Frugal GAB

Wow I just walked down to the mailbox & staring up at me was a nice little surprise from CVS!
A coupon to save 20% on your entire in-store purchase on Saturday August 14th or Sunday August 15th!

Of course there are a few exclusions, so be sure to read the fine print!
Sadly sale items are not included.
Happy Shopping.

Any good ideas as to what you would like to use your coupon for?

Every Friday is Mega Swagbucks day where you have a better chance of earning  SwagBucks in larger amounts starting at 20 and moving up to 500 or even 1,000 points!

Not familiar with Swagbucks?  It is a simple way to earn points that can be redeemed for prizes.  One of my favorites is Amazon Gift Cards, but there are also gift cards available from  Starbucks, Barnes & Noble, Target, iTunes and more. Plus there are tons of merchandise prizes from a variety of categories.

You simply use Swagbucks as your default search engine and can earn points for things you search for.  In addition there are Surveys,  Daily Polls and Special Offers.  I like it because I search daily, so points are being earned for something I already do!  Once you sign up and start earning points you can also refer your friends to earn even more.

Give it a try…head on over to Swagbucks to check it out.

Saving money on groceries is probably my most frugal success story.  I started out with a goal to reduce my spending of anywhere from $120-$150 a week on groceries (plus many trips to Target etc. for other household necessities) down to a more reasonable level. Now I rarely spend more than $60-70 week for all our groceries, toiletries and household cleaning and paper products.

First stop was The Grocery Game. Oh  am I ever glad I found that site. They make up lists for your favorite grocery stores and drugstores  (for me that’s Shaw’s,  CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid).  Then they match current coupons to the deals and let you know which items are FREE, a “rock-bottom deal” good for stocking up, or a good enough deal to buy if you happen to “need” the item asap.   There is a small fee for each list, but your savings of time and money are well worth it.

Another site I will frequest is Coupon Mom. There are also lists there, although a little less comprehensive for my taste, and there is a great coupon database so you can see what is available in your area. A great site if you are looking for a FREE option.

Also there are sites like A Full Cup and Slick Deals which I follow the forums for my local stores. This is  a great resource to get real feedback from other shoppers on what deals are working, what is included in a sale, more coupon match-ups and secret or clearance deals that have been found.

Then there are the store specific sites like I heart CVS or I heart Rite Aid.  They post advance copies of fliers so you can plan ahead.

Next are a few blogs I follow to check out deals, recently posted internet coupons, rebate offers, free samples and more. If you are looking for a place to see all the up to the minute info on just about every deal out there try reading Common Sense with Money or For the Mommas. These ladies focus on relaying all the info and links that one might get by subscribing to multiple newsletters or perusing the web.

Also check around for bloggers in your local area who may be posting about sales and deals at your local stores. I have a few places I go to see if they have any scoop on my local stores.

Last but not least is finding ways to stock up on coupons for your shopping. My favorite coupon clipper is Coupons by DeDe, but many people rely on The Coupon Clippers or The Coupon Master for their needs.  Do not forget eBay is also a great resource to find coupons already clipped for you!

Do you have any other sites you frequent to find deals?

What about blogs focused on presenting deals?

Any good coupon clipping sites I missed?

Now that we have rung in the new year (and a new decade) it is time to set some  Financial Goals  for this year. I kind of hate the word resolutions, so goals it is!  I think it is important to write down what you want to accomplish so you can get focused and have a written reminder throughout the year.

You can break you goals down however you like, but I believe having several be more specific and measurable  is truly important.  For instance, instead of simply saying “Make more money” break it into smaller goals, like “ask for a raise of $xx amount”, or “increase sales to $xx per month”, or even “start new xx business”

Here is my rough draft of goals for the year. I will be breaking each into even smaller parts as I tackle them individually.

Reduce Debt:

1. Pay off remaining hospital bills
2. Pay off AmEx
3. Pay at least 1/4 of BOA

Increase Income with goal of extra $300/month:

1. Reopen eBay store
2. Expand Amazon offerings
3. Research other options like  jewelry biz

Savings/Buffer/Emergency Fund

1. Goal of having a buffer to live off last months income
2. Increase emergency fund to $1000
3. Funnel extra into savings

Have you set some financial goals for this year?  Are they vague, or have you drilled down to more specific and measurable goals?