My $37.89 credit card regret.
My credit card bill is due in a few days and while reviewing my charges from the past month I found one that I really wish I could take back. While stopping at California winery for a tasting in July, I bought a handmade vintage mini-quilt to hang in my office. The cloth, folded so a fourth of it shows above, can also be used as a table covering.
Purchase price? $37.89.
The cloth has picket fence edges and the material is very sturdy and soft. I like thinking that a woman used her creativity to sew a beautiful work of art that is entirely practical.
When I inspected the cloth more closely at home, however, I found a small stain and realized four circular embellishments were added to cover an inch-long rip. You can see one of the embellishments in the top right corner of the photo. I still adore the vintage cloth, but I think I could have found something similar at a thrift store or flea market for less than $10.
So if there is one credit card purchase I regret this past month, it is this mini-quilt. I was a bit tipsy when I made the purchase, and saw so many cute things in the shop (like cherry earrings for $10) I wanted to take home something. The earrings were only worth $5 to me, but maybe if I had bought those I would have passed on the cloth. At least I didn’t splurge for the vintage $25 waist apron. It was so adorable I never would have worn it!
What do you regret buying this month?
Ill-fated McDonald's smoothie deal. Credit: bgottsab/Flickr
Restaurant.com – The latest Restaurant.com coupon code is for 80% off.
Borders - Get 33% off with this Borders coupon.
Jamba Juice and McDonalds - Jamba Juice is honoring McDonald’s smoothie coupons. Plus get this Jamba Juice coupon for $1 off.
Old Navy – get free shipping on a purchase of $50 or more, or 20% off kids clothes with these Old Navy coupon codes.
Boston’s Gourmet Pizza – Through August 13, 2010 kids eat free with any adult entree purchase.
Worst drugstore deals – Check my hit list for what to avoid at the drugstore.
Check out the latest coupons and deals this afternoon on my WalletPop blog.
If you are the parent of a teen and have been looking for the right time to talk to him or her about money – now is the time. Jill Russo Foster, author of “Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years
I’ve come to believe that financial education is the key for everyone. The sooner you start learning about money and personal finance, the sooner you can take control of your own finances. This book will start you off in the right direction and teach you how to build good financial habits.
Foster, who is now in the mortgage industry, started her financial career right out of college when she began working as a bank teller in an affluent neighborhood. She recounts that most people she saw at the bank wore designer clothes, had the latest car and were also on the overdraft list.
In the book, Foster uses examples of five teens that were given her book to read and later tells of the changes they made to change their money habits. The teens’ stories and her own – she admits to having 27 credit cards at one point – make the book easy to read. Your teen will be able to relate to the teens’ stories and learn from their success and failures.
This 84-page book will teach your teen about the basics of managing their money – think allowances and babysitting money – while thinking of long term goals like saving for college and short term goals like buying an iPod. The book is divided into five chapters that are filled with worksheets and practical examples for teens to understand. The chapters include information on creating a budget, the banking system, establishing credit, strategies for paying for college, avoiding identity theft and making major purchases.
This book is the first in a series of three books on personal finances by Foster. If you would like to win a copy of “Cash, Credit, and Your Finances: The Teen Years” for your teen, leave a comment explaining why your teen needs to read this book. If you can’t wait to get a copy, you can buy it on Amazon
Buying a copy supports BargainBabe.com.
I met almost 92 bloggers at BlogHer this past weekend. Here are six sites that stand out. I hope to add more notable sites as I sort through the business cards I picked up at the conference. I also picked up a lot of goodies, so don’t forget to enter the contest to win $249 worth of BlogHer swag.
OnceAMonthMom.com - Blogger Tricia put together a month’s worth of meals and menus, which you can download, print out, or listen to on a podcast. Her philosophy is that any meal can be prepared ahead of time and frozen. One big cooking day leads to a month of meals.
MothersAgainstDebt.com – Blogger Amy is a one-woman government tax watchdog who aims to bring national debt down to the household level. Don’t be scared by her libertarian politics, this woman knows how to crunch numbers.
SoYouThinkYoureCrafty.com - This blog is not about saving money, but making beautiful crafts. The projects featured on this blog are by no means amateurish. The site has great photos and is very easy on the eyes!
LoveThatMax – Blogger Ellen writes about her special needs son, Max, her daughter, Sabrina, and her Clueless Husband. I find her writing to be honest, funny, and very engaging. One recent post describes when she realized that Max, who is seven and has cerebral palsy, has never asked a question. Ever.
DaddyDeeds.com – Blogger Ben writes about family life, BBQ’ing, and living in Arizona. Here is a recent post about the bad words his kids picked up at school.
