By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
TFDuesing/flickr
If you want something you don’t have the money for, figure out how to make it. (I’ve already talked about getting things by swapping or repurposing).
Personally, I have found that learning to make something is the best way to go. I get what I need, and I know how to repair it. Here are my five favorite sites to go to when I want to learn new things:
- General instructions - Instructables - You can learn anything from how to carve a pumpkin to how to build your own computer to how to construct a rocket ship. Instructables has more pictures and instructions than videos. (more…)
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
Daquella Manera/flickr
I am a firm believer in returning products. If I get it home and find out that it doesn’t fit, work, or do what the advertising promised, I return it. However, I hate the time, effort, and gas it takes to make a return.
Most stores have very good return policies. However, it often costs more to return the item than its purchase price. For instance,
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This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Pawnsearcher.com is a new site that helps you find discounted items for sale at pawn shops across the country. The site is fairly easy to use and best of all it’s free. You do have to create an account, however. Once the account is established, you can start searching for things like tools, electronics, and more.
In a previous post, Bargain Babe wrote about how to make money from spring cleaning by selling unwanted gold jewelry at pawn shops. If you’re looking for jewelry, you’ll want to check out this site.
Be advised that you won’t find
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
We all know that we should do research before making a major purchase. We know about comparison shopping, haggling, and looking for discounts. But do you know how to mentally prepare? Here are my 10 tips for shopping preparedness.
- Be well rested. If you have small children, it is possible that the idea of getting a good night’s sleep is but a vague memory and dream. If that is the case, take a nap prior to going shopping. If this is a big item you are purchasing, you may consider hiring a babysitter to watch the kids so that you definitely get a nap. I know it is hard, but shopping while exhausted is bad for your budget.
Internet TV at home is a DIY reality!
I’m hearing a lot about services that, for a fee, let you play computer videos, like Hulu and YouTube, on your TV. Is this a necessary expense? How hard is it to do yourself? I talked to Shawn DuBravac, a head honcho at the Consumer Electronic Association, and learned that, for many TVs, you can buy a cable for about $45 that will eliminate the need for a pricey service. This interview has been edited and condensed.
How hard is it to stream videos from your computer to your TV? If you want to play YouTube videos on a television, you have to have some type of computer object connected to that television: a browser in essence.
What is an Internet TV? About 20% of televisions are Internet-enabled. If you have one of those televisions you really don’t need to do anything.
What about a non-Internet TV that has an HDMI input? If you have an HDMI port, then all you have to do is
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This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
A recent MoneyTalk News article shared results of a Harris poll that found 12 ways Americans are saving money this summer. Below are the 12 most popular cost-cutting methods with my tips on each.
1. Buy more generic brands – Don’t play favorites when it comes time to shopping. If you have ethnic grocery stores in your area, check them out. Just last week, I wanted avocados and found a bag of 4 for $3.99 at Trader Joe’s. I passed and headed to an ethnic store and found them for $0.33 each. To save more money don’t forget to check back every Wednesday when we share grocery coupons for different stores.
2. Brown bag lunch instead of buying it – I’ve compared the different options for midday meals and brown bagging it is definitely a winner. To save money on lunch, plan ahead. Make a big batch of beans during the weekend and during the week toss it in to a salad. Cut fruit ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. Add some lemon, salt, and a pinch of cayenne for a quick and easy snack. (more…)
TJ's Next to Godliness Cleaner is tops!
The May issue of ShopSmart has a list of 27 amazing bargain products, 17 of which I’ve listed below. What are your favorite cheap products?
Laundry detergent - ERA 2x Ultra with Oxi Booster is $10, half the cost of top rated brand Tide and just as good.
Sunscreen – Find top rated sunscreen Up & Up Sport Sunscreen Continuous Spray SPF 30 at Target for $5.25. Love the spray!
Wine - Pick up Yosemite Road Chardonnay by the dozen at 7-Eleven, which sells it for $4 to $5. But hide the label from foodies and wino friends.
Lightbulbs – EcoSmart Soft White Bulbs at Home Depot are $6 for 4 and is the cheapest of ShopSmart’s top rated CFLs. Each one will save you $56 over the bulbs life compared to incandescents.
Charlie Brewer / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Earlier I wrote about three phone alternatives to a landline that can save you money and reader Lore suggested Gmail Voice. I am a Google fan and can’t believe I didn’t mention the company’s phone feature, which you can access through Gmail and Google Talk.
Google Talk is a free Windows and web-based application for instant messaging that also allows you to make calls to others with Google Talk only. Google Voice is a free Google Internet service that uses voice over internet protocol (VoIP) to enable users to make and receive calls for free. You don’t have to be at your computer and can call any number. In this post we’ll explore how using Google Voice can cut down your phone bill.
Google Voice is similar to Skype in that it enables you to make a call and video chat. To make calls you will need (more…)
For iPhone users like me who have been waiting for a choice of cell phone carriers, our day is here. By now you’ve probably heard the iPhone, previously only available on AT&T, is now on Verizon. Although I’m ecstatic about the new option, I’m also hesitant to make the switch.
My contract with AT&T is not up yet and breaking it would cost me a hefty $235 termination fee. Verizon’s technology does not support multitasking like making a call and downloading e-mails at the same time. With AT&T I have unlimited voice, text and data, and can multitask to my heart’s content for $125 a month. Verizon’s unlimited $30 data package is only available for a limited time so I run the risk of switching after it has ended. If you’re caught in the same predicament as I am and want to figure out what the best option for you is, check out my price comparison chart below.
