I just got a phone call to participate in a market research study that pays $75 bucks- yippie! I'd heard about a local company that did these focus group studies but had never been selected for one of their projects. I've done these in the past and really enjoyed them. It was a very easy way to make money & fun to share my opinions.

Anyway, I told the lady that I would share the opportunity for some of the readers since I knew many of the local folks. The study below is for residents of Wilson, NC only and deals something with phone, internet, and/ or cable services. L & E Research will be conducting two in-person focus groups in Wilson next week and are looking for more participants, especially men. If you are interested or know someone who is, you can contact them directly on their website & the representative will call to ask you some follow-up questions. If you are selected, maybe I'll see you there next week!

Budgeting 101- Part 3
Setting a Budget


We're back with our discussions on budgeting. This is the #1 requested session during our financial counseling classes. If you missed the first two posts, never fear, you can access them here: Budgeting 101- Part 1 & Budgeting 101- Part 2. Since our talks build upon previous discussions, be sure not to skip any sections or homework- it's important.


Today we will be actually setting your budget based upon the work you did in Part 2 by tracking your spending. What we develop today, you'll use next month and from now on. It's always interesting to me that many people try to jump right in to setting a budget with no concept or overall picture of what they actually spend. We're budgeting for success, not just to have one that doesn't suit our needs. Now that you've done all the groundwork, let's begin...

1. For starters, let's look at a comprehensive view of how you spent money last month. Take what you spent last month and place it into the categories found on this sample budget worksheet (you'll need to print this out). Are you shocked by anything? Was this month typical of your lifestyle and spending habits? Perhaps, you are surprised at how much or little you spend in a certain area. No worries, we will make modifications shortly, but this is an important strating point.


2. Next, we begin with how you earn income. This will apply to everyone, even if you work on commission or tips. We begin here because as a rule of thumb (and common sense), you cannot spend what you do not have. Period. This budget is based upon your actual earnings. We'll develop a system that does not allow you to depend on credit or payday advances in order to function financially.
   


• Place your total net (employment and social security taxes are taken out) monthly income on the modifiable spreadsheet. For most people, this number matches the deposit or automatic deposit in the bank.



• If your income fluctuates significantly, such as those of you who work on commission or tips, take the lowest monthly earnings you had in a single month over the last 12 months and use that number for your budget. In this case, using the lowest earnings helps to ensure that you continually have enough for your expenses even in harder times. Another option is to add up the last 12 months and divide by 12 to get an average of what you earn. Your budget will be more difficult if you choose this option because some months will be lower and others higher. If you don't mind the inconsistency, you can select this option.
  
  
3. Next, place the essential life items in the total budget column of your budget spreadsheet. These are your major expenses that are often non-negotiable like mortgage/ rent, health insurance, loan payments, etc. For the most part, these should be expenses that do not fluctuate very often. Now take an assessment of how much money you have left to spend.


4. Beginning with what you need/ want the most start placing a budgeted amount in the total budget column on the remaining items. Starting what what you need like groceries and gas and ending with what you like such as eating out and clothing, for example, fill in all of the boxes skipping anything that does not apply to you. The taxes will not be filled in unless you have discussed paying federal or state taxes ahead of time with your tax professional.


5. After placing in your numbers, let's check some math. Does your total budget box = the total monthly income box? This is the goal. Ideally, you will design a budget that equals what you earn. You may budget less than what you make but you may never budget more than what you earn!


6. If your numbers do not match, take some time now to tweek your budget. Be realistic, you'll be living with this guide from now on. Could you get your hair done less often? Spend less on groceries? Save more? Cancel the gym membership?


7. Once your budget= your income then revisit your dream list. Are you planning financially for your dreams? If, for example, you want to send your kids to college, are you reserving some money in your budget now to do so? Your new budget should reflect both your present and your future.


8. Finally, do some give and take. It's time to see an overview of what your spending plan is for this upcoming month. Can you live with the numbers you entered? Are you balanced & realistic? Take a second to just double check. As a rule, your budget must have an emergency fund/ savings built in. If this causes you to be over budget, then some other area has to decrease. The motto you will hear again is simply: it has to come from somewhere.

Homework

This month's homework is going to be easy and complex at the same time. I want you to see about living by this budget. That means that as you spend, you should enter your total in on the spreadsheet right away. If your eating out budget is $50 and you get take out tonight, subtract the $20 right away. That way, you always know how much you have left to spend.

