Richard.Fisher/Flickr
Get a free rubber stamp from Vista Print when you pay for shipping, which starts at $6.31.
Classic customized photobooks are on sale Picaboo by 30% off through May 30, 2010.
The Gymboree circle of friends sale knocks 30% off your bill through May 16, 2010. In stores and online!
Get a free toothpaste sample from Arm & Hammer when you share some personal info.
Today through Saturday your entire purchase at Michaels is 20% off with this coupon, plus you can get 60% off custom frame orders at Aaron Brothers.
Today only! Get an extra 10% off all sale items at Piperlime.
Use this online grocery delivery coupon to get free shipping and $5 off your first order at Safeway or Vons.
Get a full-sized bottle of free shampoo or conditioner from Suave Professionals. For a limited time only!
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
BuyMoreContacts.com
I don’t wear contacts, which makes me the odd man out. The rest of you hard-of-seeing folks will want to check out BuyMoreContacts.com for low prices on contact lenses. This online seller of contact lenses has deeply discounted prices, great customer service, and they sell the most popular brands, like Acuvue, Freshlook, Soflens.
Expect prices to be up to 70% less than retail. You can search the site for contact lenses by product name (there are dozens), brand (Baush & Lomb, Coopervision, Ciba Vision, Hydrogel Vision, or Vistakon), and by lens type (bifocal, colored, daily- weekly- or monthly-disposables, etc). BuyMoreContacts.com has 150 types of contact lenses in stock that are ready for next day delivery. If your purchase comes to $75 or more, shipping is free.
If you don’t like your contact lenses, BuyMoreContacts.com offers a money back guarantee for unopened or defective lenses. Not too shabby.
The customer service agents are available at 1-800-383-2300 to take your order. You can also shoot your contact lens prescription order to Orders@buymorecontacts.com or fax it to 1-800-965-5500.
This is paid content. Interested in an ad? Read my Advertise page.
MyFico.com
There are five parts to your credit score. Payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%), and types of credit (10%). FICO, a financial analytics firm, uses these categories to rate consumers’ credit risk with a three-digit score. Within each category FICO outlines one to seven factors that come into play.
For example, in the payment history category, credit rating agencies consider how many accounts you are up to date on, whether you have any negatives like a bankruptcy or liens, and how long an overdue bill has been past due, among other factors.
In the length of credit history category, they consider how long it’s been since you opened an account, how long each specific account has been open, and how recently you’ve used each account. Read all the factors that are considered for each category of your credit score.
This is important stuff to know, but unfortunately the three credit rating agencies, TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax, don’t share specifics. How many points do I lose if I have a bill past due seven months instead of two? How many points do I gain if I am paid up on three accounts instead of one?
More information would help consumers improve their score. In the meantime, AARP shared tips for seniors and everyone else on how to improve your credit score or hurt your score. When in doubt, use common sense.
Related posts:
Best credit card rewards and perks
Get a free credit history report (sans FICO score) through the FTC
Fyre Fly Weddings
This is a guest post by Carmen Sechrist of Life Blessons, a personal blog with a religious and frugal bent.
From the day I got engaged until I walked down the aisle last July was 10 weeks–two and a half months. We had little time and an even littler budget – less than $5,000, a quarter of the national average – for the whole dress-rings-flowers-food-honeymoon she-bang. At the end of those 10 weeks I had the wedding of my dreams: an outdoor affair brimming with beautiful wildflowers, a long strapless gown, all my loved ones together and a weeklong honeymoon in the woods.
Limited guest list
This one you’ll read on every wedding website. If you want to save money, cut your guestlist. The site that we found had a capacity of 150, so that became our guest list. We only invited family and our best friends. As we started adding other church friends or coworkers, the size swelled out of control. Rather than pick and choose, I sent an email to friends that I had to cut to explain the situation and let them know how much their friendship means to me. People (particularly those who had been married before) really seemed to understand.
