Robert Couse-Baker/Flickr
Old Navy is 20% off adult merchandise today only!!! Sale drops to 15% tomorrow, April 8.
Get 70% off at Restaurant.com with a coupon code that is good through April 11, 2010.
This new Borders coupon gets you 50% off one item when you buy another item full price.
Get a $5 rebate from Rite Aid when you buy $25 worth of P&G products.
Here is a Quiznos coupon for a free drink and chips, plus $1-$3 off subs.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
boulter/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
The day I got my driver’s license my mother bought me an Automobile Club of America (AAA) membership. She continued to gift me the renewal fee on that membership for many years. Her gift, thankfully, kept me from being stranded on the road many times.
Every time I whipped out my AAA card and called for a service truck, I always thought of my mother. I would call and thank her while I waited for the tow truck to arrive. I think she planned it that way.
I have used my membership privileges (this link opens a word document) to get help:
- jump starting my battery in the dead of winter
- changing a flat tire in the blazing sun
- opening a locked car door when the keys were still in the car and I was not
- towing my car to a mechanic when I broke down in the middle of nowhere
- registering my car with the DMV without having to GO to the DMV (priceless)
A basic AAA membership averages a $1 a week. (Prices vary in different parts of the country.) Any one of the above services would have cost more than I paid for my yearly membership. Upgrades to the membership give you additional benefits including a much larger free towing radius. Check to see if there are current coupon codes available before signing up.
You can even use your card to get roadside help if you are just the passenger in the car. This is the biggest difference between AAA and other roadside assistance programs. A gift of an AAA membership is a great way to help out a low income friend.
Without a doubt, I have gotten my money’s worth from this company. Besides the roadside services, you can also get discounts on phone service, amusement park tickets, air fares, free maps and atlas’, hotel and food discounts, discounted car rentals, free reviews of auto repair shops, passport services, and international driving permits. Check out the discounts in your area.
I never fully appreciated the value of my AAA membership until the day that my son got his driver’s license. I realized that he was about to hit the road and I wouldn’t be there to watch over him. On that day, I purchased his AAA membership. Maybe someday he’ll call me and say “Thanks Mom.”
Cathy at Chief Family Officer shared her top deals at Ralphs this week. If you’re new to coupons, read my post on coupon clipping basics. To take advantage of these deals you’ll need to have saved the coupon inserts you receive in the mail or with your Sunday newspaper. Here’s a great suggestion for how to handle coupon organization.
Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks $1
Use $.75 off 1 Quaker True Delights Rice and Multigrain Snack from 2/14 Red Plum (exp 4/10)
Final price: FREE
Snuggle Fabric Softener $3.99
Use $3 off 1 from 3/28 Red Plum
Final price: $.99
Padrinos or Mission Tortilla Chips $1.99
Use $1 off 1 Padrinos Tortilla Chips from 1/10 Smart Source
Final price: $.99
SoBe Lifewater $1
Use Buy One, Get One Free with this printable coupon
Final price: $.50 each when you buy 2
If you like what you see, check out the rest of Cathy’s great Ralphs deals.
Andres Rueda/Flickr
One reader responded to my credit card moratorium with a detailed blog post about the cash back rewards I am giving up. The info was so useful I wanted to share it. Here is Marie’s post:
“Different strokes for different folks,” goes the saying. And that applies most definitely to credit cards! Now, I can see the benefits of trying to rein in one’s spending by using cash only for discretionary purchases. If you leave your credit and debit cards at home and have only your available cash to use, you are obliged to be cautious about your spending.
But, when used for larger payments, credit cards that offer 1% to 5% cash back can be very rewarding. Here are some approximate bills you probably pay and how much you can earn with a 1% cash back credit card:
- DMV ($2.50 rewards for $250 DMV payments)
- Car Insurance ($10 rewards for $1000 payments)
- Home Insurance ($15 rewards for $1500 payments)
- Home Earthquake or Flood Insurance ($15 rewards for $1500 payments)
- Renters insurance ($2.50 for $250 payments)
- Car dealer down payment ($50 rewards for $5000 down payment)
NOTE: All these benefits can be nullified if you pay high interest rates. So use your Rewards card wisely. Make sure you budget to pay in full (or installments), just as you would do if sending the payment by check.
