Saving on tissues for school

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of White Cloud. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's almost back to school time!  Get your school supplies list and start shopping!

If your child's list is like my daughter's list, tissues are on the list.  And why wouldn't they be?  With 25 kids in a class come 25 runny noses, 25 sneezing mouths, and 50 messy hands.  So it makes sense that teachers want parents to provide a box of tissues - or, more likely, several boxes!

I usually watch for a buy one, get one free sale at Publix on a brand that also has a printable or newspaper coupon available.  When I see that combination, I stock up on lots of tissue boxes and give a bunch to the school.

If you haven't found a great sale/coupon combination yet, you'll want to purchase tissue boxes in bulk - several boxes sold as a single unit.  That will save you a lot over buying individual boxes.  To save more, you'll want to purchase them at a national chain store which has the lowest possible regular price - for me, that's either ALDI or Walmart.

One brand you might want to check out is White Cloud Facial Tissue.  White Cloud tissues are soft and smoothing to sore noses.  And, they come in handy three-packs and six-packs, perfect for sending into school!  Your child's teacher will be thrilled to get a large pack of tissues - and it's always good to get on your child's teacher's good side, right?

Even better - you can use this 75¢ off any White Cloud multipack coupon to save even more!   Print the coupon and take it to your local Walmart - where White Cloud is sold exclusively - and you'll save on those White Cloud multi-packs!  Check the White Cloud Store Locator to find the nearest Walmart where White Cloud products sold.

And here's yet another reason to purchase White Cloud multi-packs: You can even help make a difference in the life of a child when you purchase limited edition White Cloud Facial Tissue multipacks, designed by kids at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. White Cloud will make a donation to three CMN hospitals in the areas that sell the most boxes.

So when you purchase items off your child's supply list, think about White Cloud tissue multipacks!

Want to learn more about White Cloud?  Become a fan on the White Cloud Facebook Page, become a follower on the  White Cloud Twitter Page, or check out the pins on the White Cloud Pinterest Page.

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What is key person insurance?

Some of the information in this post was provided by Key Man Insurance.

If you run a business, you know how much you depend on your employees.  If you unexpectedly lost one of your important employees, it could be devastating to your business.  Not only would you have to find, hire, and train a new person for the position, you might also lose a great deal of business in that time.  In the worst case, losing a valued employee unexpectedly could mean the end of your business!

So what should you do to protect yourself and your business from such a calamity?

Consider getting key person insurance.

Key person insurance is defined by Wikipedia as:

Key person insurance... is an important form of business insurance. There is no legal definition for "key person insurance". In general, it can be described as an insurance policy taken out by a business to compensate that business for financial losses that would arise from the death or extended incapacity of an important member of the business. To put it simply, Keyman Insurance is a standard life insurance, TPD insurance or trauma insurance policy that is used for business succession or business protection purposes.

Key person insurance can be taken out on any important person in your business, without whom your business would have difficulty running. This could be your main salesperson who creates most of the sales for your company.  It could be a project manager, without whom your business would not be able to complete its task.  It could be an executive or partner in the organization.

Key person insurance is often used in large businesses, but perhaps is even more important for small businesses, since it may be that only one person or a few people know how the business actually works.  If they are no longer working there, the business may cease to function.

The payout for this type of insurance can be used to hire a temporary employee, to find and train a new permanent employee, or to compensate the business for lost income while the position is not filled or the new employee has not yet been trained.  This lifeline can mean the difference between a business being able to continue or it going under.

So if you run a small business and have employees with key responsibilities, and if you think your business would suffer greatly without them, you might want to consider getting key person insurance.  Be sure to get several quotes from companies such as keymaninsurancepolicy.net.  Be sure to check what each policy will cover and which employees can be covered so that you can compare them evenly. 

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Win with your stain-removing ideas!

Got a great idea to remove stains from clothes? Click on the Resolve banner above and submit your best stain-busting trick! You'll then be entered for a chance to win a weekly prize from Resolve! Prizes include two Mongoose XR200 Mountain Bikes, a Minden Grill Company 30,000 BTU Master Grill, a Nikon 1 S1 10.1 MP HD Digital Camera, and a Ferrino Chaos 3 Tent!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Garden ideas - concrete block gardens and children's projects

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Miracle-Gro. All opinions are 100% mine.

Every year, I have great aspirations to start a great edible garden.  And each year, I end up not starting it.

Perhaps this is the year that I will start!  Here in South Florida, the edible gardening season starts in fall with traditional summer vegetables, then spring/fall vegetables in the winter, and then summer vegetables again in the spring.  During the summer, the only vegetables that grow are tropical plants.