A hidden benefit in limiting the guest list was eliminating the need to impress. That was something I worried about in the beginning – what would so-and-so think about this? – but when we cut the list to those who we knew were there for us and for no other reason, that was no longer a concern. (more…)
The top three winners in my recent gift card giveaway all emailed me back claiming their prizes. Better luck next time to the runners up and everyone else who reads BargainBabe.com. The winners are:
First place – jenncf@ who won a $25 Amazon gift card
Second place – mariedimacali@ who won a $25 Marshalls gift card
Third place – dldevineol@ who won a $25 TJ Maxx gift card
Stay tuned for another giveaway next month.
There is a new post on the Frugal Festival blog about this year’s event on June 19, 2010. Please check it out!
I am in the process of updating FrugalFestival.com so if you see a posts dated 2009 it means it is from last year’s event.
Cathy at Chief Family Officer shared four hot grocery deals this week at Ralphs, which faces $256,000 in fines after an undercover investigation found the chain was overcharging customers. The chain was slapped with similar fines in 2008 and 2009. Does that make you want to shop elsewhere?
Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice on sale for $2
Use $1 off 2 Tropicana Pure Premium or Trop 50 from 4/25 Red Plum coupon insert
Or use $1 off 1 Trop 50 from 3/14 Red Plum
Final price: as low as $1
Oscar Mayer Lunchables on sale for $1.25
Use $1 off 1 Oscar Mayer Lunchables Lunch combinations from 3/21 Smart Source (expires 5/16)
Final price: 25 cents (the sub varieties may be producing $1 catalinas)
French’s Mustard on sale for $1.49
Use 50 cents off 1 from 3/21 or 5/9 Smart Source
Final price: 49 cents
Kingsford Match Light Charcoal on sale for $9.99
Use $2 off meat when you buy Kingsford Match Light Briquets 12.5lbs
Final price: Get $2 off meat
Check out the rest of Cathy’s deals at Ralphs. Do you use these weekly coupon matches at Ralphs? Please let me know in a comment so I can decide whether to continue featuring Ralphs deals. Thanks!
back_garage/flickr
By Mike Barclay of 10 Cents Worth
How many times have you bought a new appliance and tossed the old one? Nothing was wrong with the old one, you just didn’t have any need for it anymore. The key word in that last sentence is “you.”
Mike Morone, who lives in New York, has come up with a revolutionary idea to take all the old items we’re throwing away and offer them to others. It’s called “Give Your Stuff Away Day” and it is this Saturday, May 15.
What happens is people put the junk they typically would throw out on the curb for neighbors to peruse, grab or swap. Suddenly the old toaster that you were going to toss is now in the hands of Mrs. Smith down the street – not in the local landfill.
The process has its drawbacks, which Mike himself told me, but he’s convinced in the long run that this will ultimately shrink landfills and promote a less wasteful society. There are drawbacks, however. Leaving stuff on your curb for a weekend looks messy and if the idea catches on you’ll see an increase in traffic. “Think of Christmas – a wonderful time of year, but messy,” Morone says. The event could also increase in waste management costs from people leaving things on the curb for pick up.
Mike’s idea for a set weekend to swap is new, but swapping is old hat. Freecycle.org has been around since 2003 and has grown to more than 7 million users that post and request items for free exchange. I’m a big Craigslist.com fan as well, because they not only have a “free” section, they also have a “bartering” area where you can exchange items and services. If you pay close attention to what’s going on in your own area you can often find (or even create) a “Really, Really Free Market.”
If Give Your Stuff Away Day is something you want to happen in your area, it’s up to you to coordinate it with your community. Give Your Stuff Away Days are organized by word of mouth. What could possibly be better than making the world a cleaner place, making new friends AND get things for free? I’m not sure I can think of much.
Snag a free iced coffee today at Dunkin’ Donuts in 13 select cities.
Borders released another coupon for 33% off the list price of any one item. Expires May 13, 2010.
Tired of passing out business cards? Put your contact info on a pen! Get a free biz card pen sample.
