Tightwad Wannabe

I.O.U.S.A.

2009-01-09T17:11:00.002-05:00

If you haven't seen the documentary I.O.U.S.A., you can see it for free this weekend on CNN.
It will air Saturday at 2pm EST and Sunday January 11th at 3pm EST.

I saw it when it was first hit the theaters. It is the scariest movie I have ever seen.

Freebie Friday

2009-01-02T11:17:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year!

Pizza Hut has free song downloads right now. (I know, Pizza and music downloads? I don't get it either, but hey, it's free!) Be careful, there's no need to get trial sample, just scroll down for the free songs.

Here's the link:http://www.emusic.com/playlists/playlist/pizzahutmp3playlist.html?group=Oct&lid=2&AID=10572548&PID=361116&SID=FW7gl38w

And if you've ever heard of the devotional, "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, you'll like this free download. It's a biography of Mr. Chambers. The audio book sells for $25, but you can download it free this month from christianaudio.com. Use the code JAN2009 when you're checking out and the price drops to zero!

Here's the link: http://christianaudio.com/product_info.php?products_id=536

Great New Way to Save on Printer Ink

2008-12-31T12:31:00.003-05:00

Don't you just hate it when you print something from the internet and you have all those ads? It's worse when you get the ads, but not the article you wanted!

Here's a solution:

http://http://printwhatyoulike.com/

Use the demo to play around with it. You can choose what you want to print and leave the rest alone. You can even change the typeset if you want.

I'm so glad someone thought of this!

For Your 2009 Budget, Think BIG!

2008-12-30T12:57:00.003-05:00

When I sit down to do my budget, I plan an entire year at a time. I know it sounds crazy, but it makes me feel like I have a plan to get where I want to go (out of debt!) This is my 3rd year with an annual budget, and it really seems to work for me.

Now, the Journal of Consumer Research has proven it works for others as well! The study showed that people who make annual budgets are more accurate in their budgeting than people who make budgets a month at a time.

I use a spreadsheet that breaks down the year into 52 week chunks. I assign bills to be paid each week of the year, so if I misplace a bill, I can just check my spreadsheet and see what is due.

My spreadsheet has gotten a little out of hand with color codes for pending bills, paid bills, cleared items, etc, so I won't bother to share that one with you. However, I found a really good free spreadsheet on the web:

Here's the link: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/personal-budget-spreadsheet.html

Looking For Work? Get Free Help From Experts

2008-12-29T13:07:00.003-05:00

Today and tomorrow, a Chicago-based outpatient consulting company will offer free job counseling advice. They do it every year and this year the phone are ringing off the hook.

The company is Challenger, Gray & Christmas, and the phone number to call is 312-332-5790.
The hours are 10-6 EST, but be patient, because the lines are very busy this year.

Free Chicken Biscuit at Chick-Fil-A

2008-12-29T10:39:00.002-05:00

If you're out and about on January first, stop by your local Chick-Fil-A. If you make any purchase, then you get a coupon for a free chicken biscuit on your next visit. You have to visit between 10:30 am and 6:30 pm. The coupon is good through March 28th.

Don't pay for a diet plan. Follow one for free on the internet

2008-12-28T08:04:00.003-05:00

I think Weight Watchers is a great plan, but if you want to follow it online, you end up paying almost 17 dollars a month!

Why do that when you can follow a diet plan for free? This is one of the best websites I've seen for weight loss: fatsecret.com. You can follow several different diet plans on this website, including Weight Watchers, the South Beach Diet, Atkins, the Fat Smash Diet, even L.A. weightloss.

Not sure which diet is for you? fatsecret logs the weightloss of its members and can break it down for you. For instance, people who use fatsecret who are on Weight Watchers lost an average of .4 pounds last week. The people who use South Beach and log onto fat secret to record their weight loss, lose an average of .8 pounds last week.

If you need to lose weight, this is a great free way to track your progress. Give it a try!