But now is the time for me to start planning my fall garden!  I'd love to create a concrete block garden.  I've collected a bunch of photos of them on Pinterest to inspire me.  Here are a few of my favorites:

Multi-level concrete block garden

Using concrete blocks for a plant wall

Concrete block bench with planters

Designing the concrete block garden will be the fun part!  Then we'll need to clear the ground, place the blocks, and fill the open spots with a potting soil like Shake n’ Feed Moisture Control All Purpose Plant Food and Moisture Control Potting Mix.  Then comes the fun part - planting the seeds and the plants!  And hopefully with that kind of time invested in starting the garden, I'll be sure to take good care of my plants and get some great fresh vegetables at the end!

Not only do I want to start my own garden, I also want to get my kids involved.  Although I think they'll enjoy helping me, they'll probably want some garden projects of their own.

That's why I was so excited to hear about The Gro Project, an exciting series of garden products from  .Miracle-Gro.

Here is one project I love and that I think my kids will love to make as well - the Toyrarium project.  Using a fishbowl, cactus plants, plastic toys, rocks, and Miracle-Gro potting mix, my children will be able to make their own terrarium that's customized just for them!

Check out all the great fun garden projects on the Miracle-Gro Pinterest page!

What garden projects are you planning on doing with your children?  Leave a comment below!

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Keep your computer secure!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Vipre. All opinions are 100% mine.

When you work on your computer like I do, you have to be sure that your computer is working well all the time.  Otherwise, you'll lose time solving problems with your computer instead of doing your work, wasting your time as well as money.

That's why it's frugal to invest in a good Internet security program, one that will keep your computer safe and ensure that your computer is able to work at its best!

I recently had the opportunity to try VIPRE Internet Security.  The software includes antivirus software as well as  security features to auto-fix out-of-date software, a firewall to protect against inbound and outbound Internet threats, an anti-spam filter to protect against spam and phishing emails,and a bad website blocker to block access to malicious web pages.

It was really easy to install and use.  I went to the VIPRE Internet Security website and clicked "Download VIPRE now" to get the 30-day free trial.  Once the program was downloaded, I started it:

I then clicked Agree and the software started to download:

While I was downloading, I was still able to get other work done - it wasn't a resource hog.  After I completed the download process and restarted my computer, VIPRE was ready to protect my computer!

When I ran the first scan, I noticed that I was able to continue doing work while it was running.  With a previous antivirus program, the system would slow down while it ran.  I had to schedule the scans for a time when I wasn't using the computer for anything important.  Now it can run while I am doing my work, no problem!

When the scan finished, I was shocked that the software found some risks to my system!  After all, I was running another antivirus program before I installed VIPRE (I had to uninstall that program first).  So despite taking steps to protect my computer previously, it clearly wasn't totally protected.  VIPRE is doing a much better job at protecting my system than my previous software was.

So if you use your computer for important work, you really need to check out VIPRE.  What threats could your current antivirus software be missing?  You need to find out!  Visit vipreantivirus.com for more information!

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Publix: One coupon per person / purchase / transaction

Be sure to enter for a chance to win a Publix $25 gift card!

I had a lot of coupons to use today at Publix, and while going through them, I noticed some different wording on them.  Some said, "One coupon per person."  Another said, "One coupon per purchase."  And still another said "Limit of 2 coupons per transaction."

What do these phrases mean?

One coupon per person (or customer, or guest) means that you can use one coupon per store visit.  That's it.  If you use more than one of these coupons in a single store visit, you are not using the coupons the way that the manufacturer or store intended.  It's also possible that the register will not scan more than one copy of the same coupon.  If you want to use more than one coupon, you'll have to leave the store and come back at a different time.  However, if you have more than one shopper in your party, each one of you can purchase the same item and use one coupon before having to leave.

One coupon per purchase refers to buying the product.  If you have a coupon for $1 off 1 product, and you buy one product, that is a purchase.  If you have a coupon for $1 off 2 products, and you buy two products, then that is one purchase.  It just means you can't use two $1/2 coupons when you only have bought 2 products.  You can use as many of these coupons as you want in at one time, as long as you buy the right number of products.

A transaction is buying a set of items, concluded by you paying the cashier and receiving a receipt.  If there is a limit per transaction, you can only buy as many as the limit states.  However, you can then immediately start another transaction without having to leave the store.

That's the way I understand it, anyway!  If I've made a mistake in my interpretations, please let me know!

As for my Publix shopping, it was a great week!  So great, I think I went a little overboard.

I was only able to get limited quantities of items I wanted to stockpile because of the coupon restrictions.  So I'll be sure to go back another time (or two, or three) this shopping week to get more!

Here's what I got this week:

4 Barilla pasta sauce @ BOGO $2.59 = $5.18
- 4 $0.75/1 Barilla pasta sauce coupon (zip 30187)
=  $2.18 for four, or 55¢ each

2 Surf laundry detergent, 100 oz @ BOGO $7.99
- 2 $1.00 OFF any ONE (1) Surf® Laundry Detergent
=  $5.99 for two, or $3.00 each
(These are twice the size of the detergent that I generally pay around $2.00 for, so it's a good deal.)