You can also earn cash back rewards on many regular monthly payments:
- Time Warner Cable fees (at $60/month payment, cash back of $7.20/year)
- Direct TV fees (at $60/month payment, cash back of $7.20/year)
- Cell phone bills (at $50/month, cash back of $6/year)
Some credit cards offer special quarterly 5% cash back offers for purchases made at specific types of stores, like grocery stores, drug stores, department stores, home improvement stores, and clothing stores. Three sites I like for these types of credit cards are CapitalOne, ChaseFreedom or Discover.com. Spend $200-$400 per quarter on these special offers and the 5% cash back rewards will earn you $40-$80. You can also search for Visa and Mastercard reward cards at CardRatings.com.
AMagill/Flickr
You can request $5 worth of free pens and business supplies for a limited time through Union Pen Company.
Here’s a free movie rental code for Blockbuster Express that is good through April 12, 2010.
Walgreens has two photo deals good through April 10, 2010, including 10-cent prints.
Use these two stackable tax coupon codes to get 15% off at H&R and another 13% off when you shop through eBates.
If you missed an earlier mention of a website that lists free museum days, check it out.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
Ryan McFarland/Flickr
This post is brought to you by Mint.com, a hot spot for personal finance software.
A friend of mine is getting a massive tax refund – almost $10,000. I’m frustrated that my friend lets the government keep his money interest-free for a year. But he likes the big cash influx, which he is more likely to save than if he had received a slightly bigger paycheck every two weeks during the year. Here is what he said when I asked him about his return.
“What are you going to do with it?”
“Put it in the bank.”
“All of it?”
“Yes. Why not?
“Isn’t there anything you want to spend it on?”
“Not really.”
I guess he didn’t get the memo that Americans are big consumers. Not that I want him to spend it all. I’m just surprised that he is not going to spend a fraction of it on himself.
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If you are getting a refund, here are five things to do with it:
- Pay off high-interest credit card debt.
- Pay off any other high-interest debt you may have.
- Boost your emergency savings account.
- Contribute to your IRA, Roth IRA, or other retirement fun.
- If you’re in a good place on the above four, spend a little on yourself!
If you haven’t filed, here are three places you can file your taxes online for free. Remember to review the new tax credits available and use all the tax coupon codes available. If you are looking for paid help, here are tips to hire a tax professional.
I am spending cash like a maniac and have little idea where it is going. Five days into my month-long cash-only experiment, more than $200 has slipped out of my hands.
That’s partly because I feel more generous with a fat wad of bills in my pocket. I’ve fronted a bar cover for friends, paid for breakfast at a coffee shop, and treated myself to a package of beef jerky at a roadside stand. Tasty – but pricey! There was a tank of gas and…I can’t remember the rest.
I’m used to having a neat record of all my purchases at the end of the month on my credit card bill. With cash I forget to ask for a receipt and often the cashier forgets to give me one. How much money at the end of the month will be unaccounted for? I’m guessing almost half.
As I said in an earlier post on preparing to go without plastic, I hid my credit and debit cards in my jewelry box. Later that day I opened a letter from my Alma mater asking for money. I thought, “I can charge this donation and get cash back!” (My credit card has a 1-3% cash back deal). When I pulled out my wallet to retrieve the 16 digits to write on the form, I remembered my credit card moratorium. Oops! I will have to wait until May to send my school a contribution.
The next day I pulled my debit card out of its hiding place. I was going on a solo road trip and decided to carry it as a backup, just in case. If for some reason my car broke down, I would most likely need more than $300 – my cash allotment for the weekend – for the fix. Not that I plan to spend $300 in one weekend. I’m carrying around extra cash because I’m worried about not having enough money, which leads me to spend more because I have so much money. How ironic!