In our final segment, we will discuss what to do if you overspend or underspend. For now, focus on tracking what you spend in your new budget plan. Congratulations, you've come a long way!

Budgeting 101 Part 1 Budgeting 101 Part 2

FYI, if you're new: If you see a date like this- 4/20 SS, that means you should look in the coupons in the 4/20 paper marked Smartsource, anything with a date and RP means it's in the Red Plum circular (formerly known as Valassis) & P&G is the Proctor & Gamble coupon circular sent out only once per month. Also, be sure to first read my previous post on How to Work a Double/ Triple Coupon Sale before heading out.

You probably know by now that Harris Teeter sales go from Wed-Tuesday. There's lots of sales but I don't see anything too special going on this week. Nevertheless, here's what I see as the best deals goin' on this week (Thanks HCW):

• Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin 2/$7 (.55/1 or $1/2 7/13 RP) + get free Sara Lee Bread (Any Variety up to 3.89) With the purchase of any 2 packages of Hillshire Farm Deli Select Lunchmeats when you used your VIC card offer good 7/27/08-8/05/08
• Hormel Black Label Bacon - $2.88 (.50/1, $1/2 02-17-08 SS)
• Frosted Cheerios - BOGO (.75/1 or $1/1 6/22 SS)
• Dole Fruit Bowls - 2/$4 (.50/2, .75/2, $1/2 5/18 SS1)
• Mrs. Cubbison's Restaurant Style Croutons 5/$5 (BOGO 07/27 RP)
• Reddi Whip 2/$5 (.35/1 or $1/1 6/22 SS (note expires 7/31)
• Allen's SteamSupreme Veggies- BOGO (.35/1 4/6 RP)
• Super pretzel 2/$5 (.75/1, .75/2, $1/2 5/11 RP)
• Ziploc - BOGO ($1/2 All You Magazine (Iss 6, June 2008) Pg 101. 55/1, $1/1 or $1.50/2 6/8 SS (note expires 8/2)
• Strawberries - BOGO
• Blackberries, blueberries and raspberries 4/$6

It's that time of year again! Here's list of states that offer Tax Free Week or Tax Free Weekends:
Alabama
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Iowa
Maryland
Missouri
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Virginia
Washington D.C.

I saw this awesome post online:

Gerber baby food 2-packs are on sale this week for $1 at Food Lion. Use this store coupon (found under the baby coupons, formula & food section) for $1 off ANY Gerber baby foods= free! Yippie!

With the 1st set of coupons you can also get free travel size wipes to go with your free baby food.

I don't spend much of my time entering sweepstakes nowadays. It seems like I'm not so lucky to win anything and, quite honestly, I get sick of entering in my information to get lots of spam. Sometimes though entering sweepstakes pays off, like when you actually win free stuff or get some good coupons. Freebies 4 mom posted some current sweepstakes & the odds of your winning something. It's a very useful list if you'd like to enter some of these:

Subway (83,000+ details here)
Hanes (20,000+ enter each Wednesday, details here)
Mamma Mia (10,000+ details here)
Colgate (10,000+ details here)
Dove (9,000+ details here)
Kraft (5,000+ details here)
Lipton (5,000+ details here)
Teas' (3,000+ details here)
Totino's (2,000+ details here)
Oreo (2,000+ details here)
Publix (2,000+ only for residents of AL, GA, FL, SC, TN details here)
Jelly Belly (2,000+ details here)
Batman (2,000+ details here)
Summer of Savings (1,000+ details here)
Tony's Pizza (1,000+ details here)
Wyndham (1,000+ skip to instant win + coupons, details here)
Wish-Bone (1,000+ details here)
WALL*E's (1,000+ details here) ends July 28
Pilgrim's Pride (1,000+ details here)
International Delight (1,000+ details here)
Spraychel (1,000+ details here)

Have you heard about RedBox yet? About one year ago, my hubbie and I ditched Blockbuster and the online DVD rental services for Redbox movies. Rentals are only $1 per night and these "boxes" are found at grocery stores and some fast food locations. What I love about Redbox is that DVDs can be retuned to any location. Also, if you enter your email address on the website, they'll even email you a code for a free rental every Monday! What's better than a cheap movie... a free one, of course!

You can search here for a location near you.

