Search Results for: blog plan ahead to save money

Attending a Wedding? Here is How to Save Money

Even if you aren’t the bride, groom or bridesmaid, attending a wedding can be pricey. There is the cost of the dress, tux or suit, the accessories, the transportation costs, the hotel stay, and of course, the gift. If you are actually in the wedding, those costs can go up even more. Here are some ways to save on the cost of attending a wedding. Clothing For a fancy formal wedding, consider renting your gown or tux instead of buying one. For a fraction of the cost you can look stunning. Accessories can also be rented. Alternatively, women can choose … Continue reading →

Save Money by Planning Ahead

Dear overachiever mom who attached stuffed animals to the Valentine’s Day cards your kid passed out at school last week:  I don’t hate you.  Never mind, that all my 8-year-old Scotch-taped to her Snoopy Love Day cards were small packages of Skittles.  Not six-inch plush puppies.  I’m sure you never intended to make the rest of us parents feel like inadequate, uninspired, cheap losers. Listen, I considered flexing my creative muscle and having my kid attach snack-sized bags of peanuts to the cards.  Get it?  Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy… the Peanuts gang?  Of course, sending nuts to school in this … Continue reading →

Money-Saving Packing Strategies

I took a crash course in efficient packing shortly after I was forced to fork over $100 to United Airlines for failing to keep my bags under 50 pounds. For an extra $150, I could have purchased my bag a seat and let it ride next to me on my flight. I kicked myself for months following that debacle.  It was a costly mistake that should have never happened. With holiday travel peaking in a few days, consider the following packing tips so that you won’t be forced to shell out extra dough on your flight to grandma’s house: Make … Continue reading →

Save Now for Summer

It may be hard to think about summer when there is snow in the forecast and we haven’t even hit January. Even so, I suggest that you do think of summer, because if you plan ahead now, you will save later. Swimwear Believe it or not, some stores will start putting their swimwear out on the floor as soon as the Christmas season is over. In fact, we haven’t even hit Christmas, and I’ve already seen bikinis in department stores. Take advantage of this to get some advanced sales on brand new swimwear. After Christmas, use those gift cards you … Continue reading →

How to Access Home Improvement and Save Money

One of the things that I have learned from living in a fixer upper home is that home improvement can get expensive, but doing some good assessment ahead of time can save you money. Knowing what needs to be done, how it can be done and who can do it will save homeowners hundreds of dollars. For some examples, you may be able to combine projects to save money overall, choose the right professionals to work together or do some of the work yourself. Having a good assessment will also give you time to research tax credits, utility credits, township … Continue reading →

The Frugal Way to Save at the Farmer’s Market

I love farmer’s markets, but I confess that there was a period of time when I avoided them. I always seemed to spend too much money when I shopped at them. For the sake of our budget, the best thing to do seemed to be to stop shopping at them, which was a shame, since we missed out on fresh items grown or crafted locally. The problem had to be solved. How could we still enjoy the farmer’s market while keeping on task with our budget? Here are the strategies that I started to employ. I saw a difference in … Continue reading →

Save Money on Window Air Conditioners

The summer after we put all new windows in our home we found that our existing window air conditioners no longer fit. This meant that we had to get all new ones, and of course that came with an expense for the units. I did learn a few things along the way, though, that I can pass on to you to help you save money on your window air conditioners. Say Farewell to Freon Unless you plan on upgrading your air conditioning units to central air conditioning any time soon, avoid buying units that contain freon, even if those air … Continue reading →

Sneaky Ideas to Save Money on Your Wedding

How can you save money on your wedding without making it look like you are saving money on your wedding? With some sneaky ideas of course! Tone Down the Rehearsal Dinner While you should probably feed the people who attend your wedding rehearsal the day before, going over the top with the rehearsal dinner is a relatively new idea. Having a quite dinner at home is cost effective, quaint and can be very elegant. Make some dishes in the weeks ahead of time and freeze them, so you don’t have to worry about putting extra work in during an already … Continue reading →

Planning Ahead

Easter is barely in the rear-view mirror and stores are already erecting displays with merchandise for Mother’s Day and school graduations. I’m not even done eating my daughter’s chocolate bunnies yet. Still, if you are planning to scrapbook events such as your child’s high school or college commencement, now is the time to start planning, especially if you want to save money on materials. For example, many places, including my local scrapbook supply shop, are currently running clearance sales on Easter embellishments. This is a great time to stock up on paper featuring your child’s school colors, especially if his … Continue reading →

More Ways to Save on Gas

When the monthly gas bill for your car is approaching the amount of your mortgage, it can be pretty scary. That is why finding new ways to save on the amount of gas that you use can be a good thing. It is good for your wallet, of course, and also good for the planet. Here are more ways to save on gas. Before you shop, take the time to compare prices and availability online. This way you won’t waste a trip to the store or gas hunting around for the best deal. With limited availability items, it pays to … Continue reading →