As you can see in the chart, AT&T is the cheaper option if you go with the lowest data, voice and text options. The prices do not include taxes, so expect to pay a little bit more. To make the right decision for you, consider how you plan to use your phone. I don’t travel overseas, so if I switch to Verizon it won’t affect me that their technology does not work overseas. If you need an unlimited data plan, Verizon is for you. If I switch, I will do it once my contract is over and this will give me some time to see whether Verizon can handle all the iPhone users on their network. Back in 2007, AT&T’s network was overwhelmed and the drop calls began.
Will you be switching?
Ready to watch the game. Credit: wwworks/Flickr
Longtime reader Dave shared – ok, bragged – about the discount he got on a new TV just in time for the Superbowl! He writes:
I just bought a new 47″ Big Screen TV at a tremendous price.
Vizio M470NV model. ALL the “Bells & Whistles” including Wireless Internet Access (Netflix streaming of movies, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). LED/LCD, surround sound, blu-ray remote with keyboard, etc, etc.
Price at Vizio.com = $1429.99 (MSRP)
Average “best price” = $999
Price at Sam’s Club = $948
“Instant Discount” currently at Sam’s = $150
Price at Sam’s thru 1/30/2011 = $798
Dave got the TV for 44% off the MSRP – a fantastic deal! Did you buy a new TV for the Superbowl? Looking for a Superbowl party menu under $25? I’m going to be flying during the Superbowl this Sunday so the plane will be empty (yay!) but I’ll also miss the commercials. Hehehe.
F. Montino/Flickr
Reader Sharon wrote in with how she used coupons, bonuses, and a price comparison app to save enough money to cover her Droid cell phone bill this month.
Also, just HAVE to share with you how I’m making my new Droid 2 pay for itself – I downloaded the “red laser” app that scans the bar code and when I check out I ask if they’ll match the price. Last week I got something at Office Max for ½ the price, saving $15! Then I went to JC Penney’s and there was an AWESOME Cuisinart can opener on sale for $59.99 down from $79.99. Now, I would NEVER spend $60 on a can opener, even though I’ve been going through cheap ones like crazy and my hands no longer can turn the hand held ones. So I decided to scan the bar code and found it online for $39.99! PLUS I had $20 rewards for JCP, so I paid a total of $19.99 for my new WONDERFUL, one touch Cuisinart can opener – and the FIRST Cuisinart product I’ve ever owned! YEAH! So…I’m well on the way to paying my monthly phone bill in just one day buying things I need. Feel free to share.
Gotten any hot deals lately?
Daniel Y. Go / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
If you’re an iPhone user, you already know there are thousands of apps (short for applications) that make life a little bit easier. Many apps have free “lite” versions that can be downloaded without charge from iTunes, but others cost anywhere between .99 to $999.99. You read that right! Some apps like Bar Max: California edition, which is intended for law students studying for the California bar exam, are very expensive.
So what’s a frugal iPhone user supposed to do? (more…)
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This post is brought to you by Isoclad, supplier of high quality insulated wall panels.
I wouldn’t touch – yawn – energy efficiency if it weren’t such a darn good way to save money. So to spice up this list of 12 frugal home efficiency improvements, I tossed in new gadgets and technologies that companies are developing to make slashing energy easier and hopefully, more fun.
1. Recycle heat. A new super efficient clothes dryer available in Europe consumes half the heat of a traditional model by recycling heat, says Norman L. Dean, President of TopTen USA, which ranks the top ten most efficient home products. Instead of venting steam, the dryer runs the hot exhaust over a series of coils that absorbs the heat and puts it back into dryer. It’s called a heat pump close dryer and could be on the market in a couple of years.
2. Dodge the draft. Buy or make simple door draft dodgers, cloth strips filled with (more…)
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Yesterday I parted with $.99 to download Boggle onto my iPhone, the second time I’ve ever paid for an app. Already, I’ve played Boggle for two hours, steadily increasing my scores from the low 20s to a high of 36.
I felt guilty about the purchase because there are sooo many free apps. On the other hand, I can afford $.99 for good, clean fun. And besides, the free knock-off version of Boggle stank.
I asked my Facebook friends if buying apps was frugal or cheap.
Jason said the purchase made me “Frugal, cheap would get getting someone else to get them for you.”
Jessica said “Discerning!”
Bonnie said “Frugal for sure, especially considering how many apps are available.:-)”
Eugene said “I’ve only ever paid for 2 myself: Colbert’s ‘the Word’ app, and This American Life. Considering I’ve barely ever used them, I doubt I’ll ever buy another!”
Bob said “…or….just not that into apps, … perhaps!”
Do you pay for apps? How many have you purchased?
PS. I plan to break into the 40-point zone soon!
I recently considered buying an iPad and discovered there are four different ways to buy it that result in a price difference of $330! The iPad is by no means a necessity, according to an Apple-obsessed friend of mine, but if you are going to buy one you might as well get a deal. See below for basic tech terms.
MiFi – A small device that allows you to set up a WiFi hot spot wherever you are.
3G – A high-speed Internet network that the 3G iPad can connect to (the WiFi iPad can only connect to WiFi hotspots, like at McDonalds, Starbucks, or your local library).
This chart assumes you do not break anything and incur replacement costs. Check warranties on all devices before you buy.
