Saving Craving! Savings Tip: Turn trash into treasure

I saw THIS video on the Today Show, and died over it. Some of these ideas are so cute and seem easy to do!

I love the idea of turning something old into something new. I know many of you are thrift-store junkies and find great things out of other people's trash. But...have you ever looked in your own house for trash that can become treasure? I know I haven't. When things don't fit me any more I simply try to SELL them, or throw them out.

I think we could all save time and money by finding new uses for our old, outdated things. Refinishing furniture is always a great choise, but as this video teaches us, there are lots of fun things to do with old clothes too.

HERE is a site that has some crafty ideas (HERE also).

Watch THIS video and hopefully it will inspire you to turn your old things into new fashion!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Learn to Dance for Free

July 31 is National Dance Day. For those of us who love to watch Latin, ballroom, or Swing dancing, now is your chance to learn some fundamentals. For free!

From 5:00 – 6:00 PM there is a free intro to Ballroom-Latin group class and from 8:00 – 9:00 PM there is a free West Coast Swing Lesson in Murray.

To stay afterwards is 5 bucks a person, which is still cheaper than a regular movie (and way funner).

http://www.ballroomutah.com/

Free Famous Dave's!

August 1st is "Dave's Day" (unless you live in Utah or WA, then it's 9/7). Anyone named Dave gets a free entree! Pretty sweet, eh? Click HERE for details. Here's what the site says:

And that means a great deal for you - up to $15 - for anyone named Dave (David or Davy, too). And half off your entrée if your middle name's Dave - up to $7.50. That goes for to-go orders too. Hey Daves, we're talkin' serious bucks here so don't forget to present your I.D.**

* Dave's Day for all Utah and Washington (except Kennewick) locations is 9/7/10. Kennewick is 8/1/10.
** Sorry, last names don't count. Dave, You must present a valid picture I.D. Offer good at participating restaurants only.

1/2 off cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory!

Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite treats. Today is National CHEESECAKE Day, so you get 1/2 off any slice of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory! I think I've died and gone to heaven.
Click HERE for details.

Old Navy $2 Cami sale!

Click HERE for the coupon and enjoy $2 Camis from Old Navy! If you don't have the coupon you can also say "Cami 4 Me" at checkout. Happy savings to you! *** Note, this ends on 7/31 so you'd better hurry!

Couponing Sites

Though I am not a huge coupon-er, I'm learning though....but I know many of you out there are! It's a great way to save lots of dinero! Here are a few couponing sites that have been recommended recently. What are your favorites? Comment with your favorite couponing site and I'll add them  to the list!

http://www.pinchingyourpennies.com/
http://www.bargainblessings.com/ (CO based)
http://www.hip2save.com/
http://www.couponmom.com/
http://www.coupon.com/
http://www.utahdealdiva.com/
http://www.coupons4utah.com/

Girl's Night Out-Healthy Living

I caught this on the Nie Nie dialogues. Click on the link below the picture.

Thursday, July 29, 2010
6 to 9 p.m.
American Fork Hospital
170 North 1100 East

http://intermountainhealthcare.org/hospitals/americanfork/services/women/classes/Pages/GirlsNightOut.aspx

"Reward yourself by joining us at American Fork Hospital for a evening of healthy fun to learn how to live a healthier, happier life.
This free outdoor event will include health screenings, acclaimed guest speaker — Rebecca Linder Hintze — decadent food, pampering and a few fun gifts.
Whether it’s a quick facial, a massage, gel toes, tours and information about the hospital’s Women’s Services, a free breast exam and cancer information, or simple tips on how to juggle health with all the demands of being a woman, Girls’ Night Out may be just what you need to discover a healthy, happy, you.
Low-cost health screenings
Lipid Panel $11 • Pregnancy $7 • RH factor $12 • Thyroid $9
Blood work for the above screenings may be done prior to the event or on the day of the event. Visit Laboratory at American Fork Hospital Monday through Friday, between
8 a.m. and noon."

How to save money while away on vacation

Here's another article on Oprah's site that is a great way to save money WHILE on vacation. Cool, huh? It gives tips and tricks for saving money while away on vacay, such as how we can save money by changing how we water our lawn while we're away, lower-priced items to travel with, etc. Check it out!

Give your opinion for a chance to win

Click HERE to give your input, for a chance to win a $50 Chili's gift card. Why not, right?? Remember, SIGN UP for stuff!

Free Lasagna - Today Only

So Candice and I are huge fans of Buca di Beppo. And for today only, they are offering a free lunch sized portion of lasagna with the purchase of a small or large pasta or entree.

I am all over that! What say ye, Candice?

