, etc.  Shop around and don't be fooled by the "gifts" they offer if you open an account (a toaster, for example).  Having a free checking account or free checks will save you way more oney in the long run.

Most banks have no fee to use their own ATMs, but some even offer a limited number (per month) fees or will reimburse you for a limited number of fees (per month) when using another bank's ATM.  Make sure you understand the terms - for some banks, there is a specific "network" of banks in a program together where your fees will be forgiven while for other banks it may be for any ATM you choose.

Open a savings account for each child in your family and encourage them to put money away.  This will teach them great lessons about sacrifice and hard work as well as saving.  For very young children, any money they receive for birthday gifts should be deposited into the account immediately.  We also have a giant piggy bank in my daughter's room in which we deposit our daily pocket change.  When it fills up we deposit that money into her account.  It's a great way to save without thinking about it.

In addition to opening the accounts for the kids, you might want to think about having a certain sum of money directly deposited or automatically transferred into thier accounts each month.  Again...money you don't see (maybe $10 or $20 per month perhaps?) won't be missed. 

Is there anyone else you want to save for?  I've done this for my Goddaughter.  I decided that when she is older I will want to be able to give her a significant monetary gift when she graduates/gets married/buys a home.  Instead of worrying later where the money will come from, I opened an account in trust for her and started saving $10/month since she was little.  I don't miss the money because it is such a small amount, and it will be saved and ready to go when we need it (plus it will earn some interest over time).

Nowadays, savings accounts don't earn that much interest.  Although you may be required to open one, and keep a minimum amount of money in the account (mine is $5), consider opening a money market account.  These generally act similar to savings accounts but will earn more interest.

A Certificate of Deposit (CD) at your local bank is an ideal way to save money and make interest if you have money sitting in an account that you're not currently using.  This guarantees earnings and will typically earn more interest than a saving account.  You're in a great situation if you're saving a chunk of money for something specific and know what the timeframe will be (when you will need the money).  If you have money in a CD or have money to put in CD's at the bank, here's another tip...

Distribute money in as many accounts as you can (maybe in $1,000 increments), staggering their maturity dates. You won't have a large chunk of money stuck in a low-paying CD should interest rates increase, and you lock in the higher rates on some accounts if interest rates decrease.  Another benefit - should you have to tap into the CD before it's maturity date, you can close a couple small accounts if that's all you need, instead of closing one large account (this will save you money when paying the penalty).

Have a birthday or holiday coming up and don't know what to get for someone?  Think about getting a savings bond.  You will pay half the face value (a $50 bond will cost you $25).  These are especially great for kids because they will need to wait a while in order for it to earn interest.  Again, this is guaranteed earnings...the recipient will at least cash in for the amount you paid, or more if they don't cash it immediately.

Perhaps most imprtantly, be aware of how your accounts are set-up.  If the account is for a child, be sure the account is "in trust" for that child and that YOU (and your spouse or maybe that child's parent) are the trustees.  This means the child does not have access to the account (cannot withdraw from the account) but you can, and should anything happen to you, the money will go to that specific child. 

Also, be sure there is more than one name on all your accounts.  It is best for husband and wife (or child and parent) to have each other's names on all accounts, even if the accounts are used separately.  This will come in handy should someone pass away, the money will not go to probate court - where the spouse (or parent or child) will need to fight for it.  Since thier name is already on the account, they will have access to it.

Baby/Toddler Orajel Coupons (Teething Relief and Toothpaste)

Have your printer ready, these will print automatically when you click "HERE".

$1 off any One Baby Orajel Teething Pain Relief Product HERE

$1 off any Orajel Toddler Training Toothpaste Product HERE

$1 off any Baby Orajel Tooth & Gum Cleanser Product HERE

Reading Magazines on a Budget

You like to read magazines. Some cost alot...some don't. Either way, I ended up with some magazines someone gave me - a whole year's worth that they saved for something, then decided they didn't need them anymore. Redbook, Family Fun magazine, Parenting magazine...you get the idea. I took them off her hands and have been flipping through them.

Honestly, unless you're looking for the latest fashion trends, these articles don't "expire" that quickly. I read about family issues, relationship issues, kid's crafts, and recipes... even though the info was about a year old, it still seemed current.

Save yourself a few dollars (not to mention some trees) and ask around - find out what your friends, family, and neighbors are reading...and see if they are willing to pass their magazines on to you when they're done with them. I even put in a "Wanted" request on Freecycle.org and get magazines for free from someone local who is done reading them. Try it and let me know what you think.