WheatlessAndMeatless.com – If you are trying to eat healthy, lose weight or have strict dietary requirements, this blog is for you. Bernice updates her site about once a week, so it’s not an overwhelming amount to read. She has amazing pictures of her culinary creations and detailed recipes. Many of them solve a problem I often encounter in the kitchen, which is how to make vegetables appetizing.
My stuffed swag bag from BlogHer '10
This contest has ended.
I received a ton of swag this past weekend at BlogHer ’10, one of the biggest blogger conferences in the country. All of the swag I received is highly branded. The idea is to get influential bloggers to try new products in hopes they will blog about them, generating sales. I don’t plan to write about any of these items (other than this post) because I don’t do product reviews. (See my About page Ethics policy for details about my commitment to transparency on editorial and paid content.) But I thought a reader would enjoy the swag.
To win my swag bag, leave a comment with a suggestion about one thing you would improve on BargainBabe.com. Comment by Thursday August 12, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST!
Here is what the swag bag, which weighs 10 pounds, contains. I estimated the value of each item to the best of my knowledge so the total value is approximate.
Toiletries/Makeup
Sample of shea lotion and perfume/room spritzer ($4)
Udderly Smooth Shea Butter foot cream, 8-oz ($12)
Udderly Smooth udder cream, 2-oz and travel sizes ($6)
SunBurnt after sun homeopathic relief gel, 2.5-oz and sample size ($7)
First Degree homeopathic burn cream, .75-oz, ($6)
Bic Soleil Bella razors, 3-pack ($12)
Minerals powder in coffee latte ($3)
Monave minerals powder in purple ($3)
Monave lip glaze in raspberry ($6)
Orange square compact ($2)
Everyday Minerals, 6-pack ($16)
Total: $77
Coupons
Free, any one Jimmy D’s product ($2.50)
Free, one pint of International Delight Coffee House any flavor ($3)
Free, one cup Yoplait Greek yogurt up to $1.19 ($1.19)
Free, any one Healthy Choice frozen meal ($3)
Free, one box of Nature Valley Granola Bars up to $4.75 (4.75) (more…)
Homemade granola ingredients
Making homemade granola is super easy and costs half as much per batch compared to brand name granola. It takes 45 minutes (including cooking time) to make a batch that will last you two weeks. Here’s my recipe.
Ingredients
6 c. whole oats
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. chopped almonds
1/2 c. sunflower seeds, unsalted
3 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey
3-4 Tbsp. canola oil
1 c. raisins
1 c. chopped dried fruit (I like apricots and apples)
Preheat oven to 325. Mix oats and nuts and spread between two 9 x 13 brownie pans or trays. Mixture should not be more than 1-inch deep. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Mix the sugar and oil and sprinkle over the oats, stirring to spread. Stir in dried fruit. Let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. Makes 10 cups, or about 40 ounces of granola.
A 12-ounce bag of Bear Naked granola sells for $6 on Yummy.com (admittedly, this is one of the more expensive brands of granola). I spent about $8.50 to make 40 ounces. I converted the recipe amounts from cups to ounces using the packages’ gram totals and searching online for the gram to ounce conversion of each ingredient. Who knew the stoichiometry I learned in high school chemistry would be so useful as a blogger?
Bear Naked granola = $6 for12 ounces = $.50 per ounce
Homemade granola = $8.50 for 40 ounces = $.21 per ounce
So it’s more than twice as expensive to buy brand name granola. Plus, I’m betting my recipe has much, much less sugar. Homemade granola is even cheaper if you add fewer fruit and nuts, but then it doesn’t taste as good. My other favorite frugal recipes include this fresh strawberry dessert, and this homemade hummus recipe. What’s your favorite frugal recipe?
Little Apple Wooden Puzzle
If you “like” the BargainBabe.com Facebook page, you probably already saw these deals that I shared over the weekend. If not, there’s no time like the present to become a fan!
Coupon clutch – Get 10% off your next order from CouponCluch.com with coupon code BlogHer10. Expires Dec. 31, 2010.
Free gum - Just got an awesome free sample in my BlogHer swag bag with coupon for free Extra dessert gum. Use coupon code 353637. Unclear how long this deal will last.
1800Flowers – Get 15% off at 1800flowers.com with coupon code BLOGHER. Expires Aug. 20, 2010.
Wooden puzzles – Get 35% off any one order at Little Apple Wooden Puzzles with coupon code BLOGHER10. Expires Oct. 15, 2010.
OpenSky – Get 25% off at OpenSky with coupon code Party25. Ongoing.
Hallmark – Get 20% off holiday cards from Hallmark.com with coupon code BLOGHER20. Expires Dec. 31, 2010.