For locations, click Find Free Lasagna

Saving Craving! Savings tip of the day: 7 Deals you should never make by Suze Orman

I know I'm on an Oprah kick, finding all these articles. But they are really helpful!

This article is especially helpful. It lists 7 easy mistakes we can all make. Did you know you should opt for a higher deductible on insurance? That you should opt for a 32 month car loan rather than a 5-year car loan, even though the payments are more affordable? She teaches us WHY we should do these things, so read about it HERE. Give these tips a try!

Knowledge is power AND money
Happy savings to you! :)

B1G1 1/2 off Ganesh, Midvale UT

Print out this coupon for B1G1 1/2 off. No expiration date that I can see! Click HERE for their site.

12 Ways to eat well on a budget

I found THIS article on Oprah's site. It's great, 12 ways to eat well on a budget. This is a great article for those who have more gourmet tastes, especially. Check it out!

Free lasagna at Buca Di Beppo!

July 29 is National Lasagna Day! Buca Di Beppo is celebrating in style, by giving out free lunch-sized portions of their yummy lasagna on that day (when you buy an entree or pasta). Might as well take advantage!
Click HERE for details.

B1G1 free from Taj India, SLC

Print this out for B1G1 free. No expiration date that I can see! Click HERE for their site.

1-hr massage for $29! (Salt Lake)

Click HERE to get a 1-hr massage for just $29 (usually $60)! It's a great birthday or anniversary gift.....or just spoil yourself for an hour :)

Kohl's cash going on now

For every $50 you spend, you get $10 Kohl's cash, good on your next purchase. This is a great deal! If you're going to spend the money anyway, might as well get $10 back. The catch with the Kohl's Cash is that you usually only have 2 weeks or so to use it. Still a great deal though, so check it out!

Sale at Children's Place

They tend to have great prices in-stores, and they have 50% off summer clearance now. So check it out and stock up for next summer!

Free backgrounds!

We all love cute blog backgrounds. Click HERE to get cute free blogger backgrounds, courtesy of shelsscraps. They are adorable, so check them out! She also has great resources on the side of her blog where you can do your own digital scrapbooking.

Happy savings to you! :)

Saving Craving! Savings tip: Sell your stuff

Got an old cell phone lying around that you just don't need any more? Wedding dress? Clothes? Books? 

Many of us simply throw things out to clear space or get rid of things that we don't need any more. Sometimes we'll even donate these to The Salvation Army or Goodwill (which is great, we should donate when at all possible). Have you ever considered selling your stuff? It's a great way to make some extra cash.

Even if it's only $5 for a big bundle of stuff, think of how many $5's add up over time!

My husband and I are big "stuff-sellers". Here are some tips that we've learned over the years:

• Don't try to sell stuff that is excessively stained, broken, or unusable. You wouldn't want to buy junk, would you?

• If your items are only slightly battered, don't be afraid to sell them. But be VERY honest in your description when selling the items. You'd be surprised at what people will buy for a good price (good price meaning don't over-price your items that are slightly battered!!)

• Wash/clean the items as best as you can before you sell them. Image makes a huge difference.

• If you say "text, email or call me" in your ad, you'll have better response. People really like texting now days.

• Post your items in multiple places and one time, and re-post often. This increases your odds dramatically.

• Post as many pictures as the site will allow. The more pictures, the BETTER. Espeically with big items like wedding dresses or cars. Be sure to take detailed pictures of dents, stains, holes, etc. This way people will know you are being honest about the condition of your items, and you know that when people call you they are truly interested! It is best to use your own pictures and not manufacturers' pictures.

• Be flexible on price. You might even want to post your initial price a few dollars higher than the price you are looking for, and assume that people will talk you down. The more flexible you are, the faster it will sell.

• Look at other similar ads to get a good starting price. Being too high won't sell your stuff (obviously), and being the cheapest means you may not get as much as you can for your items. Pricing varies depending on the time of year, etc. so look at your competition.

• SAFETY TIPS: Don't have people come to your house to look at an item you are selling. Meet them at a gas station, your work, a church parking lot, etc. You can also set up a secondary email account if you don't want people to have your personal email. You can also set up a free phone number through google voice  so people don't have your real phone number!

• Re-post your ad every few days. The good sites get really congested, so make sure to keep your ad fresh. Re-word it slightly each time as well, you'll notice that some get better responses than others.

• Get creative. Think outside the box. We just sold our car on a local classifieds site. The guy could only get a loan for a certain amount, which was $500 less than what we wanted for it. My husband learned that he works construction, so we settled on a trade; he's going to do some remodeling in our house to work off the remaining $500!

