Get a free 8-ounce Coffee Freddo at Peet’s Coffee Friday, Aug. 7, 2009 from 2-3 p.m. only. There are two types of Freddo drinks, cafe or mocha, but basically they are a blended drink with coffee, milk and ice.
See details here, though no coupon is needed. Find a Peet’s near you.
Caveats: excludes airport, grocery, and BART locations. One per person. No rainchecks.
I was watching a young woman juggle six pins on the street when she paused her act to tell us she was a UCLA student trying to make ends meet. It occurred to me that everyone, everyone, was doing something extra to survive.
Here was this talented girl hustling for a few extra bucks. She wasn’t a polished entertainer – too self conscious and meek – but her day’s haul would pay for next semester’s books. If she bought used.
I started to think of the things I have done to save (read: fight the fear I won’t have enough money).
In June I babysat. In July I went on a spending moratorium. This month I am planning to cover my bicycle seat in duct tape so I don’t have to buy a new one.
No one will say this, but I know what they are thinking.
“Really? You’re not even going to spend $35 on a new seat?”
“No. Why should I when can I do it myself with materials I already own?”
Call me frugal, self-reliant, or financially hyper-efficient. Or a cheapskate hoarding her dollars while the economy shrivels.
But I would rather annoint my beater bike with a homemade silver seat than lose $35 for one that matches everyone else’s.
What are you doing to stay ahead? Leave a comment or share a photo.
Live in Los Angeles? Check out these deals on BargainBabeLA.com, my new site for saving money.
School supplies deals free to $.25 at Office Depot, shared by RebeccaQuinn.
Dodger tickets $7, shared by bargainbabe.
Penny enchiladas at El Torito’s every Thur after 4pm, shared by alexatbargainbabe.
Eat free at Benihana on your birthday, shared by Meital.
Free Sean Paul concert August 11, added by jlowe.
35-cent cocktails at the Edison happy hour every Friday, shared by bargainbabe.
BargainBabeLA.com is NOT a blog and there is NO email list. Instead, you visit the site when you want to share a deal – yes, I repeat, you can SHARE a deal on BargainBabeLA.com. Takes about 4 minutes and is fairly self-explanatory, but if you have questions email me.
Get 10% off most items at Staples during their customer appreciate week Aug. 9 – 15, 2009. Print the coupon here.
Caveats: excludes personal computers, stamps, gift cards, and phone cards. No price matching, one per person, no credit/cash back, cannot be used in conjunction with Staples Rewards.
Jetblue is celebrating reaching 1,000,000 Twitter followers with a 20% off promo code for flights through October 31. But you must book the tickets TODAY, Wednesday Aug 5!
Use promo code MLNTH09 and book your fare (one way or RT) on this page to get the deal. Some caveats.
For weekly flight deals, follow Jetblueon Twitter @jetbluecheeps.
I said farewell to my spending moratorium a few hours early on Friday, July 31 with $.35 cocktails and free mini-grilled cheese sandwiches at the Edison. It was definitely one of the best happy hours I’ve been to and very schmancy. Short dresses and heels were standard.
Since my July spending moratorium is done, I’ve been spending a LOT. In just four days I’ve racked up a $230. 23 tab for coffee, lunch out, postage, cash, candy, beer, gas, groceries, and tips. But some of my moratorium habits have stuck with me.
- One of the most challenging things about the moratorium was eating on the go. Not being able to buy a quick meal, I started packing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which don’t have to be refrigerated for a few hours. This saved me so much money – and time – that I still pack pb & j when I’m going to need a meal on the road.
- Go the distance for free/cheap parking. I popped into a parking garage yesterday and gagged at the rates – $2.50 for 12 minutes. IN. SANE. I drove two blocks and found meters for $1 an hour. It’s almost silly how close free/cheap parking is from overpriced garages. Drive a few blocks towards the outskirts – don’t circle the main drag – and you’ll be surprised at your options. It’s worth the walk.
If you joined me in the moratorium, how did you do?
If you missed my previous posts about my spending moratorium, here’s a blow by blow account of my experiment.
Going on a spending moratorium?
Votes are in! Bargain Babe goes on a spending moratorium
Spending moratorium starts Wednesday
Moratorium meet up: happy hour on $0?
Moratorium happy hour: an update
Moratorium broken for a third time
I’m not spending. Hubby is. Is our total spending any less?
Get $5 off a purchase of $25 or more in store at Walgreens Aug. 5 and 6, 2009 only. Print the coupon here. Some caveats.
Get $5 flat shipping and coupons for 40% off at Jo-Ann’s through Aug. 15, 2009. And get 60% off your custom framing order!