I’m not quitting, however. Support from readers has helped, including this email from Ellen, who saw my column in the N.J. Star-Ledger:
I read your column on going plastic-free (a.k.a. sans credit cards) and wanted to throw you some words of encouragement from someone who’s been there, cashed that. About ten years ago I successfully completed a credit card counseling program, one which required me to surrender all my plastic for the duration it took me to pay down my debt.
It was a small price to pay for getting my payments consolidated, interest rates lowered and getting those pesky collection calls to stop clogging my voicemail. So for three years, I went plastic-free all while I got my debt in order. Every transaction that required a credit card–like buying an airline ticket online–I simply used my debit card which contained a Visa logo. This win-win allowed me to make online purchases and have the money directly withdrawn from my checking account.
When I finally received the letter declaring me debt-free I eased back into just one credit card which I pay in full or darned-well near try. Since I’m still on a strict budget, I still try and use my debit card only. Good luck on your cash-only venture.
I’m rootin’ for ya.
Axle/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Trying to impress a new or old love can be an expensive proposition unless you are a highly trained frugalista. I know seven truly unique dates on a tight budget beyond the usual (taking a hike, walk, or bike ride, going to a flea market or farmer’s market, or having a picnic at a park or beach).
Here are my unusually cheap and romantic date ideas:
- Go letterboxing or geocaching. “Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped with GPS devices,” says Geocaching.com. Letterboxing is the same sort of game without the GPS. Chances are that neither your date nor you have done this great treasure hunting game.
- Visit a museum on one of their free days. All museums that receive government money must have at least one day a month that is free to the public. You don’t have to go to just your regular everyday museum. You can go to an off-beat museum like The Museum of Bad Art in Boston, MA, or The Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI or Fort Necessity (a hop skip and a jump from General Braddock’s grave) near Farmington, PA.
- Sign up to be extras for a movie shoot or TV show taping. Even in remote areas of the world, you can probably find ads for movie extras on Craigslist.
- See a minor league baseball game. Tickets to a minor league game are cheaper and you can get up close and personal. There are lots of fun activities like doing the wave and buying peanuts. Plus it usually is really easy to get in and out of the parking lot instead of sitting in a huge traffic jam. You might find yourself becoming a regular.
- Dine at a local culinary school. Excellent cuisine at rock bottom prices. Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, CA has a student run restaurant that offers both à la carte options and, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Chef’s Tasting Menu.
- Play a round of Frisbee golf, which is officially called Disc Golf. This is an actual sport with a professional association and world standings. Players throw a Frisbee into a series of goal nets. You walk a lot… just like golf.
- Go for a ride in a balloon. If you are in Southern California, here is one place to go for a balloon ride.
- Here are 10 more cheap date ideas from an earlier post on BargainBabe.com.
What’s your favorite frugal date?
Fletcher Prince/Flickr
Check your email inbox because the winner of the $100 CVS gift card giveaway has been notified! The winner has 48 hours to respond. I emailed two runner ups as well in case the winner does not get back to me.
Everyone who signed up for my daily email list by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 4, 2010 was eligible to win.
Thanks again to Friendgiftr for sponsoring this awesome prize! Next time you are in the market for a gift card, check them out.
I headed to Walgreens to spend a $25 voucher I received recently for transferring a prescription from another pharmacy. On my way to the store I called a friend who knows I am a bargain hunter.
“You’re going to the drugstore? Are you going to use coupons?”
“No,” I said sheepishly.
“Really?”
“I was too lazy to look through anything but the Sundays coupons,” I confessed.
“Ohhhhh. I’m going to out you on your blog,” he teased.
“Hmph.”
At Walgreens, however, I realized there were a ton of ways to stretch my dollars – without coupons. I bought everything you see in the above picture, which has a retail value of $49.07, for $3.42! Here’s how I did it.
- I first checked the Walgreens store circular for coupons for items on my list (see below). I found two.
- I wasn’t brand loyal. Instead, I started with a general list and took advantage of a buy-one-get-one free sale on batteries and other deals.