• If you can't sell it, donate it or find a creative way to reuse it!  If you donate it, be sure to get a tax slip so you can write it off in your taxes!

Good places to sell your stuff:

• Facebook (they have featured ads or you can simply post something on your profile, or you can create a page for that item. This gets HUGE traction. This is a great place to sell/rent your house or contract, too!)
• Newspaper classifieds
• Ebay
• Craigslist
• Local classified sites, like www.KSL.com for Utah/Idaho (many popular news stations have their own classified pages online, these are pretty popular locally. Be sure to search online.)
• Plato's Closet  is a store that buys gently used clothes/shoes/purses/jewelry. Just be sure they aren't too old (they can be pretty picky about this), and make sure they are in great condition.
• Amazon. This is a great place to sell used books! (Text books too, you collage kids!)
• Kid to Kid is a store like Plato's closet. They buy gently used kids items - everything from movies/toys/rocking chairs, to clothes/hats/shoes, etc.
• Pawn shop. These won't give you very much money, but it's quick and easy.

Great things to sell (what I've personally had success with):

• Used books/text books/cook books
• Wedding dress
• Car
• Furniture that you've replaced (couches, book shelf, TV stand)
• Appliances that you've replaced (small {hand mixer, blender etc}  and large {fridge, dishwasher, etc})
• Baby items: crib, swing, clothes, changing table, stroller, sling, hiking pack, etc.
• Bikes, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, etc.
• Electronics (old TV's, cell phones, stereos, games/DVD's, gaming units {wii, nintendo, etc}, computers, camera)
• Basically...anything!

Give it a try. Like I said, even if you only get $3 here, $20 there...it really ads up.

Good luck, and happy savings to you!

Got leftover chicken? Don't throw it out...

Click HERE for great leftover chicken recipe ideas. Remember, LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS!

Quiznos coupon!

Click HERE to print this coupon! Be sure to sign up for their email list to get a free cookie on your birthday. This expires on 8/2/10 so don't let it expire!

Free shipping from Snapfish

	C lick HERE for their website

B1G1 Free from Mi Ranchito Grill

Print this coupon and enjoy B1G1 free! Notice that it's for $8 or less. My husband ate here and said it's pretty good. At lunchtime there are a lot of $8 options, just FYI. Click HERE for their site. P.s...I don't see an expiration date!

Update: 

We ate here this weekend. The staff was really nice. The way it works is, it's buy 1 get one free, up to $8. So if both your plates cost $10, then you would pay $10 for one, and $2 for the other. Also, if while you're there you text MI RANCHITO to 83043, you get a free drink - one for every text! It's a great deal.

Free Tapas from Eva

Print out this coupon and get free Tapas when you buy 1 menu item. Be sure to use it before 7/31!

Drawing for $50 to Z'Tejas!

Click HERE to enter a drawing to win a $50 gift card to Z'Tejas. I know it's a bummer to get spam emails sometimes, however, my husband wins stuff like this all the time because he's never afraid to enter contests! So, give it a try!

Saving Craving! Savings tip of the day: Sign up for stuff!

Since my savings tip for yesterday was about signing up for birthday freebies, I thought I'd add on to it with today's savings tip....

SIGN UP FOR STUFF!

This seems like such a simple, obvious tip...however...how many of us actually do it? 

• Let's say we're at the cash register at a store and they say, "Would you like us to email you discounts and promotions?" How many of us say, "No thanks"?
• Let's say we're at an expo and there's a sign that says, "Enter to win a free facial." How many of us walk by?
• Let's say we see a sign at a restaurant that says, "Sign up for our mailing list to receive special offers on your birthday." How many of us ignore it?

Most of us, actually!

My husband is the KING of winning things. He's always coming home with ipods, weekend stays at this place or that, discounts to restaurants, etc. The reason? No, it's not luck, he simply has great odds because he signs up for EVERYTHING!

Yes, there are downsides to signing up for things or entering contests. For one, you might receive junk mail or junk emails. Two, it puts your information out into...well...who knows where?? There are ways to get free stuff and protect yourself too. Here are some tips:

• Get an alternative email address. Gmail has a great junk mail blocker. I have really been impressed with what junk mail they catch for me! I recommend signing up for a free email account. This can be the address that you use to sign up for newsletters, mailing lists, freebies, etc.

• Just do it! Don't be too skeptical. When the store asks if you want emails with discounts and promotions, take advantage! Often times they are good offers that they only offer to their email lists. Overstock.com, the Children's place, Victoria's secret, Kohl's...these are all stores that give good discounts to their emailers. There are tons more out there, though!