6 Mueller's pasta @ BOGO $1.59 = $4.77
- $1/2 Mueller's, Luxury or Ronco Pasta printable
- $1/2 Mueller's Pasta Product, exp. 6/8/13 (SS 05/12/13 R)
=  $2.77 for six, or 47¢ each
(I wanted to buy more, but both coupons had restrictions. I had also brought a coupon for $1/2 Mueller's, Pennsylvania Dutch or Ronco Noodles printable but the scanner would not take it.  Perhaps it was only for egg noodles, not for regular pasta?)

2 Sea Cuisine Tilapia @ $4.99 = $9.98
- 2 $1/1 High Liner Sea Cuisine Product printable
= $7.98 for two, or $3.99 each
(I love this product, so even though it's fairly expensive even on sale and with coupons, I bought it.)

1 Philadelphia cream cheese @ $1.50
-  $0.50/1 Philadelphia Cream Cheese Spread, exp. 6/8/13 (SS 05/05/13 R)
= $1.00

8 StarKist tuna pouches, 2.6 oz @ $1.00 = $8.00
- 4 $1/2 StarKist Single Serve Pouch Products printable
= $4.00 for eight, or 50¢ each

4 Birds Eye Steamfresh vegetables @ $2.59, 50% off = $5.18
- 2 $1/2 Birds Eye Steamfresh Items printable
=  $3.18 for four, or 90¢ each

4 Red Gold tomatoes, 14.5 oz @ 69¢ = $2.76
- 2 $0.50/2 Red Gold Tomato Product printable
= $1.76 for four, or 44¢ each

2 Dial body wash @ BOGO $3.83
- $1/1 Dial Body Wash Target printable (coupon limited to 1 per person)
- $2/2 Dial, Dial For Men or Tone Body Wash, exp. 6/8/13 (RP 05/12/13)
= 83¢ for two, or 41¢ each
(The manufacturer's coupon here is the one I talked out in my Is this ethical? post.  Here, I'm using it the right way!)

2 Finish Quantum Powerball dishwashing detergent @ BOGO $6.99
- $1/1 Finish Quantum Powerball Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Target printable (again, a restriction)
- 2 $0.75/1 Finish Detergent printable
= $4.49 for two, or $2.25 each

4 Tampax Pearl Lites @ $3.99 = $15.96
- 4 $1.50/1 Tampax Radiant, Pearl Active or Pearl Liners, exp. 6/30/13 (P&G 06/02/13) (limit 4 per transaction)
= $9.96 for four, or $2.49 each

2 Tampax Pearl @ $3.99 = $7.98
- 2 $1/1 Tampax Pearl, Pearl Compak or Pearl Active, exp. 6/30/13 (P&G 06/02/13)
= $5.98 for two, or $2.99 each

2 Pantene shampoo/conditioner @ $2.99 = $5.98
- 2 FREE Pantene when you buy 3 participating products (including Tampax) Publix store flyer deal
-  $3/2 Pantene Product, exp. 6/30/13 (P&G 06/02/13)
= $3.00 moneymaker

Tax: $2.45
Total spent: $49.57
Total saved compared to Publix full prices: $83.43

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Saving money on wine

Thanks to Calera Wine for providing the information for this post!

Wine isn't exactly the most frugal item in the world.  Sure, there are cheap places to purchase wine of a half-decent quality, but the best quality wines aren't cheap.

Here are some ideas to save money while still enjoying high-quality wine!

When buying wine at a restaurant, definitely avoid purchasing by the glass.  The markup is huge.  Instead, if you're dining with more than one person, purchasing a bottle of wine will be much more economical.

Keep your eyes peeled for good deals on wine, no matter where they might be.  Publix often has several kinds of wine on sale each week.  Watch for newspaper ads for wine stores - the food section will often have several advertisements.  Get on the email list for local stores to be informed about good deals.

Imported wines will often be more expensive than domestic wines, and being imported is no guarantee of a better-tasting wine!  Definitely check out domestic brands.

If you have a winery near you, stop by for a tour.  You may find some favorites there that will be cheaper to purchase directly at a winery instead of at your local store.

But if you don't live anywhere near a winery - as I do - try purchasing it online.  That way, you'll avoid the markup that the wine would get at a local store.  You can order in quantity, which can save you quite a bit.  You might be able to get free shipping on your order as well.

I recently learned about a great place to order wine online, Calera Wine.

Calera's founder, Josh Jensen, made Calera's first batch of wine in 1975 from purchased grapes. In 1977, he selected a site of an old limekiln in the Gavilan Mountains of California for his winery in an effort to reproduce the limestone soil where great French Burgundy wine grapes are grown. He made it his goal to create wines unique to the world but in the style of the greatest wines of France. Today Calera wines still express that pioneer spirit and are revered the world over.