1. Schick Intuition Razors, on sale for $4. Use $4/1 (6/29 SS if you were lucky enough to get this coupon)= free!
2. Lifesavers (buy 10), on sale BOGO. Use (5) BOGO (6/8 SS)= free+ get $5 extrabucks
3. Revlon Limited Edition Collection - bronzing face powder, blush, eye shadow or lip color, $9.99- $2/1 Revlon makeup (7/27)= $8 out of pocket and get $9.99 extrabucks back= $2 profit (limit 1)
4. Band-aid bandages, on sale for $2.99. Use $1/1 coupon (4/27 RP, 5/18 RP, 6/15 SS, 6/22 RP)= $1.99 out of pocket + get $2 extrabucks back= free +0.01 profit! (limit 1)
5. Stayfree/Carefree $4.50 (pads 20?-48 ct, liners 92-120 ct). Page 13 ~ Buy $20 in J&J products, get $10 (limit 1)

Walgreens

1. Olay ribbons (buy 6), on sale 3/$10. Use (6) $2/1 coupons (7/6 P&G)= spend $8 + get a $7 register reward back = $1 for (6) bottles
2. Infusium 23 hair treatment (buy 4), on sale for 2/$12. Use (4) $3/1 coupons (7/6 P&G)= spend $12 + get a $7 register reward back = $5 for (4) bottles
3. Crest toothpaste, $2.39. Use $1/1 Easysaver coupon and $0.75/1 (7/6 P&G)= $0.64
   

1. Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber, about $5.69. Use this $2.75 internet printable coupon, then file for a $1.50 Walgreens Easysaver rebate (online) + get a full refund of the entire purchse price (up to $5.69) (7/20 SS)= free + $4.25 profit after rebates

There are some other decent deals but this is what I'm looking at this week. What good deals do you see? List a comment or link to your blog with scenarios below.

Sara found a printable $5 coupon, yippie. I'm pretty sure there is an Olay deal coming up soon so print away!

I found an offer for a $5 coupon at olaydefinityoffer.com.
You fill out the quick survey and address info and they will send you a $5 coupon

I am exhausted just thinking about this week's savings. I have to say that sometimes running all over town for a sale just isn't worth it. This is not one of those times!

1. Walgreens brand diapers (buy three) , on sale for $5.99. Buy (3) packs and use $5/2 July & $5/2 Aug= $2.97 + get a $5 register reward back= $2.03 profit!
2. Welchs 100% Juice 14oz. (buy two) About $1.50 each. Use $1/2 July & $1/2 Aug= about $1 for two
3. M&Ms (buy two) Use $1/2 July & $1/2 Aug
4. Lipton Green Tea Bottles (buy two) Use $2/2 July & $2/2 Aug
5. PediaSure Nutripals Use $2/1 July & $1/1 Aug
6. Benefiber 60-114 Caplets or 38-125 dose Powder (buy two) Use $2/2 July & $2/2 Aug
7. Benadryl 48 pk or 8oz liquid Use $1/1 July & $1/1 Aug
8. Tylenol Severe or Multi Symptom 48 pk Use $1/1 July & $1/1 Aug
9. Lamisil .42oz to 1oz (buy 2) priced $17.99. Use $5/1 July & $3/1 Aug & BOGO coupon (4/13 SS) & $3/1 internet printable coupon
10. L'Oreal Natural Match Hair Color (buy two), priced $9.99. Buy (2) boxes and use $5/2 July & $2/1 Aug & (2) $5/1 coupons (6/29 SS or internet printable)= $0.98 for (2) boxes of hair color (the register will automatically take off the August ESR coupon twice)
11. Walgreens Infant Formula (buy 3) on sale for $13.99. Buy (3) cans and use $5/2 July & $5/2 Aug= $26.97 ($8.99 each) + get a $5 register reward back

Did you snag a fabulous deal? Brag here by posting a comment!

By voting on your favorite shaving style, you can get a free schick quattro titanium trimmer razor. Go here to get it. You will need to click on "Enter site" & vote for any style. Click "sure man" & fill out your contact information.

So, I went into my local Harris Teeter today and as I checked out I attempted to make conversation with the cashier as I always do. Since the store is still running a triple coupon sale, I asked her how us savvy shoppers were treating her. I was a little shocked at her response...After rolling her eyes, she proceeded to tell me that us couponers were driving her nuts. Next she told me how obnoxious it was to see the same people buying lots of the same items over and over.