• Do some digging to find out where your information is going. If the expo lady says, "enter to win a free facial!" be sure to ask her what they will be doing with  your information. Same with freebies and websites...simply look around. Often times you will see a notice stating they don't sell your information to 3rd parties. I truly believe this, especially with restaurants and stores. They'd rather keep you as a customer than sell your info.

• Beware of random sites. There are pop-ups and random sites ALL OVER that claim to give away free stuff. Try to stick with the bigger sites or name-brand stores that you recognize.

• Be strong in sales pitches. Sometimes you have to listen to a sales pitch in order to get your free prize. BE STRONG and say NO NO NO NO NO as many times as it takes. They are often polished salesmen and will getcha if you're not careful!

• OPT OUT. If you are getting bombarded with emails or REALLY don't like receiving any junk emails at all, simply sign up, get your free/discounted item, then unsubscribe or opt out. By law they have to offer this, it just may take a little reading through the fine print to find the link.

• Only give required info. If you look closely, often times only your name and email are required, but they will ask for lots of other info. Just give them the requirements and it will keep you safe.

My husband and I have seriously walked away with some great stuff by simply taking advantage of signing up for things, and entering to win things. In fact, I won a $500 visa gift card by simply dropping my first and last name into a box at a car dealership! Do it enough and you'll win too.

Good "luck", and happy savings to you!

Liberty Park Grill (Salt Lake), B1G1 free

Print this out to enjoy B1G1 Free at Liberty Park grill. Just note that it expires on 8/1/10, so better use it quick!

Sushi B1G1 free coupon!

Print out this coupon and enjoy some Sushi. Just be sure to use it by the expiration date!

Online sales at The Children's Place

Here's another good sale for you to know about! 25% Off an order is a great deal, however, you have to spend $75. I recommend going in with other moms or family members so you can take advantage of the 25% without having to spend so much all on your own. 

Wallflowers on Sale at Bath & Body Works

These are always good little gifts for people, so if you like them, B1G1 Free is a good deal!

Saving Craving! Savings tip: Birthday Freebies (pt 1)

My handsome hubby has a birthday coming up next week. We LOVE birthdays at our house, because we get so much fun/cheap/free stuff! One way your family can really save is by signing up for as much "Birthday Freebie" stuff as possible!

A few things we like to take advantage of are: a free burger at Red Robin, free dinner at Benihana's, and free dinner at Tucano's to name a few. Those are HUGE savings! And don't forget to take home your leftovers, and you'll really be raking in the dough.

The CATCH: Be SURE to use the freebies before they expire. This is a bummer when you look at the fine print and notice that you only have a few days to use the certificates. Still worth it, though!

Here is a site that I found that shows lots of places you can save for your Birthday.
Here's another site that you can sign up for.
Do you have a birthday freebie site that you like? Please email me at funcheaporfree@gmail.com and I'll add it!

Happy birthday AND happy savings to you :)

$3 off at Red Robin!

I LOVE RED ROBIN. I love their bottomless fries, and feel like I get a good deal when going there. I usually fill up on fries and take my burger home as leftovers :). 

If you sign up for their email list (click HERE) you get a free gift for signing up (I got $3 off my next purchase) and you get a free burger on your birthday! Might as well!

Enjoy, and happy savings to you :)

I saved an instant $24 tonight at Costco by using a few of their coupons! Ask for a coupon book at the service desk if you aren't on Costco's mailing list.

Events...

Just a reminder to check out FCF's CALENDAR of events. It has lots of free/cheap/fun stuff going on in Utah. Another one I just added is Millcreek Movie Nights on Fridays. Sounds like fun, check it out!

Saving Craving! Savings tip of the day: Debbie Meyer Bags

 What the heck are Debbie Meyer Bags, you might ask? Well, my mom introduced these to me a year or two ago and they have saved my life ever since!

They are funky green bags that keep food fresh for...well...forever, honestly. I'm not sure how it works, exactly, but I think it's a component in the bag that absorbs the bad chemical that makes produce go rotten. It actually helps keep vitamins locked in your produce as well.

You simply put one kind of food in each bag and that's it!
It advertises that it keeps food fresh for 30 days, but I've had some food last much longer.
Cilantro usually goes bad pretty quick in my fridge but lasts FOREVER in these bags.

These babies save you lots of money because

1. It helps keep your BULK produce and food fresh. You can buy bulk and save money rather than buying little quantities of food. 
2. You can rince out and re-use the bags about 10 times so you don't have to throw them away each time.

I didn't find these bags at Walmart, but I'm sure if you asked around you could find them at your local store. Otherwise check them out at Amazon.