Calera is well known for their Pinot Noir wines.  They have a very large selection of them, including Calera Jensen, Reed, Vin Gris, Ryan, De Villiers, and many more.  Leading wine critic Robert Parker said of Calera's Pinot Noir wines: "Calera is one of the most compelling Pinot Noir specialists of not only the New World, but of Planet Earth."

Hope these tips help you get good-quality wine and save some money as well!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Title loans - good idea?

Thanks to eTitle Loan for providing the information for this post!

Is a car title loan for you?

A car title loan is a loan where the title of your car is used as collateral.  Because the car serves as collateral, the loan can be larger and at a lower interest rate than an unsecured loan such as a credit card or a payday loan.

It is also easier to qualify for a car title loan than other kinds of loan such as a car loan or a home mortgage.  For instance, your credit score generally is not taken into consideration when making a car title loan.  So if you have bad credit and need a loan, a title loan may be right for you.  As long as you have some sort of income, such as a job, child support, or unemployment payments, you will most likely be approved for the loan.

On the down side, if you don't pay the loan, you will lose your car - even if you're already made several payments toward your loan.  If you need the car to get to work, it could have an impact on your employment as well.

If you're unable to create an emergency fund or have already spent all of it due to an ongoing emergency, and if you can't qualify for a loan due to bad credit, a title loan is a solution that will give you the money to pay the necessary bills.

If you take out Fast Loans in Miami FL or from anywhere else, definitely make sure that you have as low an interest rate as possible, and pay off the loan as fast as you possibly can.  Sell some items and work extra hours, anything to get the loan paid off and the car title back in your hands.

(This post is sponsored by eTitle Loans and may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Cheap magazine subscriptions

Thanks to Subscription Addiction for providing the information for this post!

When I needed to cut back on expenses, one of the first things to go were magazines.  They were low-hanging fruit: they're an ongoing expense that is clearly a want, not a need.  The articles, while interesting and entertaining, generally aren't important to my life.  And any information I find in magazines, I can probably find online or at the library.

Yet, I still enjoy reading magazines!  When you only have a few minutes to read, it's tough to get started reading a book, only to put it down again.  The magazine format is great to fill those extra minutes here and there while you're waiting for something.  You can bring them anywhere and don't have to worry about finding wi-fi.  And the light, breezy articles are great for reading when you don't really want to activate your brain.

So though I've cut some magazine subscriptions, I'm always on the lookout for getting them inexpensively.  I often find free subscription deals, which I publish here for all of you on Frugal Follies.  For instance, right now I'm receiving one-year subscriptions of Family Fun, Allrecipes, and Better Homes and Gardens - all of which I got for free.

If you're looking for a specific magazine, though, it's easier to find an inexpensive deal than waiting around for months and months, hoping to find a free deal.  One great source of inexpensive magazines that I recently discovered is Subscription Addiction.

Subscription Addiction is a great source for low-cost magazine subscriptions.  For instance, right now they have lots of major magazines for 40%, 50% or even 76% off!  I saw a Good Housekeeping subscription for only $10 - what a great deal!

And even better are Subscription Addiction's subscription packages.  You can get three subscriptions of selected titles for only $30, and four subscription for only $35.  The latter deal means you'll get each subscription for under $9 each.  Wow!

And even better - you can use the code mom15per to save an additional 15% off.  That means your four subscriptions will be only $29.75, or around $7.50 each.  That's a great deal!

So if you've cut out magazine subscriptions in your quest to be more frugal, you don't need to get rid of them completely.   Check out Subscription Addiction!

(This post is sponsored by Subscription Addiction and may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Fixing problems on your credit report

Thanks to Lexington Law for sponsoring this post!

Have you ever checked your credit report?

If you're planning on taking out a mortgage or refinancing your current mortgage, keeping an eye on your credit report is incredibly important.  If there are incorrect items on your report, they can bring down your credit score.  And that can mean that you won't qualify for the lowest rates.  The higher rates you will get mean that you will pay more each month!

You'd be surprised what might be on your credit report. The first time I checked mine, I found all kinds of errors. Credit cards that didn't belong to me. Incorrect names and addresses. And lots of other errors.

You can get your credit report from each of the three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and Transunion) for free, no strings attached, according to U.S. law. Be sure not to sign up for any other services when you request your reports.

Head over to annualcreditreport.com to get your credit report.  Better yet, get one credit report every four months - say, Experian in January, Equifax in May, and TransUnion in October.  That way, you'll be able to check what's going on regularly, and make chances if needed.  You do not need to pay to get your credit report!