Free Samples

Visit the Kotex website to choose your free sample pack.

If you are a loyal Kotex user, Walgreens has them (48ct-60ct boxes) on sale for 2/$7. They also have a $2 off coupon in their August coupon booklet (found as you walk into store...it will ring in twice because you are getting 2 boxes, no need to cut out 2 coupons). You can also use the $1.50 off 2 coupon found in this past Sunday's newspaper...ultimately you'll get both boxes for $1.50 (or $0.75 each)! A great deal!

Smaller is Not Always Less Expensive

So, I decided I wanted chocolate ice cream...(I don't usually prefer chocolate ice cream, but I guess pregnancy does weird things to me)...as I was doing my groceries at Market Basket, I decided that I would pick-up a "small" container of it, thinking I'd save money. After all, I probably would get sick of the chocolate ice cream if I had to eat a whole half-gallon because my husband doesn't like chocolate ice cream at all.

Well, the only "small" containers of chocolate available was Haagen-dazs. A pint was $2.99, vs a half-gallon of Hood or Market Basket Premium was $2.50. Guess which one I picked? The half-gallon, of course. Turns out to be a better decision than I thought. Not only did I save money, but my craving for it hasn't gone away yet...

Cheap or Free Movies at the Theatre!

Don't forget to check your local cinema to find cheap or free movies for kids during the summer...these are the 2 I know about:

AMC Theatre - They call is "Summer Camp". This will be the last week for this (Tuesday, Aug 10). 10AM there will be a mystery kid's movie showing for $1 admission (ticket price is same for kids and adults). Don't forget to get the Kid's Snack Pack...a small drink, kid-size, popcorn, and gummies...a better value than getting a small popcorn and regular drink.

Regal Cinemas - They call it "Free Family Film Festivals. 10am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Check your local thtre listings to find out what's playing. I believe these run through the 18th and 25th of August, and they're FREE!

Eating Out?

You can find coupons for pizza all over the place, but what about those Mom & Pop restuarants in your area? Check out restaurant.com, search your zip code, and try a new place to eat!

These gift certificates are printed just before you go, right off your computer, so there's no need to wait for the mail to come.

You can save if and only if you are frugal about what you spend. Check to see what the minimum is on the certificate, and be sure to spend JUST that amount. If you go crazy with appetizers and desserts, you'll find you didn't spend much of anything. In reality, if it's a $25 certificate off of $35, you should only be spending $15 or so at the end (depends if your alcoholic drinks are included, and this is before taxes).

As for other chains, make sure you keep your eyes open to see if they have a "club" you can join (for free) to earn points. T-Bones and Smokey Bones are a few I know of. For Smokey Bones, you can join their email club to ge coupons, but I'd join the rewards club too. You get a point for each dollar you spend and when you've reached 100/200 points, you will get a $10/$20 gift certificate towards your next dinner there!

At the very least, visit the websites of those restaurants you like to visit and sign up for their email list. Most will occasionally send you coupons, especially on your birthday (so have diffent members of your family sign-up so you get coupons throughout the year!).

Happy eating out!

Coupons Galore!

Get your coupons from more than just the Sunday newspaper... visit these websites to get in on all the action...

www.coupons.com
www.SmartSource.com
www.RedPlumm.com
www.RightAtHome.com
www.valpak.com
www.pgeverydaysolutions.com

You can also visit specific brands websites for coupons on their products. Just search for the brands you buy week after week to see if they offer coupons on the items you use.

Savings at Walgreens and BJ's

Please be aware that some stores, including Walgreens and BJ's allow you to use one of their coupons in addition to a manufacturer coupon for the same item - that's double the savings! Thanks to a tip I found on moneysavingmom.com, I just went to Walgreens and bought 3 boxes of Huggies wipes (72ct) for $0.97 each! I used the Walgreens 15% off "Friends and Family" coupon, another Walgreens $1 off 1 box of Huggies coupon (which they automatically ring in as $1 per box ($3 total) and a $2.50 off 3 boxes of Huggies manuafacturer coupon from SmartSource.com.

I usually go to BJ's and buy the 616ct box of Luvs wipes for $12.99 minus their $3 coupon, and sometimes minus a $1 or $2 manufacturer coupon with that.

These 2 deals come out the the same ultimate price (actually, without a Luvs manufacturer coupon at BJ's the Huggies deal was better at Walgreens). Either way, a steal over paying full price for wipes normally, even at Walmart's low price.