Give them a try!     Happy savings to you :)

Cheap recipe from allrecipes.com: Granola Bars

The comments on this recipe said they are easy to make, yummy, and much cheaper than buying granola bars at the store! You can double the recipe and freeze the extras. Most of these ingredients you'll have lying around your house, so if you buy bulk, this will certainly save you money! Give it a try:

Homemade Chewy Granola Bars


Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 25 Minutes
Servings: 12
"'Our children are now grown and gone, but they always look forward to eating these chocolaty treats when they come back home to visit,' relates Lavone Edgar from Nampa, Idaho. Her recipe makes a dozen wholesome bars-enough for the two of you to enjoy and share."
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
1/4 cup raisins
3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Stir in the oats, sunflower kernels, raisins, wheat germ and sesame seeds. Fold in chocolate chips.

2. Press into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until set and edges are browned. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

see the recipe online HERE

Reviews:
“I used maple syrup instead of corn syrup and omitted raisins. Much better than store-bought granola bars, and much cheaper. They're now a 'lunch box' staple!” 
"My only regret is that I didn't try these months ago! I've been looking to replace store-bought granola bars; these are perfect. I can make a double batch and put half in the freezer." 
"Great as written but just as good with other things besides raisins. I loved dried blueberries and craisins. Everyone in the house loves these and everyone in my playgroup did too." 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2010 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 7/21/2010

Diapers.com coupon code

$10 off isn't a bad deal! Click the picture to get to their site. 

1-Day sale at Kohl's

1-day sale at Kohl's, thought I'd let you know!

Delta has some good deals going on!

I don't typically fly Delta because they charge for bags; I prefer Southwest Airlines. However, Southwest doesn't fly everywhere, and I find Delta to be 2nd best usually. They have some good deals going on: click HERE to see them. I recommend signing up for their email list (same with southwest - sign up for DING) and you'll get notified of good flight prices. Remember to check out THIS POST so you don't get charged too much for flights!

Go travel somewhere fun!
Happy savings to you :)

Free baby food starter kit

When you go to Beechnut's site and click HERE, you can sign up for their newsletter and get a free starter kit: voucher for free rice cereal, voucher for 2 free jars of food, and a coupon each month. Give it a try!

Happy savings to you :)

Saving Craving! Savings tip of the day: Love Leftovers

An ongoing joke that my friends tell about me is how I am OBSESSED with leftovers. They often poke fun at my "no shame" attitude, and how I am willing to box, bag, or grab anything left on a table. Well, folks, I'm here to tell you that I save a BUNDLE by loving leftovers!

If I go to a restaurant (typically using one of many coupons I've discovered...check out my previous posts for great coupons that you can use too) I nearly always plan on getting at least two meals out of my dish. When I'm at home, I always plan on getting multiple meals out of one night of cooking. This saves tons of time, money, and helps you justify going out to eat once in a while. 

Here are some "leftovers" tips:

• When you go to a restaurant, BUY BIG. For example...                                                                   I recently went to lunch with a friend. We went to Noodles & Company. They have two sizes, regular and small. The regular is nearly double the size of a small, for only $1 more (or so...I'm doing this from memory).  My friend got the small because she said she couldn't eat an entire regular by herself. I, of course, ordered the large. I ate half, boxed up the other half, and got two meals out of it for only $1 more!

• Ask the waiter what specials they have going. Often the specials are regular dishes that are temporarily discounted, or are new dishes they are featuring for a temporary lower price. Order the biggest dish possible to get the best value, then (using self-control...) eat half and save the rest for later!

• When cooking at home, always make generous portions. Don't half recipes. In fact, double them if it's a small recipe! I know this seems like it would be wasteful or could lead to over-eating, but if you learn to love leftovers, then this serves multiple purposes: A) cuts down on your need to cook for every meal, and B) gets more use out of food you've cooked.

• Make double of recipes and FREEZE the other half. You have all of the ingredients, you're doing the work already, why not cut down on future cooking? This way you have meals stored away for a rainy day, or you can give a meal away to someone in need. Plus, when you BUY BULK (which you should!) you'll have plenty of food around to work with.

• Stock up on tupperware. I, personally, hate saran wrap and find that it doesn't keep leftovers very fresh. Use airtight containers and your leftovers will stay yummy for up to a few days! When you take food home from a restaurant in Styrofoam or cardboard containers, immediately transfer to tupperware. It makes a big difference.

• Have no shame when it comes to taking things home from restaurants and get creative with saving your leftovers. I will even take home leftover steak fries from Red Robin (because they are my favorite!). We've all learned that fries go mushy in the fridge after a day. However...throw them on a baking sheet, broil for a few minutes, and vuala - crispy and delicious again. If the bun on your burger goes soggy, take the bread off and make it into a lettuce wrap, or add a new fresh bun.