All maxi dresses at Charlotte Russe are $20 for a limited time. Shipping is a flat $5. Nice!
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
xJasonRogersx/Flickr
AARP is an organization for older people, but I love its pro-consumer bent. A recent AARP Bulletin shared tips to make yourself look better to lenders. The list regurgitates old advice but is a good reminder to maintain financially healthy habits. Here are AARP’s credit tips on what harms your score and how to act:
Paying bills late - Car payments, electricity bills, even a late library fine can get reported to the credit bureau. Mark your calendar to pay bills at the same time every month or arrange automatic payments with your bank. My two cents: if you use Google calender, a reminder pops up for every item so you won’t miss a payment.
Closing credit cards - If you really want to close an account or two, close the most recently opened cards and the ones with the lowest credit limit. My two cents: doh! I just closed a longtime credit card because I no longer needed it.
Not checking your credit reports – Be vigilant about checking your credit reports at least once a year; nationwide consumer credit reporting communities such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion offer free credit reports. My two cents: true, but the free credit report does not include your credit score, which is like getting a paper back from a teacher marked up but without a grade.
Taking it to the limit- Aim to keep your charges to 30% or less of your available credit. If you’ve almost maxed out your cards, use them as little as possible for a while and pay them down.
Using cash over credit- If you don’t want to pay interest on credit cards, just pay the bill in full every month. My two cents: I disagree! My month-long credit card-less experiment revealed I spend significantly less – about 16% – when I use cash over credit. I think building savings is more important than building a high credit score.
Not shopping around for lower rates – Spend some time looking at cards and rates at Creditcards.com and Bankrate.com. My two cents: these are just two of the many great sites for finding a credit card that fits your habits.
Applying for extra cards- Too many inquiries at one time make you look desperate for credit. My two cents: but how many is too many? 2? 5? 13?
I just emailed the three winners and six runners up in the latest reader giveaway! Prizes include a $25 Amazon e-gift card, a $25 Marshalls gift card, and a $25 TJ Maxx gift card. Every reader on my daily email list was eligible. The winners are:
First place – jenncf@
Second place – mariedimacali@
Third place – dldevineol@
If these three winners do not respond to my notification email by 9:30 a.m. PST on May 13, the prizes will go to these runners up, in order:
First runner up – techeapril@
Second runner up – annayoakam@
Third runner up – gerriantolini@
Fourth runner up – rashley2@
Fifth runner up – eve868@
Sixth runner up – zeytonezea@
Winner were chosen when the help of Random.org. Partial emails listed to protect privacy.
koka_sexton/Flickr
Reader Ellen grumbled about getting tricked by a free trial that turned out to be $35-$40! She emailed me:
In searching for child care I stumbled across the many strings attached to the classic hook, line and sinker: FREE TRIAL. (What I really mean is hook, line and STINKER!) Two Web sites both advertised free trials to post an ad for child care. The responses from caregivers came pouring in to my e-mail only their contact information was not available unless I “upgraded to a premium membership,” which averaged between $35.00 and $40.00.
Now this would all be well and good if the sites didn’t advertise a FREE TRIAL. In calling one site to complain about false or misleading advertising, I was told that in the past parents would first pay and receive no responses so they revamped their policy to protect those who didn’t get responses. While I could appreciate that, I still feel they shouldn’t advertise something as free if indeed it’s just a bait.
Thoughts?
How frustrating! Retailers and manufacturers should disclose the fine print up front because it builds customers’ trust. I know I am more likely to act on a deal or discount if I can see all the hoops I have to jump through ahead of time. If the rules are hidden, I’m likely to think the provider is hiding something suspicious. With all the info, I can fully evaluate whether the deal makes sense for me.
What do you look for if you suspect a deal might not be as good as it seems? Have you been burned before? I recently regretted a “free” postage scale deal.
gabi_menashe/Flickr
This Borders coupon coupon for 33% off ends today!