Once you have your report, what should you do? You should check each service's website for the procedure to follow to fix errors.  Minor errors, like misspelled names, can be fixed via the credit bureau's website. But for larger errors, like someone else's information on your report, should be handled in writing. Write a letter to the credit bureau asking for the change and mail it, return receipt requested, to the credit bureau. Send it through the US mail return receipt requested so that you know it's been received by the agency.

If the credit bureau does not respond to your request within 30 days, you have the right to have the erroneous information removed from your credit report.  However, do not use this process to request that bad, but not erroneous, information be removed from your account.  That would be unethical, in my viewpoint.

If your credit report is riddled with errors and you don't feel that you can correct the errors yourself, then you might consider turning to a credit repair agency.  Companies like Lexington Law can help you keep on top of all the paperwork and laws that you must follow.  In my opinion, most consumers can handle the process themselves.  But if you credit report is an absolute mess, and you don't mind paying a fee to fix it, then check out credit repair agencies.

A few minutes of credit report checking and fixing can really help your bottom line by cutting your expense of borrowing money - it's definitely worth the time and effort to check your credit!

(This post is sponsored by Lexington Law may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Life settlements - right for you?

Thanks to ALS for sponsoring this post!

Have you ever heard of life settlements?

Life Settlements, according to the Life Insurance Settlement Association, is "the sale of an existing life insurance policy to a third party for more than its cash surrender value but less than its net death benefit."

If you have a whole life policy but don't want it any more, you can surrender it back to the life insurance company where you purchased it.  However, you'll probably only receive 3% to 5% of the original face value.  It's certainly not worth it to have spent all that money on premiums and get so little in return.  But, you may not want to continue making payments for a type of insurance that you no longer need.

So, instead, you can sell your policy to another party.  You receive a larger amount than you would from the insurance company.  The purchaser continues to make payments on your policy, and when you pass away, they collect on the premium.

This is typically only available to policy holders who are 65 or older.   So if you are younger and have a whole life policy, you probably can only get the surrender value.

What's my opinion on life settlements?  I think this is another sign that whole life insurance is a lousy deal.  Instead of purchasing whole life with huge premiums, purchase 20-year or 30-year term life insurance at a fraction of the cost.  Then save the difference between your cheap term life insurance and more expensive whole life, so that you will be self-insured after the term ends.

It also disturbs me that life settlement investors are betting on you dying early, since if you die, they receive the insurance amount without having to pay out as many payments that they would pay if you lived longer. I wouldn't want someone out there hoping that I would die, you know?

But, if you are over 65 and have a whole life policy that you simply don't need anymore, life settlements can be a way to recover some of the costs of your extremely expensive policy, more than if you simply surrender the policy.  So if this fits you, learn more about it!

But for the rest of you, please check out term life insurance coverage - it's a much better deal than whole life, and you won't need a life settlement in the future!

(This post is sponsored by ALS and may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Saving money on moving

Thanks to the folks at Unpakt for sponsoring this post!

Usually when I write blog posts giving tips to save on something, I write from my own experience.  But this time, I have to admit that I really don't know a lot about the subject - moving.

I've really one made one major move in my entire adult life.  I've moved in and out of dorm rooms and out of my parents' home, but those weren't huge endeavors.  And even for the one move, we moved from a small apartment with not much stuff in it into a larger home.  And on that move, we moved all but the largest pieces of furniture ourselves.

But if we ever have to move again, this time it'll be a huge move, and probably an expensive one.  So I'm sure I'd be looking for money-saving tips, just as you might be.

Luckily, the folks at Unpakt have lots of advice on saving money when moving!  

They have lots of advice on their blog about ways to save money when moving.  For instance, they list several ways that using old rags and towels can help you on your move!  For instance:

• Use them to fill spaces in boxes, or to wrap individual plates or bowls.
• Use them to clean your cupboards, shelves, drawers, and refrigerator before you move.
• Line your car's trunk with old sheets before you place moving boxes in.
• Use them to make temporary to keep both the old and new home's floors clean.

Check out more uses for old rags and towels in your move here.  And check out other money-saving moving ideas in their blog such as 8 Ways to Be Frugal During a Move, the Top 7 Moving Mistakes to Avoid and 8 Signs You Shouldn't Move.  (Not moving saves 100% on the cost of moving, after all!)

Planning your move ahead of time will save you money and give you peace of mind, too. So when I heard about Unpakt, the first web app/digital marketplace/price comparison site for moving services, I was interested in learning more.

Unpakt lets you find reputable moving companies, compare exact prices and user reviews, and book online instantly - in less than an hour! It's available in areas from coast to coast, including my local area of South Florida (Miami).

Here's how it works. First, visit the Unpakt website and make a plan to move your home, whether it be a studio apartment or a 3,000 square foot, 4-bedroom home.  You'll figure out how many pieces of furniture you have and how many boxes you'll need.   For a typical 3-bedroom, 1500 square foot home, that might be 92 items of furniture and 77 boxes.  (Definitely think about selling or giving away unneeded items before a move!)