• If ordering something like a big salad at a restaurant, or a big sandwich, ask for the sauces on the side. Keeping food sauce-free helps them stay better in your fridge for a few days.

• Get creative with home-made leftovers. If you make chicken and rice on day 1 and don't feel like eating it again on day two, shred the chicken and add it to burritos. Throw it over a salad. Add it to soup. There are tons of ways to get lots of leverage out of leftovers.

• Plan your meals around re-using leftovers. There are many sites out there than can help, here's one. Here's another.

• LOVE LEFTOVERS. No one is "too cool" to save, so don't be bashful or feel "dumb" when asking to box up leftovers. Even if it's only a small amount of food, this really will help save TONS in the long run.

Set a goal for yourself that you are going to cut your cooking in half this week, and try to get at least 2 meals out of every 1 meal that you buy or cook. Good luck, and

Happy savings to you! :)

Quiznos coupon!

Click HERE to print this coupon, it's a good deal! Just be sure to use it before it expires.

Barns & Noble book sale!

They have tons of books on clearance right now, click HERE to check them out. I'm still a big fan of buying used books from the library, but there are some children's books at Barn's &Noble on sale for under $2 right now, so might as well check them out!

Great savings at Overstock.com

One website that I've had good luck at getting great prices is Overstock. They have great prices on things, and their cost for shipping is always $2.95, no matter how much you order! We bought our crib there for $150, regularly like, $250 I believe.

I even bought our king sized comforter set for $17 from their auctions page. If you want to take a risk you can even auction off their returned items, that's how I got our comforter. Unfortunately it wasn't in mint condition, but for $17 we feel fine with that.

I signed up for their OMail and get coupons and notices about sales pretty much daily. One great experience I had with Overstock was...
We shopped around and bought our crib for about $180, which was a great deal. The next weekend was black friday and the crib went down in price about $20. I called Overstock and asked them if I could get the difference in price credited to me since I had JUST bought it...and they did! So now I have a $20 credit going toward my next purchase there.

I have been really impressed with their prices, products, and service, and that's why I'm promoting them. Check it out!

Happy savings to you :)

Saving Craving! Savings tip of the day: Embracing BULK

Today's savings tip is one that I am passionate about:

BUYING BULK

I know for some people the thought of buying bulk gives them a headache: no where to store it, can't use up the food in time and it goes bad, hates shopping around for bulk sales, etc. I'm hear to teach you that IT CAN BE EASY!...and it can be a life saver/time saver, too! Warehouses like Costco or Sams Club get wholesale pricing that no other stores get. TAKE ADVANTAGE.

When I grocery shop, I typically only shop at two stores: Wal Mart, and Costco. I shop at Wal Mart because it's a one-stop shop, and they price match (I'll write more on this later).  I shop at Costco because they tend to have amazing prices on everything because, well, they sell in bulk. BIG bulk most of the time. I am actually not a huge fan of coupon-ing. I have found that it takes a lot of time, forces you to buy name-brand most of the time, and well, to be honest, I tend to get better prices when I buy bulk anyway.
Here are some examples of ways I save each month:

• I have an 85lb yellow lab puppy that eats me out of house and home. We used to buy this dog food for him at Wal Mart: 

Pedigree dog food. Close to 20lbs at walmart for around $20. I thought this was a great deal. 

I now buy the same exact dog food at costco, 51lbs for $24. That's more than double the food, for nearly the same price!

I have to buy one of these bags every month (yes, my dog eats 50lb of food each month...), so this saves me around $200 a YEAR just on dog food! Yes, it means I have to carry an enormous bag of dog food around Costco and find room for it in my house, but the savings are well worth it.

• My husband is NOT a vegetable eater. In fact, he hates veggies. I have a hard time getting him to eat them, so I used to buy them in small quantities at the nearest store. I found that I was having to make lots of grocery trips throughout the month just to pick up one tomato, or one head of lettuce. Then I discovered the beauty of buying produce in bulk.

         

Rather than buying one head of lettuce or one onion, I buy BIG bags of them at Costco. For example, a 10oz bag of spinach leaves at the store cost me between $3-$4, depending on where I buy it. 

At Costco I can buy 3lb of spinach for around $3! Now, when you see 3lb of spinach you'll probably think "I will never use this much spinach in a million years." Maybe true. However, even if you throw some of it out, you are STILL getting a better value by buying it in a bigger bag. 

Also, you can get creative and use the spinach in freezer meals, or you can research how to freeze your own chopped spinach.