The Dog.com clearance section has deals up to 90% off.
Get free shipping at JC Penney when you spend $49 or more and use code 27HUGE. Ends Aug. 8, 2009.
Thanks, Fred!
I hate cutting my hair. Why spend money on something that is immediately going to grow out? But my hair is so ridiculously long and tangly that it’s time. There are many options for cheap cuts that I wrote about a few months ago, refreshed for you below.
- Do it yourself. Consider trying snipping your own locks if you want a simple cut or are extremely adventurous. I figure if I mess it up I can always run to Supercuts, lesson learned. eHow.com has a cautious 7-step overview. Howtodothings.com shares a free 12-step guide to cutting your own hair. Or you can pay $20 for a detailed guide to home cuts. A variation on this is having a trusted friend cut your hair.
- Look for specials. Many salons offer first-time customer discounts that can really pay off. One near my home charged $20 for a cut that normally costs $60. Of course, these deals rarely include blow dry and styling, but that’s fine by me.
- Turn to the almost-professionals. Yes, folks, I’m talking about students. Hair cutting schools across the country offer low-cost cuts that are often less than $15. Students lack experience, but they are eager to please. After all, you are a potential client once they graduate and get a job. Why not consider a student for a trim or basic cut? You can test them out without great risk. When you want to make a dramatic change, go to someone with more experience.
- Host a hair cutting party. This is easiest if you already know a stylist who is looking for business. Invite over friends who also want to get their hair cut and negotiate a discounted rate ahead of time based on volume. You may be able to get 20% off or more per person, especially if you can pay in cash.
- Find high-end salons that offer classes for professionals who want to learn a new skill. You can sign up to be a “hair model” for them to work on at a fraction of the cost these folks would normally charge. Sometimes it is free. I used to get cuts through the hair model program at Bumble & Bumble in NYC. For $10 or $20 I got fabulous cuts overseen by a B&B instructor. Only bad thing was that the cuts took two hours (every snip had to be approved) and they were scheduled on weekday afternoons. Looks like the program is free these days and includes styling and coloring! Next time I’m in NYC…
Here are a few online resources to find beauty schools near you.
Some friends in Portland, OR have four pet chickens that lay about as many fresh eggs as poops in their backyard. I was curious if raising chickens saved them money so I asked them to break it down for me.
On a monthly basis they pay…
Pine shavings for litter: $5
Organic feed: $10
Total cost for four chickens: $15
Monthly egg yield: 78 eggs
Cost of 78 organic eggs in the store at $3/dozen: $19.50
Monthly savings: $4.50
But the monthly cost analysis does not take into account all the expenses so let’s look at the yearly investment.
Buying the birds: approx. $5 per chick x 4 chicks = $20
Cost of chicken coop: $500 (They made a very impressive coop themselves. One could be made for much less.)
Yearly upkeep (12 x monthly cost): $180
Yearly cost of chickens: $700
Yearly egg savings (12 x monthly egg costs): $234
Yearly savings: -$466
By this analysis, our friends are going broke raising chickens. However, there are other factors that have an intangible cost benefit. These are impossible to put a dollar figure on because each person values them differently.
These factors include the time spent tending the chickens, the money saved from eating less meat because you are getting more protein from eggs, the value of a constant source of fertilizer, pride in raising your own chickens, enjoyment gained from having perky pets, and the value of fresh eggs.
There is also the WOW factor when you show guests your chickens, which is generally offset by the poop everywhere factor.
Depending on how you value these factors, raising your own chickens could be just the thing for you. Just don’t hold chickens too close to your face. Peck!
A great resource for anyone interested in pet chickens is MyPetChicken.com.
Thanks Alisa!
Another reason to shop at Staples – they are giving school supplies away for a penny, which is free in my book. Yesterday Hubby returned from Staples with 10 packets of binder paper with 120 sheets each. The bill? $.10.
Teachers can get up to 25 packets for a penny each. Non-teachers are limited to 5 of the penny-freebies (not sure how Hubby talked his way into 10).
To find what’s free at your local Staples, visit their homepage and look for their weekly ad, often in the supper right corner. The penny paper deal ends Wednesday, Aug. 5.
This is a guest post by Alex, BargainBabe.com’s intern.
The iPhone has become quite the celebrity and as a result it has alienated it’s closest, much cheaper cousin, the iPod Touch.
If you take an iPod Touch, buy a headset with a microphone, and download an application called Skype, you end up with something incredibly similar to the iPhone. But it’s a lot cheaper. You can make and take calls, and even set up an answering machine.