After that, decide whether you would like to move your items yourself, or hire a mover for it.  Moving your items yourself might seem cheaper, but there are lots of reasons not to do it.  Check out this post listing Reasons Moving Yourself Is Not Worth the Hassle.

Then, you compare movers in your area with your specifications to find the best deal.  You'll get an exact, guaranteed price for your planned move. (But note that this can change if you change your move plan later, such as adding more furniture or boxes to your move, or you move a farther distance away.) Unpakt also includes user reviews of the different movers as well.

If you don't want to commit to one particular mover, or are just exploring the costs for a potential move, you can save your move plan for a future time.  If you find one you like, you can book your move online!

I really like the concept of the Unpakt service (though I have not yet actually tried it) because it definitely saves time and gives peace of mind. You don't have to call and make appointments with several movers to get ballpark moving estimates which can change on the actual moving day. (Or worse, they charge you more once they have your belongings in the truck! I have read about horror stories like that in the local newspaper.)  And since you have the exact amount you'll pay, it's easy to comparison shop, and thus save money on your move!

And here's another way to save even more on your move: Receive 5% instant cash back on your next move! Enter promo code: SPRING5 on Unpakt.com when booking and save. Must book by 6/30/13.

So if you plan to hire a mover for your move, definitely check out Unpakt!

(This post is sponsored by Unpakt and may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Making your own salad dressing

Many thanks to eBottles.com for sponsoring this post!

An easy way to save on groceries is by making expensive condiments yourself.  One of the easiest to make is salad dressing!

It's shocking that salad dressing costs as much as it does, when it's basically oil, vinegar, and some spices.  Even if you use coupons and sales to purchase salad dressing, it can still be cheaper to make your own.

Plus, you'll know that you're putting good, healthful ingredients in it.  You can put heart-healthy oils like olive oil in your salad dressing, instead of corn oil which is not as healthy (or delicious!).  Plus, your own salad dressing won't had added chemicals or artificial colors or flavors in it.

To make your own salad dressing, you'll need to gather the following:

• Oils - You can get olive oil cheaply at ALDI or Walmart, or wait for a sale at the grocery store and use a coupon like this $1.00/1 any Star® Olive Oil (16 oz. or larger) coupon to save more.  Canola oil is also a good choice. 
• Vinegars - there are lots of possibilities here!  Look for red wine, balsamic, and white vinegars. Often there are coupons available, such as this $0.50/1 Pompeian® Vinegar coupon, but vinegars rarely go on sale.  You can purchase flavored vinegars, but they will be pricy.  Instead, try infusing vinegars with fresh herbs from your garden.  Follow these Flavored Vinegars and Oils instructions from Colorado State University to make sure you are making your flavored vinegars safely.
• Lemon juice is often a nice flavor in a vinaigrette.  Look for lemon juice cheaply at ethnic food stores, or buy a bag when they go on sale at ALDI.  Or just buy a single one from the grocery store.
• Herbs and spices - many of these can be grown cheaply on a sunny windowsill.  Or look for dried ones at ALDI or at Walmart - the Badia spice brand in my area is very inexpensive.
• Other ingredients like mustard or mayonnaise - again, look for good deals on those!
• Bottles - you'll need bottles to store your dressings if you make more than you can use at one sitting.  You can wash and reuse purchased condiment bottles, or buy your own food-grade salad dressing bottles from a reputable manufacturer.
• Bowls (not aluminum), measuring spoons and cups, a whisk, and a funnel to pour your salad dressing into the bottle.

To make your own salad dressing, you'll need to gather your ingredients and equipment.  Bring oils and vinegars to room temperature for best results.

Generally, you'll want to use one part oil to three parts vinegar.  You can vary this a bit depending on the acidity of your vinegar - the sweeter the vinegar, the more you can add; if it's a more acidic vinegar, you might want to try less.  If you use lemon juice, have that amount of lemon juice replace vinegar.  For instance, you might use one part olive oil, one part lemon juice, and two parts vinegar.

Add your oil and vinegar to a glass bowl, then add in your herbs and seasonings, and mix briskly with the whisk, making an emulsion of the ingredients.

Use right away, or allow the flavors to meld for a few hours, mixing again before serving.  Or pour the dressing into your food-grade salad dressing bottle and store in the refrigerator.  Be sure to mix well by shaking the bottle when you go to serve the dressing later.

I think making salad dressing is simple enough without recipes, but if you would prefer to follow a recipe, here are a few sources for you!

• Eating Well
• Bon Appetit
• About.com Frugal Living
• RealSimple

But I encourage you to experiment on your own and create your own signature salad dressing.  It can be simple enough for a weekday meal, or fancy enough to be served at the holidays.  In fact, a tossed salad with your signature salad dressing could be one of your new Holiday Traditions with Ambience!

