Keep the Change - Saving Daily

Photo from Microsoft

The following is the latest enhanced article of my "Keep the Change" column for a local publication.

Daily Deals. How does one make the most of these flash sales (typically lasting from a day to a week) without losing your head or your budget?

There are many types of daily deal sites on the web, offering discounts on services, goods and even travel packages. The most widely known of these sites, Groupon and LivingSocial, offer all of the above –tailored to your interests and local area. You’ll also want to check out newsokdeals.com, specifically for Oklahoma City vendors. My favorite site for goods is Woot and its family of sites (for technology, toys, décor and more). NewEgg is another well-established site for technology hounds. For moms, there are a plethora of options - Zulily offers apparel (for children and their parents), nursery décor, home organization and more; PlumDistrict is much like Groupon, offering both services and goods, specifically geared toward Moms. For educators (both at home and in schools), a new site on the market is Educents, offering curriculum, media and educational toys.

When shopping daily deals, be sure to stay cool. The success of flash sales depends on the urgency of impulse shopping – we know the deal won’t last long, so we rush to grab it. It’s important to take a step back and think – Do you really need this item/service? Were you going to make this purchase soon, even if the deal hadn’t popped up? Do you have room in the budget? Remember – a bargain is only a bargain if it’s something you need or will use. Otherwise, even a deeply discounted gadget is still just money out the door.

Finally, do your research. When you see a great deal on a site, shop around (check amazon.com or do a google search) to see if the price they’re presenting is really a great deal. In addition, when trying out a new deals site, do a quick search to determine its reputation. Have other consumers had a good experience with this site? Know who you are doing business with!

With wisdom and care, you will be able to navigate daily deals site and get more bang for your buck!

Leave your comments - are there are any of your favorite sites I left out?

Sseko: Mother's Day Special

My Ssekos are at it again with another great special! In honor of Mother's Day, you can order a set of sandals with three pairs of straps in adorable colors and fabrics. When you consider it's like three pairs of shoes for one low price (and, really, a lot more than three, because you can style each pair of straps any number of ways!), you're looking at a real bargain! On top of which, you're helping young Ugandan girls earn the right to an education - who can say no to that? Empower and educate women in Uganda, one sandal at a time. Shop SsekoDesigns.com

Sonic: Happy Hour ALL DAY (4/15 ONLY)

Happy Tax Day!  While it may not be exciting for some reasons, Sonic gives us a reason to smile.  Sonic Drive-In is extending Happy Hour today (4/15) to last ALL DAY!  Half-price drinks and slushes ALL DAY!  So go get your Sonic on and be happy!

Christianbook.com: Jesus Storybook Bible on Sale!

This weekend (through Monday, April 8), Christianbook.com is offering The Jesus Storybook Bible for only $8.49.  This is our preferred version at home.  The language is very child-friendly and, yet, keeps the message of the Bible intact while emphasizing that every story in the Bible points to Jesus and God's redemption of His people.  It's absolutely beautiful!  They also have the Deluxe edition (with audio CD's) for only $16.49 - this is going for over $35 on amazon!

Walgreens: 25 FREE 4x6 Prints (4/4 ONLY!)

Today (4/4) only, Walgreens is offering 25 FREE 4x6 prints to all its customers!  You can pick these up in-store to avoid shipping costs, making these absolutely FREE!  Head here to upload your photos and make your order.  Be sure to use code PICTURES25 at check-out!

Keep the Change: Couponing Basics

(Photo Source: Office.Microsoft.com)

While most people know of coupons, pop-culture has turned super-couponing into a nightmare for many. While spending hours clipping and planning can give you a high pay-off, it’s not necessary if you’re new to couponing and just want to save a little green. Here’s how I do it.

1.       Find coupons. The newspaper is the most obvious place to look, but you can also check the internet at places like coupons.com or smartsource.com. You can also head to the websites of your favorite brands and search for coupons there (or if you’re brave, contact them directly to request coupons).

2.       Store coupons. You may have heard of the Binder – I have one, but I don’t use it as much these days. Instead, I keep 12 folders – one for every month. When I get my paper, I label each coupon insert boldly with the date and put it in its appropriate folder.

3.       Match coupons to sales. Let someone else do your work for you by checking out money-saving blogs for match-up posts. They will tell you what’s on sale and where to find coupons to match. To find these blogs, do an internet search for the name of the store you shop and the term “match-up.” Many of these sites also have great tips for using store reward programs. My favorite site for Homeland match-ups is SimpleSavingSavvy.net.  For CVS or Walgreens, I head to Hip2Save.com.  For tips on how to interpret the strange language of coupon match-ups, check out an old post of mine here.

4.       Cut/Print only the coupons you need. When I look at the match-ups for the week, I make a list of sale items I need/want and the coupons that go with them. I then print those or pull out the appropriate coupon folder with the right insert, clip the coupon I need and put the rest back.

Aisle50: $4 for 3 Borden Cheese

Aisle50 has a great new deal for Homeland customers!  Right now you can pay $4 for $8 worth of Borden Shredded Cheese or Natural Cheese Slices.  That's three packages of cheese for $4 - only $1.33 each if they don't go on sale before the deal expires - if they DO go on sale, the deal will still deduct $8 from your grocery bill and you could save even more!

Aisle50 is a deals site specific to Homeland (and select other) grocery stores.  When you purchase a deal, it is automatically linked to your Homeland card.  So, for example, if you take advantage of the cheese deal, you pay the $4 for the deal on the Aisle50 website, then head to the store, pick up three packages of cheese and when you checkout using your Homeland One, the deal will deduct $8 from your total automatically!

If you've not signed up for Aisle50 before, when you head over and create your Aisle50 account, you will automatically get a FREE 2-Liter of Coke loaded to your Homeland One card.  Which means the next time you're shopping at Homeland, you can add a bottle of Coke to your cart and the price will be deducted when you scan your card at checkout!  Talk about a deal!