- I carefully reviewed cosmetic prices and leveraged a sweet deal on Revlon products, which were 40 percent off. Plus, if I bought $10 in Revlon products I would get a $5 voucher to buy more Revlon products.
- I bought off-brand candy (the gummy bears).
- I bought products on sale (Hershey’s chocolate, beauty tools, polish, batteries, tissues).
- I went back to ask the manager when I noticed a pricing mistake on my receipt and got a refund.
- I quickly used my bonus $5 Revlon voucher before it could expire. (Walgreens Register Rewards have to be used on your “next” purchase, which means you can come back another day or wait in line again. RR are only good for a few days so I like to spend them on the same trip.)
Even if I did not have the $25 voucher, my tab would have come to $28.42 – a 42% discount over the $49.07 retail price. Not too bad for leaving my manufacturer coupons at home.
Becoming Green/Flickr
Get a free subscription to one of the top (read: trashy) celebrity gossip mags, OK! For a limited time only.
Get a free Butterfinger candy bar if you are one of the first 100,000 to fill out a form via the manufacturer’s Facebook page.
Coupon stacking rocks, especially when combining sales with coupons gets you amazing products for free, like this Target scenario for three Seventh Generation products.
Get 80% off at Restaurant.com for a limited time only.
Coming later today on my WalletPop blog: a 30% off coupon for Borders books. Check all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
It occurred to me last night while listening to a talk on social marketing that my beautiful bargain basement flats were shamefully tacky. The flats – lime green patent leather with a faux animal print tip – were a gift from a good friend who pointed them out to me at the local thrift store. I hesitated so she went ahead and bought the $5 flats, above, for me.
I adore them. If you can’t get away with green patent leather in gaudy LA, where can you? But…I’d like a second opinion. I wear them with dark skinny jeans, a black top, and a fitted black and white jacket.
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Martin Pettitt/Flickr
My frugal friends at Savings.com shared these Easter-themed coupons and deals this week.
Get 10% off all Easter baskets at GourmetGiftBaskets.com. Expires April 9, 2010.
Get 15% off Easter Photo Cards. Expires April 15, 2010.
Get 15% off any order at 1-800Baskets. Unknown expiration date.
Get 15% Off Flowers & Gifts at 1-800Flowers. Expires May 21, 2010.
Get $8 Off Mrs. Beasley’s Easter Basket at Mrs. Beasley’s. Expires April 30, 2010.
My do-it-yourself deal site, BargainBabeLA.com, has great coupons and deals for LA. Here are the best deals posted by readers like you this week.
Spa week in LA, OC, San Diego and San Francisco is April 12-18, but book now to get a good appointment.
Tax-free shopping day is April 10 in Santa Monica on Montana Ave. Mark your calendars!
Are you a CPA? Morton’s Steakhouse in Beverly Hills wants to appreciate you with a chance for a free meal on April 16, 2010.
Get a free sample of Huggies diapers no matter where you live! You can also get a free sample of Pampers Cruisers
The Junior Drake Warehouse sample sale is coming up April 9-11. The sale has a special emphasis on handbags.
This week’s $10 Starbucks gift card goes to Marie for sharing great deals this week. Congrats, Marie!
puroticorico/Flickr
Does your Target sell iced lattes for $1? Then you can get one free with a coupon in the March 28 Smart Source newspaper insert.
Use this Coach coupon to get 20-30% off at their Factory Stories. Expires Monday, April 5, 2010.
This Blockbuster Express coupon code expires today – so don’t delay if you want a buy-one-get-one free DVD rental.
Arm & Hammer has a bunch of coupons on their site totaling $11.50.
Hospital scrubs are 20% off at Dickies through April 12, 2010.
Get 15% off at Ghirardelli chocolate with a coupon code that ends today.
Pick up your free allergy guide at Rite Aid or read the online version.
Now through April 10, 2010 you can get a free roast beef sandwich at Arby’s when you buy a drink. Print the coupon here.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