Payless – Get $5 off $25 at Payless with coupon code 37544. Expires Sept. 6, 2010. Shoes!
Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
Bargain Briana shared these six deals that you can get by clipping coupons and combining them with this week’s CVS sale.
Portfolios – 8 for $1 (Limit 
Paper Mate Pens 10 pk. or Mechanical Pencils 5 ct. or Caliber #2 pencils 24 ct. – 2 for $1
Dulcolax Balance 8.3oz. – $9.99
Earn $9.99 Extra Bucks (Limit 1) plus use one of the following coupons:
Use $5 off 1 Dulcolax Balance 14 dose+ coupon from May 2010 All You Magazine (exp 9/30/2010)
Use $3 off 1 Dulcolax Balance coupon from 8/8/2010 Smart Source (SS) insert (exp 10/31/2010)
Use $4 off 1 Dulcolax Balance Bottle coupon from 5/16/2010 SS insert (exp 8/31/2010)
Use $1 off 1 Dulcolax Stool Softener coupon from 5/16/2010 SS insert (exp 8/31/2010)
Final Price after Extra Bucks: FREE + Overage
Schick Hydro 3 or 5 – $8.97
Earn $4 Extra Bucks (Limit 1)
Use $5 off 1 coupon Schick Hydro Razor from 8/8/2010 SS insert (exp 9/30/2010)
Final Price after Extra Bucks: FREE
**Try Me Free Schick Hydro Razor
Coke 12 pk cans – 4/$13
Earn $3 Extra Bucks when you buy 4 (Limit 1)
Final Price after Extra Bucks: 4/$10
Lysol Healthy Touch – $9.99
Earn $5 Extra Bucks (Limit 1)
Use the $3 off 1 Lysol No Touch Hand Soap System coupon from 7/11/2010 SS Insert (exp 8/8/2010)
Final Price after Extra Bucks: $1.99
Keep reading Bargain Briana’s CVS deals.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
HikingArtist.com/Flickr
I have just 25 minutes to speak about budgets at an upcoming conference – such a short period of time. As I started to prepare my talk I realized staying on budget and out of debt has only five key points.
1. You have to want it. No seminar, book or popular online money management software will help you to stay on budget unless you really want to. It’s like quitting smoking cigarettes. You must make a firm and true decision to DO IT!
2. Spend less than you make. Oh so easy to say but that is the bottom line. Somehow you have to increase your income and/or decrease your outgo until you are spending less than you make. It’s simple math.
3. You have to spend time looking at actual numbers. Our finances have become so automated that you can get paid, buy your food, pay your bills and transfer money to your significant other’s account without ever having to actually confront your economic condition. I spend at least one day a month going over my finances with a fine tooth comb. I examine all the receipts and evaluate where we are spending money. I balance every month’s statement and earmark money for upcoming expenses (like my daughter’s birthday or a new mattress.) I do most of my accounting with pen and paper. Bargain Babe has a 15-minute budget that is fairly simple.
4. Spending should not be an emotional decision. I don’t buy something (like a $750 leather jacket) because I “just HAVE to have it” or I “can’t live without it.” If I want it so badly, I should plan for it. Most often, all the items you buy on impulse won’t stand the test of time. Of course, I have a slush fund built into my budget that allows me the luxury of buying a little something (like a pretty hair clip) for myself when I see it – IF I really want it.
5. Ensure that the entire family understands and agrees with the above four items. It is vital that everyone is on the same page when it comes to budgeting. If necessary, have family meetings to go over these points until you have agreement. It just won’t work if everyone isn’t on board.
I’d love to hear any of your budgeting tips.
Illustrations by OConnorCartoons.com
My frugal friends at Savings.com shared these coupons with me this week.
Get $15 plus free shipping on orders of $75 or more at Smashbox. Expires August 17, 2010.
Get Save $22 on orders of $100 or more at Shoes.com. Expires August 31, 2010.
Get 20% off gifts of $29.99 or more at Cherry Moon Farms. Expires August 22, 2010.
Get $30 off orders of $150 or more at Nautica. Expires September, 30, 2010.
Get 20% on orders at MyJewelryBox. Expires August 31, 2010.
Beraldo Leal/Flickr
I’m headed to New York City this weekend for the BlogHer conference, my first! There are going to be 2,400 people there, mostly bloggers. Word on the street is that this conference is one giant party. I’m already overwhelmed.
At the conference I’m going to introduce bloggers to one of my favorite sources of freebies, My Savings Media, which is footing my tab. Score! I’m also going to see friends and get my fill of subway rides. Ohhh, the people watching. What are you doing this weekend?