Enjoy making your own salad dressing - and saving money, too!

(This post is sponsored by eBottles.com.  Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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How to use free samples

I love getting free samples in the mail. Whether it's directly from manufacturers or from sites like All-Free-Samples.com, I love to sign up for the samples and get a surprise in the mail a few weeks later.  My kids especially love to open the packages and try out new foods.

But what do you do with all of those food, cleaning supplies, and beauty samples that you get? Here are a few ideas to use them!

• Make gift baskets - whether for teachers at the end of a school year, for a new mom (a great way to use up all of the baby samples if you don't have a baby yourself), or for a child's birthday party, everyone loves to get several small presents!  Collect the items and then wrap them in a clever container, like a baby bathtub for a baby shower gift.
• Make up first aid kits with health products like medicine, bandages, and ointments, as well as a few snacks that will keep well.  Make one for home and one for each of your cars.  You never know when you might need this.
• Save toiletry samples for when you're traveling, so that you don't have to drag along full-sized products which will add weight to your baggage.
• Keep single-serving snacks in your car for when you're driving long distances, so that you don't have to stop for food and spend money.
• Donate them!  We have homeless shelters for women and children in my area.  These places are always looking for sample-sized toothpaste, soap, and shampoo.  I save up these and donate them regularly.
• If you feel safe about doing this, you could carry sample-sized foods in your car or in your purse to give to panhandlers in lieu of money.

Hope these ideas help you use up all of the free samples 2013 that you find!

(This post is brought to you by All Free Samples. This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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How to raise $2,000 in thirty days

I once read a story about a scientific study that said that almost half of all Americans couldn't find a way to raise $2,000 in thirty days.  Here's a news story about the study.

I was pretty incredulous about this, because most of us have so much stuff in our houses, you'd think it would be pretty easy to raise $2,000!

If you need to raise that kind of money quickly, here are a few things you can consider selling:

• Books are easy and simple to sell on sites like eBay, Half.com, and Amazon.com.  Go to these sites, type in the ISBN of your book, and see how much they are currently going for.  The best sales are for current best-sellers, particularly those which were published in paperback originally.  Hardback books don't sell as well.
• Many other household goods can be sold on Amazon.  Again, the best items are more recent products that buyers would currently be looking for.  They can also be sold on eBay.
• Technology products are particularly easy to sell.  Do a search on how to sell cell phones , then take those steps and sell your cell phone - replace with a prepaid phone instead.
• If you have handheld products like iPads, these will also sell well - the newer model the better, of course.
• List furniture and other large items that are difficult to ship on Craigslist to sell to local buyers.
• Have a giant yard sale for all of those other items.  You can sell lemonade and cookies as well to make a little extra money.

So, I think pretty much everyone could raise $2,000 if they had to.  Hope these tips help you raise a little extra money from the items you already have!

(This post was brought to you by sellcell.com and may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Recycle your old phone

If you're lucky enough to get a new cell phone, what should you do with the old one?

Here are a few ideas!

• First of all, before you do anything with your old phone, be sure to remove all of your personal data from the phone.  Be sure to download any photos and videos that you have.  Check to be sure there aren't any personal downloaded files on the phone.  If your phone has a browser, you'll want to make sure that your passwords aren't stored on the phone. Remove any SIM or extra memory cards from your phone, which also might contain data.
• Also, be sure to charge the phone before passing it on.
• You can check with your cell phone manufacturer to see if they have places for you to drop off your phone for recycling.
• You can donate the phone to charitable organizations which will recycle the phone for you.  You should be able to take a tax deduction for the phone donation to the organization.  You won't be able to take off the full cost of the phone; instead, your deduction will be for the current value of the phone.  To find that, search for recent sales of your phone model - used, not new -  on eBay or Amazon.com.
• You can find places which will give you cash for your phone.  Do your research to find out how to sell a phone and which companies will give you the most money for your phone.  Be sure to ask whether free shipping of your phone to the service is available, and ask if items are insured.  You might want to get personal recommendations from friends and family to find a service that you can trust.

Hope these help you get rid of your old phone safely!

(This post was brought to you by Sell My Mobile.  This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Save on carpet cleaning

We have wall-to-wall carpet and three active kids, so we often find ourselves needing to clean the carpets.  If you're in the same boat, here are some tips to help you save on carpet cleaning!

First, try to avoid making messes:

• Don't track in dirt!  Put a doormat at the front door and a carpet runner inside.  Teach your kids to wipe off their feet on the doormat.  Then hopefully any remaining dirt will come off on the first few steps on the carpet runner, before they reach the carpet.
• Have the kids take off their shoes at the door, so they won't track in more dirt. Some people do this with everyone, including guests.  We take off our shoes indoors, but not because of the dirt - because we all like to go barefoot!
• Keep food and drinks in the kitchen only, to avoid spills onto the carpet.
• Do art projects in the kitchen to avoid spills on the carpet as well.
• Keep the floor as clutter-free as possible.
• Vacuum regularly. 

