Search Results for: blog 5 reasons donating your old stuff saves money

Donate and Get a Tax Break

Count up those donations and get a tax break! With the Fiscal Cliff looming in 2013, families much do as much as we can to cut our taxes in 2012. Donations and charitable contributions are one way to do just that. Make sure that you make your donations the right way, or you may lose out on valuable deductions. I know December is busy, but if you can take a few hours out of the afternoon for a day or two to collect and deliver donations, you’ll start the new year off with a little financial kickstart, and chances are … Continue reading →

Getting New Clothing at the Thrift Store

Don’t want to buy your clothing at the thrift store because the idea of wearing used clothing makes you ill? What if I told you that not only can you find new clothing at your local thrift store, but you can find new designer clothing, and can even turn your thrift store shopping into a business. The biggest source of new clothing with tags at the thrift store are local and chain stores that donate substantial collections of new clothing in order to make room for the next season or style. For instance, Target generally makes large clothing donations to … Continue reading →

Fun, Frugal Challenges to Try

You can have fun and save money too, when you take one of the following frugal challenges. Jump start your frugal lifestyle or just relieve a little frugal fatigue. Track your progress and share it with others, such as on our Families Facebook fan page! Which is your favorite challenge? The Longest Lasting Challenge When you open a new bottle of something, how long do you think you can get it to last? Can you make your shampoo last twice as long? What about your laundry detergent. How far can you make the things that you commonly consume go before … Continue reading →

Dollar Store Deals

Some items in the dollar store are better than others. If you want to get the best value for your dollar without getting taken by inferior or dangerous products then keep reading. I’ve put together some of the best dollar store deals that I have seen consistently in various dollar stores. Sunday Newspaper If your dollar store sells the Sunday newspaper for a dollar, then this is a great deal. Our normal Sunday paper costs $1.75 elsewhere. Only spending $1 means that I can stock up on the Sunday insert coupons. School Supplies Looseleaf paper, notebooks, number 2 pencils and … Continue reading →

How to Avoid the Dusty Thrift Stores

Thrift stores can be a mixed bag, and just as with retail stores, some of them are better than others. Andrea’s recent blog about dusty thrift stores and shopping the Goodwill online instead peaked my interest (I get that same jaw rashy thing from dust). Her advice and adaption for getting bargains despite her dust allergy is great. But, I wanted to offer some advice of my own. I personally don’t believe that thrift stores have to be dusty. In fact, I spotted more dust when I ate out at a local Olive Garden (I don’t think anyone ever touched … Continue reading →

Top Ten Thrift Store Tips

Whether you are looking for vintage or just a great bargain, shopping at a thrift store can be a great experience. From my admired outfit that cost $1.50 to valuable Antique Road Show finds, you’ll do better when you keep the following top ten tips in mind. 10. Shop around to find the best thrift stores. Don’t get turned off by the first thrift store you find. Some are much better than others, so shop around. 9. Set aside enough time to really browse. Sometimes you’ll walk into a thrift store and see exactly what you are looking for from … Continue reading →

My $1.50 Outfit

I’ve been taking long power walks in the morning a lot. In fact, I’ll be blogging about my exercise adventures soon in the Weight Loss blog. But, that is coming later. The point is that when I arrived back at the house, I has just a few minutes to shower and throw on some clothing before we all headed to church. Fortunately, for me, I have plenty of neutral pieces (meaning I don’t have to think too hard about assembling an outfit) that can be thrown together quickly. After church, however, I wanted to change into something a little more … Continue reading →

How to Save Money on Your Wedding 2

Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! No doubt that you are looking forward to a special day. But with the cost of everything these days, how can you afford the wedding of your dreams? It is all about priorities and money saving tips. If you missed the first post in this series, you can click here: How to Save Money on Your Wedding. Now let us continue. Do it Yourself There are many areas of a wedding that can be done yourself with fabulous, professional-looking results. Take the invitations, for example, are a good do it yourself project. You can buy … Continue reading →

How to Save Money on Your Wedding

Despite the economy, you still want a fabulous wedding, right? Well, with a few ideas, you can have a great wedding without settling for a backyard barbecue while wearing jeans and a veil (unless that is your dream wedding–then go for it!). Decide what is most important The best way to start with saving money on your wedding is to decide what means the most to you. This way, you’ll know where to concentrate your energy. Have your dreamt of a fabulous designer dress? Is the quality of the photography most important? How about the food or the bar? There … Continue reading →

It’s Tax Time 2009!

Are you all set with your taxes? If you live in the United States, you know what I mean. Tax paperwork is due next month, and many of us still have it hanging over our heads. This weekend, my husband and I are determined to get the monkey off of our back, so to speak, and get all of our paperwork organized. We divide and conquer. My little portion is to add up the deductible household donations that we have made during the year and take care of any business-related expenses. With tax time in mind, I thought we might … Continue reading →