I thought about her sentiments and others like it that I have had over the years. Granted there are lots of people who do not save money on the up and up, lots of individuals out for a good scam instead of savings, folks trying to beat the system, etc. Thing is... I'm not one of those people. Why did my saving money agitate her so badly? You know what I mean, don't you? Every now and then you come across one cranky cashier who almost takes personal offense when you nab a great deal.

I have come to this resolve. I'm simply not ashamed to save money. I'm not ashamed to ask for a price check, a rain check, a double check, a coupon, or anything else. It's when I'm flustered about what others think of me that I don't think straight and end up paying more money than I ought. So, as long as things are on the up and up... I'm not ashamed to save.

FYI, if you're new: If you see a date like this- 4/20 SS, that means you should look in the coupons in the 4/20 paper marked Smartsource, anything with a date and RP means it's in the Red Plum circular (formerly known as Valassis) & P&G is the Proctor & Gamble coupon circular sent out only once per month. Also, be sure to first read my previous post on How to Work a Double/ Triple Coupon Sale before heading out.

• Daisy Sour Cream $1 (.50/1 6/1 RP) =free + $0.45 overage
• Suave Shampoo - $1.50/1 7/13 RP = free + $0.19 overage
• Right Guard deodorant 2/$5 (5/18 SS1 $0.75/1)= $0.25
• Barilla pasta bags 4/$5 (6/15 SS $0.50/2)= free + $0.25 overage
• Spray n' wash laundry stain remover $2.99-3.49 (0.75 internet printable) OR 0.50 (7/20 SS)= free + $0.75 overage
• SOBE Life Water 5/$5 (0.50/1 gas station tear pad) =free + $0.50 overage
• Mt. Olive Pickle Spears - Organic Kosher Dill on sale $1.24 (0.75/1 blinkie) = free + $0.99 overage
• Dawn Sponge – Scrubber 2ct on sale for $0.99 ($.50/1 3/2 P&G) = free + $.51 overage
• Scrubbing Bubbles – $2.00 (0.75/1 7/20 SS) = free + $0.25 overage)
• Windex – $2 (0.75/1 7/20 SS) = free + $0.25 overage
• Suave deodorant $1.99 (on sale now for 1.69) (0.75/1 5/18 RP) = free + $0.26 overage
• Shout stain remover – $3.19 BOGO ($0.75 /1 7/13 SS) = free + $0.65 overage
• Zone Perfect Nutrition Bar $1.39 (0.55/1 6/15 SS) = free
• Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice- $2.19 (0.75/1 7/13 RP) = free
• French's Mustard $1.29 (0.50/1 6/22 SS) = free
• Mentos Gum $1.19 (55/1 5/18 SS1) = free
• Skintimate Shave gel (trial size ) - $1.50 (0.55/1 7/13 SS)= free
• Beech-nut juice blends - $1.39 (0.75/1 6/15 SS)= free
• Texas Toast Croutons $1.50 (0.50/1 5/4 RP) = free
• Gum Toothbrush - $2.29 (0.75/1 6/29 RP or 04-20-08 RP) = $.04
• Domino Brown or Confectioner Sugar - .99 (.30/1 05-04-08 RP) = $.09
• Comet Long Grain Rice on sale $1.74 (0.55/1 5/18 RP = $.09
• Viva Paper Towels $2.39 (0.75/1 7/13 SS) = $0.14
• Hefty Plates or Bowls, $3.49 on sale BOGO (0.50 /1 5/18 RP) = $0.24
• Soft N Dry $2.50 (0.75/1 5/18 SS1)= $0.25
• Nestle Nesquik Syrup - 1.79 (0.50/1 4/27 SS)= .29
• Nesquik Chocolate Milk 16oz $1.79 (0.50/1 4/27 SS) = $0.29
• California Pizza Kitchen Pizza $5.49 (0.75/1 6/1 SS) = $3.24
• Tetley ice tea bags - $2.55 (0.75/1 4/13 SS) = $0.35
• Smucker's Ice Cream Toppings assorted varieties 2/$3 (0.35/1 5/4 RP) = $0.45
• Betty Crocker Brownies $2.50 (0.50 7/13 SS)= $.50 (Thanks Sara)
• Pillsbury Crescent Rolls $1.59 (0.35/1 7/13 SS) = $0.54
• Wish-Bone Bountifuls $2.99 (0.75/1 6/29 RP) = $0.74
• Luigi’s Lemon Italian Ice – 4/$6 (0.75 /2 6/8 RP or 7/13 RP) = $0.75 for 2
• Lysol Healthy Touch 2.99 (0.75/1 6/22 SS)= $0.74
• Athenos feta 2.69 (055/1 5/11 SS) =$1.04
• Smart Balance popcorn, on sale BOGO (0.50 6/8 RP)= free