What’s the catch? The iPod Touch must be connected to the internet via Wifi in order to make phone calls. This isn’t always a downside. WiFi hotspots are becoming more and more common. There’s even an application that will locate Wifi hotspots near you.
Let’s do a quick cost comparison to see what the iPhone’s convenience costs compared to the iPod Touch.
Features by Comparison:
iPhone: Built-in microphone, built-in camera, AT&T phone service, access to satellite internet, Wifi optional, 8 GB hard drive, text messaging optional through AT&T, email and Safari web applications included.
iPod Touch: Headphone microphone, must use Wifi, Skype phone service, 8 GB hard drive, text messaging optional through Skype, email and Safari web applications included.
The iPhone is clearly more convenient, but to purchase one at a reasonable cost you must sign up for a 2-year AT&T contract and the monthly internet. Without signing up for a 2-year contract, a new iPhone will easily cost $400+.
On the other hand, Skype is free to try and doesn’t force you into contracts, plus they can’t nail you with overage charges. You can stop paying that $2.95 per month whenever you want and switch to a better deal if you find one. Still, with Skype you have to purchase a phone number if you want other people to be able to call you. That phone number will run you $30 per year when you purchase a year of service.
You’ll get a cheaper monthly cellular service if you share a family plan, and save even more if you limit your use of minutes. Click here for a list of AT&T plans, and here for Skype.
Maybe after all these comparisons it seems like the iPhone is not worth the money and the iTouch is not worth the hassle. I think there’s a lot of people who would agree with you, which is why I came up with a third option, buying a used and older model iPhone.
By purchasing used, you avoid getting pulled into a two-year wireless plan that comes with a new one, and by purchasing an older model (nicknamed the iPhone 2G) your wireless data plan costs $20 dollars a month instead of $30. You’re paying for a slower connection, but it’s still quite functioning when it comes to downloading email or reading the latest news on the go.
If you search eBay for iPhone 2G, you’ll see that $150 is about as cheap as the old iPhones are going for. It’s more expensive than a brand new one! There’s so many people who either don’t want to start a new 2-year contract, or they’re already in the middle of one from the “latest technology” they bought last year, that there’s a big demand for used iPhones with no contract.
Be on the lookout in the near future. Wifi networks are ever-expanding and there are a lot of rumors floating around the web on a new iTouch with a built-in microphone and camera. The iPod Touch Alternative might just become even more cost effective.
For a chance to get a coupon for a free Mars chocolate bar (Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Dove and M&Ms), be one of the first 250,000 people to visit the Mars site every Friday morning through September. That’s eight chances to win.
The giveaway is part of a PR campaign to let chocolate lovers know that Mars uses real cocoa butter in their candy bars, not artificial substitutes.
You can sign up for an email reminder here. You can also share your opinions of choclate on their blog.
Thanks, Claudia!
The Cash for Clunkers program seems to be working. Ford reports sales ticked up 2.1 percent in July.
WiseBread shares 10 ways to get more wear out of your clothing.
Tightwad Tod gets snookered by Cablevision. The fury!
Get Rich Slowly calculates to the penny how much money his garden is saving him.
RecessionWire polls 1,200 readers and finds exactly what people are spending money on.
A friend recently emailed me for advice on how to sell her old fashioned stove after finding reconditioned ones go for as much as $6,000.
“There is a resale market out there,” she said. But how can she tap into it? Generally, the following factors increase your changes of selling an unusual, high-priced item:
1) the item is very unique
2) there is a limited supply
3) the people buying higher-priced items may not be hurting as much, despite the recession
4) it is in good to excellent condition
To get a good price you need to find multiple outlets where you could sell the stove, including:
- Craigslist – see how your listing compares to others before you publish it
- eBay – same as above
- Kijiji.com – an up and coming online classified site
- Consignment stores (for appliances in this case) – find more than one so you can negotiate a better deal
- Specialty stores for your particular item (such as AntiqueGasStoves.com or AntiqueApplianceCompany.com or AntiqueStoves.com) – if a site gets enough traffic this may be your best bet. You could also try general antique stores.
- Google “sell + name of your item” to find other outlets
Once you find a few places to sell your item, clean it really well and take great pictures. Write a very detailed posting, including any major deficiencies. The more questions you answer, the better. Think of it as more opportunities to make the sale. Collect pricing information so you know what is a realistic price.
List your stove on as many places as you can. Make sure the consignment store knows you have it listed elsewhere and that if you sell it they do not get a share. Re-post every three days so it stays fresh.
Good luck!