My example of saving money by buying bulk could go on and on. Here are some bulk-buying tips:

• Look on craigslist or other local classifieds and consider buying a cheap fridge/freezer or deep freezer. When you buy bulk you will need some extra space, and you definitely make your money back in the long run.

• Get creative with using your bulk food. If you find that your bulk produce is starting to look a little droopy or your bulk cheese is starting to get old, look online for creative freezer recipes. Make the food into multiple freezer meals that you can store and save for later. 

• You can also get creative by looking for new recipes that include that specific ingredient. I like allrecipes.com because you can search for recipes by ingredient. Plan your meals around your bulk items. If your items are fresh and can't be frozen, plan as many meals as possible around that item.

• Freeze, freeze, freeze. For example, buy the biggest blocks of cheese possible. Cut it in half or thirds, and put 1 third in the fridge to use right away, slice 1 third into cheese slices, and shred the last third. Freeze the slices and shredded cheese in separate ziplock sandwich baggies and you will always have cheese for sandwiches, quesadillas, etc! This saves so much money.

• Price-shop. Costco doesn't always have the cheapest prices on some items. For example, I can usually find better deals on cereal and canned food at other stores, but they take the cake when it comes to nearly everything else.

• Don't be afraid to buy memberships at warehouses like Costco. If you shop there consistantly you will make up the price of your membership in savings pretty quickly.

• Don't be afraid to buy bulk, even if it's just you, or two of you. My baby is so small he doesn't even eat normal food yet, so it's just me and my husband. However, we buy bulk anyway and save like crazy! Bulk works great for families of all sizes.

• If you don't want to pay the membership fee, split the membership with an extended family member. You typically get two people on each membership, cutting your price in half. Also, ask for the membership as a shower gift, birthday present, or put it on your Christmas list.

• Brace yourself because you might spend more upfront than you normally do, but it really does save you in the long run! Just make a budget and stick with it.

• While I am Costco biased, you can also buy bulk at most other stores. Simply look for the isle marked "bulk items" or ask a clerk. However, you can still usually get the same products cheaper at Costco.

Some of the things I recommend buying in bulk (because it saves so much $$): dairy (eggs, milk, cheese, cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese...), fruit, bottled water, produce, bread, bagels, condiments, dog food, dog bones, socks, batteries, office supplies, salad fixings (bacon bits, croutons, dressings), seasonings, baking needs (flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, oils, etc), diapers, wipes, vitamins, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, candy, chips, and there's much more but here's a starter list.

Give it a try! If you aren't sure if you're sold on buying bulk yet, go to a membership only store like Costco with a friend that has a membership. Try it a few times before committing to paying the fee. Though, I promise you'll be sold.
***Update: My friend Lil just informed me that Sams Club is letting non-members shop there in the month of August. Give it a try and see if you like it!***

Happy savings to you!

Cheap photo books and gifts from Artscow.com

I discovered this website a while back and have loved it ever since. Artscow is a site where you can create digital photo books, and just about any other type of photo gift you could ever think of. If you sign up for their emails, they send you great deals like 8 free photo books, free shipping, etc.

The company is in China which is good and bad. It's good because their products are much cheaper than Snapfish or Apple products. It's bad because the shipping costs more, and it takes a LONG time to get to you. However, if you aren't in a rush for a product and you take advantage of their email offers, it's the best!

Their website isn't super user-friendly so please email me if you have questions and I'll help as best I can. funcheaporfree@gmail.com. Take a look, and happy savings to you!

(Click HERE to make something!)

Family fun going on!

My friend Lauralee introduced me to this site: mykidseyeview.com. It's an awesome site that shows lots of fun cheap/free things to do with your family! Keep track of this site and it will give you lots of family-friendly activities. Thanks again, Lauralee!

Sweet deals from Babies R Us

They have some pretty good sales right now. I'm actually not usually the biggest Babies R Us fan because their prices tend to be quite a bit higher than other places, especially Wal Mart. However, these sales are nice:
Click HERE and enjoy!
Happy savings to you :)

Good deal at Smiths!

Blueberries are only $3.99 for 2lb at Smith's grocery stores. Stock up. Make jam, freeze them, buy them now while they are cheap and it will save you money in the long run. Thanks for the tip, Lauralee!

Huggies wipes, on sale at Costco

I LOVE COSTCO. I'm a big believer in buying bulk (I'll write about that later). I recommend getting on their email list so you can see what's on sale. A goodie this month?

Huggies wipes are $5 off an enormous box, making them just $29.

And remember, their Kirkland brand wipes are amazing too, and are always a good, low price ($26.99).