The bathroom's new look
I’ve banded together with a handful of bloggers I met last month at the Savvy Blogging Summit to share interesting posts. Here are two I think you should check out.
Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam wrote about transforming her bathroom from a tacky maroon sponge-painted room to a delicate blue with modern accents, see right. With patience, determination, and a lot of garage saleing, she paid for the whole project with just $20! Her post has tons of before and after pictures and she explains in detail how she did each step. Jen, you inspire me!
Jennie at Bargain Blessings shared a $10 off $30 coupon at Cost Plus World Market. If you drink coffee, Jennie found an amazing scenario where you can get six 12-ounce bags of coffee for $3.24 per bag. Hot stuff!
Kacy at Valuing Today created a 2-minute video showing how she makes easy Hawaiian macaroni salad, a nice compliment to any summer BBQ.
Amazon.com
Magazine sale – Amazon’s mondo magazine sale offers two year subscriptions to dozens of mags for the price of a one year subscription. Esquire, Seventeen and American Cowboy are all on sale.
Free sample – Get a free sample of Dove conditioner that claims to repair damaged hair. Available for a limited time!
More free samples – Freeflys is offering free samples of oatmeal, lotion, cologne and sport vitamins. You have to jump through a bunch of hoops, however.
Check out the latest coupons and deals this afternoon on my WalletPop blog. More deals coming later today.
A reader in Arizona shared a few sentences and a picture of some of the steals she found on a recent shopping trip, along with the name of the store and her total bill.
She writes, “I’ve done some hunting for deals at thrift stores – there are three in my little town! I found an Ann Taylor Loft denim dress that I love for 50 cents. For some reason, it’s always fun to find a treasure.”
“My best find was the vintage red Carlo Fiori purse – it’s in great shape, too! And for 50 cents! I’ve used it already and it just feels so fun to carry it!”
Personally, my best thrift store find was a $15 green and white stripped dress made of super soft cotton. I wore it to the Frugal Festival and it is incredibly comfortable. I bought it at a high-end thrift store that specializes in dresses, hence the relatively high price. But it was totally worth it because I’ve already worn it a dozen times.
Do you have a success story? Email me!
j03 / flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
As I sat in the aesthetician’s chair waiting for my hairy eyebrows to be slathered with hot wax, I realized I was forking over $10 each visit for smooth brows. The thought was as painful as when she ripped off the waxy strip.
For most women hair removal is a weekly if not daily battle that quickly adds up. What’s a lady on a budget to do to tame unruly eyebrows and get smooth legs? Consider this:
Waxing – At a salon waxing can be very expensive, about $50 plus tip for legs or a Brazilian. If you’re brave, waxing can also be done at home to minimize costs. Waxing can be very painful depending on the area being waxed but after doing it for some time the pain is practically nonexistent and you’ll be hairless for about four to six weeks. I buy wax from a health food store for $10 and wax my entire legs for a fraction of the cost of going to a salon. Cost: $10 – $25 per month at home, $50 – $90 per month at a salon
Shaving – Many women prefer to shave and I did too, until I nicked myself and got a scar. Ouch! If you don’t nick yourself this method should be painless and keep you hairless for two to three days depending on the person. Some women need to shave just once a week. Try an old fashion safety razor to cut down on waste and expense. The initial expense will be around $30 but it should last you a lifetime. The replacement blades cost about 50 cents when bought in bulk. Try using hair conditioner instead of fancy shaving gel. Depending on the razor, you may get by with just wetting your legs in the shower. Find coupons online for razors and shave creams if you can’t give them up. Cost: $20 – $30 per month
Laser Hair removal – This method is pricey upfront but equals roughly 12-24 months of shaving or waxing expenses. Also, the hair removal may not be permanent and hair may come back, but it will be thinner and more sparse. The best candidates for laser hair removal are those with dark hair and light skin because the laser targets melanin which is found in dark hair. Lasers aren’t as painful as waxing, but are more painful than depilatory creams or tweezing. You’ll need five to six treatments spaced four weeks apart. Cost: $150 – $200 per session
Depilatory Creams – Creams are easy to use. Just slather it on and wait a couple minutes and voila! No hair. Creams are smelly and contain harsh chemicals that may irritate your skin. The cream removes the hair above the skin and leaves the follicle, which means you may have tiny blacks dots where your hair used to be. Hair growth is visible in two to three days. Cost: $20 – 30 per month
If you can’t fork over money for hair removal go au naturel or buy tweezers and pluck the stray eyebrow hairs and skip the salon. To look your best on the cheap, learn to do your own mani and pedi and check out the make up secrets from a pro that Bargain Babe got when she did her Better Homes and Garden photo shoot. Drop a comment and let us know how you save money on hair removal.