Freebie Friday

2008-12-12T10:24:00.002-05:00

If you have Quik Trip convenience stores in your town, here is a great freebie. Sign up for the QT Web Promotions. Here's the link: http://www.qtwebgroup.com/QTMktPlus_OnlineRegistrationForm.aspx

When you sign up you get a freebie, plus every month, QT will send you an email and ask you to fill out a very short form. Once you do it, you can print out a coupon for use at a QT. In recent months, I've printed a coupon for a free 20 oz. Diet Dr. Pepper, a free Hot Ham And Cheddar Pretzel Roll sandwich, and a free 3.5 oz bag of Snyder's pretzels.

Have a great Friday!

The high cost of bouncing a check

2008-12-09T11:18:00.002-05:00

It wasn't our imagination. Banks are making big money off overdraft fees. A new FDIC survey shows most banks will enroll you in an automatic overdraft program.

It sounds like a nice convenience, but it can take a big bite out of your wallet.

According to the FDIC, the median fee for an overdraft check is $27. The highest fee reported was $38. That's per transaction!

If you want to see the entire report by the fdic, here's the link: (warning, at 120 pages, it's not light reading)

http://www.fdic.gov/bank/analytical/overdraft/FDIC138_Report_FinalTOC.pdf

A punch to the wallet

2008-12-08T13:16:00.002-05:00

Wow.

I opened my cell phone bill yesterday and had to sit down immediately. Usually the bill runs around $60. This month's bill: $550.

The culprit: text messaging. As my teenager would say (via text, no doubt) OMG!
How could you even send that many text messages in a month? Texting while Driving? Sleep-texting? It's beyond me.

I called T-Mobile, since we've been customers for years. Here's what they said they could do for us:

If I pay 1/2 now, I can pay the other half by the 21st.
Wait a minute, I said, when is the bill due?
The 23rd, the T-Mobile rep replied.

Well, that's not much help.

At least it's a teaching opportunity.

My daughter will have to dip into her savings for college to pay the bill, then replenish the college fund with babysitting money. After that, if she saves up for a pay-as-you-go cell plan, she can have her phone again. Until then, no TXT for the DD.

How to go to college out of state, but pay in-state tuition

2008-12-06T09:00:00.003-05:00

If you have a child who wants a specialized degree and it's not available in your state, you may not be out of luck. He or she may be able to get that degree in another state, while you pay the in-state tuition rate!

Here's how it works:

Go the Southern Regional Education Board, sreb.org and look for the box on the top that says "academic common market". Here's the direct link: http://sreb.org/programs/acm/acmindex.aspx. Then just follow the links, starting with your home state.

There are lots of degrees available. And here's the great news: It's not merit based or based on your financial situation.

So check it out!

Freebie Friday

2008-12-05T10:28:00.002-05:00

Here are a few freebies for you this Friday:

First, free Christmas music at a great site: http://feelslikechristmas.com

Next, a free cookie cutter by TiVo. Good while supplies last: http://www.tivo.com/whatistivo/cookiecutter/index.html

Here's a free water bottle offer: http://www.4flomax.com/mof/adhLanding/AdhLandingController.jpf?item=bottle

Have a great Friday!

Can't find a Kindle this Christmas? Here's a free alternative!

2008-12-04T11:03:00.004-05:00

I just read in the Wall Street Journal this morning that if you want to buy a Kindle this year, You're out of luck.

It's already sold out and won't be available again until February.

The Kindle is Amazon's wireless reading device. It cost nearly $400 and after you buy it, you then buy books and download them right to the reader.

Call me old fasioned, but if I'm going to curl up in an easy chair by the fire with a cup of cocoa, a Kindle isn't going to cut it.

But if you're into that kind of thing, here's a free alternative.

First, you must have a PDA or a smart phone, like a blackberry.

Then, go to this website: http://mobipocket.com/.

After you download the free software, you can buy books, or choose from a small selection of free books. Here's the direct link to the freebies: http://www.mobipocket.com/freebooks/default.aspx

You can also get lots of free books if your public library uses the "overdrive" digital media service for audio book downloads. "Overdrive" has branched out and now offers eBooks that you can read on your pc or on your mobi pocket reader.

I just downloaded a book as a test to my blackberry, and it was simple!

If your library doesn't offer "Overdrive" downloads, find a library that does. I download my audio books from the Gwinnett County Library in Georgia, even though I don't live in Gwinnett. Lots of libraries will let you get a library card for an annual fee if you aren't a resident.