Through Wednesday, May 12, 2010, an Old Navy sale has prices 15-20% off when you spend $75-$100 or more online only.
Check out this free pedometer offer from vitamin-maker Nature’s Bounty!
Got a big budget? Through May 31 get $50 off a purchase of $250 or more at Kate Spade using this coupon code.
Poise is giving away free samples of their bladder control pads. The site claims they are three times as absorbent as period pads!
This morning Restaurant.com released an 80% off coupon code for restaurant gift certificates!
Babies R Us has a coupon for 20% off baby gear, supplies, and furniture. Plus, many other baby items are on sale!
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
I walked into Rite Aid Saturday armed with a $25 gift card (that I earned for transferring a prescription) and a determination to stretch my spending power. Working off my list, the weekly flyer, and coupon matches I found on Hip 2 Save, I paid $21.66 for eight items that retail for $42.70, including tax. That’s a 49% discount!
Here’s how I did it:
1. Made my list in order of priority: toe nail clippers, mascara, vitamins, freezer bags, cereal
2. Watched 10 minutes of Rite Aid videos ads to earn a $5 off $20 purchase coupon. Each video is 15-seconds to 1.5 minutes and you earn 1-2 points per video. You get the coupon when you accumulate 20 points.
3. Printed a $2 off coupon for Post cereals, which were buy one get one free. Each box was $4.99 but with the coupon and sale I paid $3 for two boxes!
4. Spotted a buy one get one free sale for Rite Aid vitamins and stocked up on Vitamin C, wiping $6.49 from my bill.
5. Bought one item off my list – a bag of Skittles – that was $.50 (orig. $.88). I’m saving them as a treat for my flight Thursday. They were certainly cheaper than airport candy prices!
6. Put freezer bags, mascara, clippers in my cart. Wished I had looked harder for coupons for freezer bags and mascara.
The last time I went on a coupon matching binge, I saved 60%. What is the latest super deal you got?
00dann/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains
I’m on a quest to frugally, humanely and effectively get rid of the pigeons that want to make a nest in the corner of my balcony roof.
Over the last year or two, my husband has put up bird wiring around the areas where the birds like to build nests and drop their droppings on our balcony. He is fighting a losing battle. Recently, a couple of very persistent pigeons have been flying in large quantities of twigs to make their dream home in our rafters.
Time to get involved in the pigeon versus man battle.
My first stop was Home Depot. I assumed that Home Depot would have what I needed. After all, this way-too-large high ceiling-ed warehouse has everything. As a matter of fact, Home Depot DID have what I needed, but they didn’t sell the product – they only use the product. Seems Home Depot has a problem with pigeons roosting on the beams and pipes on their ceilings. All of the landing spots were covered with pigeon spikes. It took me 45 minutes and many conversations with team members before I found out that Home Depot only sells this product online.
I never found pigeon spikes on the HD website, but I did find other sites that sell and describe in detail how to install pigeon spikes. After measuring my house’s pigeon-friendly spaces, I determined I needed 38 feet of pigeon spikes. This would cost about $200 plus installation, which is way over my budget for this project.
Other options to deter the pesky birds: noise makers, poison, and a shotgun. Nah! None of those are my style.
Sustainable gardener Yolanda Vanveen suggests some natural pigeon deterrents in a video. One of her suggestions is putting down spices like cinnamon, garlic or curry in the areas the birds congregate. My area is too windy for that. Most of the spices will end up blowing back into my house.
However, the wind that would blow away the spices may be the answer. I saw this stuff for sale called, Irri-tape pigeon scarer. It’s holographic tape that is supposed to scare away the birds. That got me to thinking…what if I just get some sparkly ribbons and wind twirlers and hang them where the pigeons like to hang out? I’m heading to the 99 Cent Only store to find some shiny stuff that moves in the wind. If it works, I’ll end up spending less than $10 on a project that started with a price tag of more than $200. I’ll keep you posted.
Any readers have personal experience in getting rid of pigeons?