Embrace bulk!
Happy savings to you :)

Pounders Hawaiian Island Grill, 50% off!

Text FOOD to 53535 (which is Skweez) to get 50% off your bill TODAY at Pounders in Fort Union. I love Skweez because it gives you a good deal every day, so you should sign up! (it's free). You can customize it for your own local city, not just the Salt Lake area.

Have a great weekend, everyone!
Happy savings to you :)

Saving Craving! Savings tip of the day: smuggling snacks

Todays tip could get me into trouble :) Not that I'm typically a huge advocate of breaking rules, but for this tip, BREAK THE RULES!

Since it's now the weekend, I'm sure many of you will hit the movies, concerts/shows, or sporting events. As we all know, food is VERY pricey at these venues. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the QUEEN OF SMUGGLING. My husband and I rarely ever buy food at events...because I smuggle my own in! Some of my best smugglers have been: a 2 liter of root beer, burgers, a 5lb bag of Sour Patch Kids, ice cream, a tupperware of dinner leftovers that I didn't have time to eat before the movie, and - yes it's true - an entire Little Caesar's pizza.

It saves buco bucks, I promise! I don't want to jinx myself, but I've been a self-proclaimed smuggler my entire life and have never gotten in trouble. *knock on wood*. The worst thing they do is make you throw your food away.

Here's how I do it:

• Smuggle in a bag: Bring a big purse, bag, or diaper bag. Small ones don't work as well. Diaper bags are great because they expect you to have lots of bulky stuff in there :)

• Smuggle in a blanket: Wrap your item in the middle of a blanket and carry it with you. 

• Smuggle in your clothes: Wear a bulky coat with lots of pockets. This is an easy one. Once we got desperate and my husband simply walked in with 2 cans of soda in his back pockets...but that was a bit risky.

• Smuggle in a stroller: We took our stroller to a Bees baseball game here in Salt Lake. I smuggled lots of stuff in the mesh bag that hangs under the handlebars on my stroller. Since I was holding onto the stroller handles, my body was blocking the bag and they never even checked! You can even stuff treats in beside your baby and cover it with blankets.

• Another stroller note: Don't hide things in the obvious parts, like the basket underneath or cup holders. BUT...use these to your advantage. When you get to security, make it a point to show them the basket and cup holders. Say something like, "Oh and you can check my basket if you want." Often times they'll appreciate your honesty and won't even bother checking!

• The above note is same for purses. Hide things in the little inner zipper pockets or way down deep, and make it a point for them to check your bag. "Do you need to check my bag? Here you go (and open it for them). Sorry there's so much junk in there." Once again, they appreciate your willingness and tend to not check too thoroughly! 

• If you are bringing warm food into the theater be sure to keep it in a sealed container like tupperware. This locks in the smell.

• Make sure lids are on tight! You don't want any spillage.

• Bags are always better than boxes. Less noisy!

• Get creative. Maybe start small if you are nervous (bags of candy, a small can of soda, etc.) but then work up to more creative things. Who says you can't enjoy a Corndog at the movies??

• Don't take our your smuggled items until the theater or concert hall is completely dark. 

• Try to get rid of noisy wrappers that will cause lots of attention. I love ziplocks.

• If you are at a venue where they check bags (baseball games, concerts, etc.) this gets a little trickier. Use a big, deep bag, and just pile stuff on top of the item. 

• Girls: Take advantage of awkwardness! Put your tampons and pads on top of the food item. Often times security won't bother rummaging too deep if you have "personal items" in view. Smart, eh?

• If they check bags, they will often times check blankets. If you see them checking blankets, simply hold the item in your hand under the blanket, and shake the blanket out. That way your hand is still covered, and its holding on to the item so it doesn't fall out.

• If your husband is wearing a hat, hide a small item under his hat! Funny, but it works!

• Try to go in a line where the ticket agent looks nice. Try to find someone that's smiling or talking. 

• Be nice to the ticket agent. Strike up a conversation the moment you get to them; be extra nice and perky. They aren't typically used to this and it will A) make them happy and B) distract them. Though, you should always be nice to people anyway!!!!!!

• Lastly, don't sweat it if you get caught. The worst they will do is make you throw your food away. I got caught with a package of licorice under a blanket once (because the package was poking out of the side - dumb!). All they made me do was throw it away. However, when I got to the garbage can I simply hid it better under my blanket again and went to a different door. Problem solved!

I have no shame when it comes to smuggling. It saves lots of money! I do believe in supporting businesses, too, so once in a while we will certainly buy a treat like ice cream or something a little harder to smuggle. But most of the time we bring in our own treats and it works like a charm.

Happy savings to you!