Just Google "overdrive" and "library" and the state you live in, and you should be able to find something.

Happy reading-

How to get rewards Visa or Amex points at Sam's Club

2008-12-03T08:37:00.003-05:00

If you like Sam's Club and you like credit cards that give you rewards ponts, then your options are limited. Sam's only takes Discover.

Here's an easy way to get reward points on your Visa or AMEX at Sam's Club.

First, go to Wal-Mart and buy a gift card with your "rewards" credit card.

Then use the Wal-Mart gift card to shop at Sam's Club.

Simple as that! I know someone who has been doing this for years. He gets a gift card for $300, then uses it several times at the Sam's Club, until it's depleted. Then he starts all over again.

If you're looking for a credit card with great rewards, check out this website:
http://www.creditcards.com/reward.php

But if you're not committed to paying your credit card in full every month, DON'T USE A CREDIT CARD. No "reward" is worth it!

Target Vs. Wal-Mart

2008-12-02T14:18:00.001-05:00

A new Super Target opened up near my house this fall. I love shopping there, but wondered if I get a better deal there than at Super Wal-Mart. The only way to find out was to price compare, so that's exactly what I did a few weeks ago.

It doesn't take forever to do a comparison. Instead of writing down everything you might want to purchase, just pick the items you get week after week. Once you know the regular prices, then you'll really know if a sale price is a good price, and whether to stock up. (And if you want someone to do the hard work for you, sign up at couponmom.com. It has saved me tons of money over past couple years.)

Wal-Mart is not as convenient for me as the new Super-Target. Since AAA says it cost more than 50 cents a mile to operate the average car, make sure you don't drive too far out of your way for a bargain. Still, if I'm going right by the Wal-Mart, it's worth it to stop off and save a few bucks.

On my top ten items, Wal-Mart was $2.13 cheaper. Not worth driving far out of my way, but If I'm in the neighborhood, I'm happy to save $2.13.

I also included a local supermarket (in this case, Kroger) so you have a comparison there.
There were also coupons for some of these items, so you could save more if you clip coupons.

You may not like the same things I do, but if it helps even a little, I thought I'd post my findings.

Soy Milk
Regular grocery store: $3.59
Super Target: $3.04
Super Wal-Mart: $2.78

Morningstar Farm Veggie Burgers
Regular grocery store: $3.99
Super Target: $2.99
Super Wal-Mart: $3.32

Parkay Spray Margarine
Regular grocery store: $1.99
Super Target: $1.57
Super Wal-Mart: $1.46

Generic Egg Product (like egg-beaters)
Regular grocery store: $3.99
Super Target: $3.94
Wal-Mart: $3.44

Iams Dog Food: (17.5 lb bag)
Regular Grocery store: $22.99
Super Target: $18.79
Super Wal-Mart: $18.78

Febreeze, Extra Strength or Pet Odor (for the Iams-eater in the household)
Regular grocery store: $3.29
Super Target: $3.89
Super Wal-Mart: $2.50

Cascade Complete Liquid Dishwashing Detergent (4.68 lb)
Regular grocery store: $7.49
Super Target: $6.54
Super Wal-Mart: $6.64

Kraft Dressing
Regular grocery store: $2.68
Super Target: $2.445
Wal-Mart: $2.50

Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal
Regular grocery store: $ 3.79
Super Target: $3.99
Wal-Mart: $3.64

Celestial Seasons Tea
Regular grocery store: $2.99
Super Target: $2.19
Super Wal-Mart: $2.18

Free coupon book!

2008-12-02T09:54:00.001-05:00

If you like coupon books, here's a free one! It's perfect if you live in Atlanta, or plan to travel there. (I heard about it from couponmom.com who found the sight with a simple google search.)

This coupon book doesn't cost a dime. All you need to do is go to Gwinnett County Visitors Bureau. Here's the direct link: http://www.gcvb.org/coupons/pdf/GCVB%20Couponsweb.pdf.

Included in the "coupon book": $1 off the Inside CNN Atlanta Studio Tour, a $10 free game play when you buy $10 in game play at the Dave and Busters just Northeast of the city, and $2 off the Atlanta History Center.