My suggestion is to stock up on Huggies during the great deal (see moneysavingmom.com for more details and to get your hands on the coupons you'll need, along with other great deals) and when you run out of Huggies, grab hold of your BJ's coupon book and go for the Luvs. In my opinion, Huggies are better wipes than Luvs, but I'd take Luvs over the Sesame Street wipes at the Dollar Store anyday (those are too rough).

If you know of other stores that honor store coupons AND manufacturer coupons, let me know so we can share!

NH & MA Local Events and Deals

Looking for something fun to do with the family? Check out your local Parks and Recreation website for free local events.

For southern NH (Nashua area) you might try: GoNashua.com

For Boston I found: Free Fun Fridays

Boston also offers inexpensive swan boat rides in Boston Common, and across the street at the Public Garden you can walk through Frog Pond (a wading pool) and ride on the carousel nearby.

Search for zoos in your local area - there are so many more near me than I thought until I started looking - and check their website for a coupon! Don't forget York's Animal Kingdom in York, Maine (see their website for $2 per admission ticket)
and
Southwick's Zoo in Acton, MA (look on their website to find a coupon or buy 1 get 1 free admission for residents of surround states on certain days).

Local playgrounds and parks are a great place for yours kids to burn energy this summer. Go to your town's Parks & Recreation website and look for a listing of parks, and do the same for surrounding towns. If you live in or around Nashua, click HERE. You could find a hidden jewel you never knew existed! (I did.) This is a treat for the kids and gives everyone a new place to play. We even found a playground near a pond where many ducks and geese hang out. My daughter thought it was GREAT! Playing in the backyard is ok, but discovering something new and helping your children enjoy the outdoors can create memories to come.

Start With the Basics

Groceries. Everyone needs them. NOT everyone needs brand-name items. Coupons are great, but if you compare carefully, you might find, like I did, that many store-brand items are less expensive than brand name items, even when using coupons. I'll admit...there are certian items I just can't go generic on. Q-tips, for instance. I've tried the generics, but just can't stand them. BUT for most things, especially ingredients that will be mixed together to make a meal, generic is the way to go. Would you really know the difference between the store-brand flour and a name-brand flour? This goes for lots of items. My best recommendation would be to buy the store-brand version of all items and at least give them a try. THEN decide if you are ok with it or not. The flavor may not be the same, but you might find it to be good. You may think you're "only" saving $10 or $20 a week, but when you add it up over a year's time, it REALLY makes a difference.

With this idea comes my other thoughts. Don't go chasing sales at different stores. Yes, you could save money in the long-run, but I'd rather save my time. Pick the local store that is less expensive OVERALL. Maybe a couple items are more expensive or the same, but if MOST of the items are less expensive, it's worth it. These are the grocery stores you probably hate to shop at - because they're small and crowded and not as fancy-looking. It's ok. Go on different days and times until you find a time that is not nearly as busy. You might even find a way to take "grocery shopping" off you weekend to-do list. More time (and money) to spend with your family.

Welcome to My Blog!

When I was a teenager, I had a sense for saving money, but if I wanted something, I bought it, and didn't necessarily search for the beat deal. Now that I have a home and family, it's a more sensitive issue. Seems like I only purchase something after researching the best value for my money and checking to see if I have a coupon for it. At first glance, it may seem like a waste of time, or at the very least, a pain in the behind. BUT, I have to admit, I feel great afterwards, knowing I got the best deal I could. Spending needlessly makes me feel awful...like throwing food away. It's such a waste. Why give someone else my hard-earned money if I can get the same item or a similar item for less $$? In this blog I want to share some thoughts I have and some great deal finds. Many will apply to NH and MA because that's the area I'm from, but you might be able to apply the same principles in finding your own local deals. To thank you for following my blog, I'd like to start by turning you on to some great money-saving websites, which you may already be aware of...try checking out Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org. You can find lots of great deals or even free items that can come in handy...it's like an online yardsale...one person's trash is another person's treasure! Why pay full price for brand new, when you can buy it used and clean it up to make it look like new?!? I have especially used this theory regarding baby/toddler toys, gear, and clothes. I figure they will grow out of it in a few months anyway, so why do you need it to be new? Most people selling their items have only used them a few months, so they are practically new anyway. Besides...when you go to pick up the items, you have the option to change your mind if you decide it's not what you wanted, or not as described (not in good working order). Saving your money by using these sites will allow you spend it in a way that really counts...paying bills, taking the family out for the day, or going for a massage. Doesn't that sound nice? Oh - and an extra bonus - if you need to de-clutter, these sites are a great place to list items and maybe even make a few dollars. Either way, whether you're buying or selling, you can feel good about recycling.