If you do need to clean, try cleaning it yourself first:

• Make your own carpet cleaning products - do an Internet search to find homemade recipes to keep your carpet clean.
• Use commercially available products.  To save even more, buy them on sale with coupons.  There are often carpet cleaning coupons available - search for them by clicking on the Coupon Database tab above.
• Try renting a steam cleaner and cleaning it yourself.  Coupons for steam cleaner rental and the cleaners you'll need are often available as well.

If you choose to use a professional carpet cleaning service:

• Get recommendations from family and friends to find a good, reliable company.  Your friends might even get a referral fee from the company. 
• Look for online coupons for carpet cleaning companies to help you save as well.
• Get several estimates. Be careful of estimates that seem too low - they may add on additional fees while or after doing the cleaning.
• Be sure to ask what space will be cleaned at what rate.  Ask about any extra fees that might be added on.
• Consider only cleaning the high-traffic areas - you might be charged more to move and clean under furniture.  Again, be sure to remove clutter from the area to make the job quicker.

Hope these tips help you save on getting your carpet clean!

(This post is brought to you by Green Choice Carpet. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Save with academic discount programs

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of costcaptain. All opinions are 100% mine.

My oldest daughter is going off to college in two years.  We've saved for her education in a 529 savings program, but there's not enough to cover today's crazy high college tuitions.  If you have small children, you really need to educate yourself about the cost of college and start saving now!  (Wish I had a time machine to go back in time and tell myself to save more!)

And it's not just the tuition cost that's gone up, but everything else - fees, room and board, books, and technology.  College students today often need lots of electronic products and software just to take their regular courses.

I have found one way to save on software for college - through academic pricing discount programs.  Academic Pricing is a special pricing program offered by software makers that allows you to save on software meant for the classroom.  It's not available to just anyone - you have to qualify - one way is being an enrolled student in an eligible institution.  (It's also available to homeschoolers, public libraries and museums, and other institutions.)

So when my daughter will need software package for her college classes in the future, she won't need to pay the full price direct from the software company or the bookstore - she can get the discounted price through services like  CostCaptain.com.  CostCaptain has been around since 2005 and has helped over 1 million students and institutions, so I know they'll be able to help my daughter.

And if she needs help with her software, she'll be able to contact CostCaptain directly at www.costcaptain.com/help.htm and get an answer within one business day.  (If she needs help faster, she can call their friendly customer service at (866) 912-9222. They're located in Georgia, so no calling faraway help desks!)

And, CostCaptain also has great deals on other electronics she might need in college.  From Lenovo to HP, they have great prices.  (And don't tell her, but they also have great prices on XBOX and PS3 products.)

So if you have a student needing software or hardware - whether they're in college, high school, or home school - definitely check out CostCaptain.com for your technology needs!  Now if only they could help pay that tuition...

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Save on Shell gas!

Here's a great way to save on gasoline:

Sign up to create your free Shell Fuel Rewards Network account. You'll receive a Shell Fuel Rewards Network loyalty card.

Then, when you shop at participating grocery stores, you'll earn rewards that can be used toward purchasing gasoline!

You can also earn 5¢ per gallonl for every $50 you spend in in the Shell Online Mall and 10¢ for every $50 you spend dining out. You can also earn rewards at grocery stores, pharmacies and other retailers near you.

Insert your FRN Card before you pay at the Shell pump, and your fuel price will automatically be lowered based on all the rewards you have earned. It's that easy to save money on fuel.

Find out more about saving on gasoline.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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Saving on gas... or getting it for free!

Gas prices were rising really quickly earlier in the year.  They seem to have stabilized a bit, but the price is still really, really high.

Here are a few things I'm doing to try to save on gas:

• I'm riding my bicycle more.  I got the impetus to do this from Mr. Money Mustache. (If you aren't reading his blog, you definitely should!)  My area is not so bike friendly, so I've only ridden it on small nearby errands and to my daughter's school to volunteer.  One of these days I'll try going to the grocery store on my bike, especially if I only have a few items to get that will fit in a backpack.  
• I'm scheduling all my errands for one or two days a week, and staying home the other days.  
• I'm walking my daughter over to playdates that are less than 1 mile away instead of automatically taking the car there.  Her legs work, she doesn't need to be chauffered to nearby places.
• Any time Publix has a sale on gas cards ($10 off a $50 gas card when you buy $50 in groceries), I take advantage of it!

Of course, even better than saving on gas is getting it for free!




Shell is giving one lucky winner gas for a year... and even better, you can let 5 friends get free gas as well!

To enter the giveaway, click on the graphic above!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

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