The last time we got our taxes done I asked my accountant if there was anything I was missing that was deductible. She said nonchalantly that the only thing I was missing was sales tax. Since I like to be SUPER prepared during tax time in an effort to get back all of the money we deserve, I asked for more details. She said that in the state of NC all state sales tax is deductible, all of it. Not just on major purchases like cars and such. Last year, I started keeping a running monthly tally of how much we were spending in sales tax. On the same spreadsheet as our monthly budget, I enter in the tax from groceries, gas, electricity, everything. Well... so far we have spent $836 in state taxes alone! I'm so excited for the due diligence because at the end of the year, we get to claim it back dollar for dollar. Yippie!

Check with your accountant for more details about your own state. For you N. Carolinians, it's not too late to start crunching those numbers!

I can see that a number of you have attempted to email me, but for some reason, they are not coming through: Have a question or found a deal?

Email me at financialdiva@live.com

Readers of the Eastern NC region:

If you recently received the special cicular for Rite Aid's grand opening in Wilson, NC, you will see that Electrasol tabs (20ct) are on a special sale 2/$3. Use the 7/13 SS coupon for $2.25 to get these tabs for free or take the sales flyer to Walmart who price matches competitors to get them free or with possible $0.75 overage!

Hurry, the sale ends Tuesday, July 29th

A recent USA Today article polled nearly 2,000 adults asking if they had an emergency fund in case a major expense. 63% did but how long would it last...

3% said less than one month
20% said 1-2 months
27% said 3-4 months
11% said 5-6 months
40% said 6+ months

Where would you fall?

CVS

Looks like a decent week at CVS with some more free and inexpensive items:

1. Trident XtraCare Gum Single Pack- on sale BOGO. Use BOGO free coupon in 7/20 SS or 0.75 in July All You magazine +get $1 extrabuck back when you buy 2= $1 profit each (limit 5)


2. L'oreal Vive Hydra Gloss shampoo/ conditioner, on sale BOGO. Use BOGO free coupon in 7/13 SS= free


3. Spend $15 get a $5 ECB on Selected Baby Items (CVS diapers, wipes, lotion, shampoo, oil, cotton swabs, etc.). Use the $2/1 CVS skincare coupon & use toward many of these items such as 14-15 oz. baby wipes 2/$4, baby lotion/ oil= free or close to free on many items (limit 1).


4. All Laundry Detergent- on sale BOGO. Use (2) $1 internet printable coupons


5. Colgate Total, on sale BOGO. Buy 2 and use two $1.50/1 coupons from August All You magazine and/or this printable coupon. There is also a $1 CRT on some receipts= free or close to free
   

Don't forget that the $3/15 coupon expires Sunday. Shop early!

Walgreens

LOTS of inexpensive diapers going on this week @ Walgreens. They are on sale again for $5.99. Check this former post to see how to get them very cheap! You might want to wait until Friday or Saturday if you can't find the pharmacy coupon. I'll post details in a few days about overlapping deals that will take place this week. Here are some other good deals I see.

1. Crayola Washable Markers, on sale for $2+ get $2 EasySaver rebate= free after rebate
2. Pantene Beautiful Lengths, on sale 2/$8 each. Use (2) $2/1 coupons+ get $4 EasySaver rebate= free after coupons and rebate!
3. Dixie Plates, on sale BOGO. Buy 2 at $3.79 and you'll get a catalina manufacturer coupon for $3/2 Dixie plate purchase. Repeat the deal again and you'll get 2 packs of plates for $0.40 each and get another $3/2 coupon! You can continue to roll this again and again and again until you are well stocked up. Note: The $3/2 will only be printing through 07/24, though, so stock up at the beginning of the week! (Thanks Money Saving Mom)
4. Reynolds foil, on sale $1. Use $1/1 or $0.75/1 coupon (6/22 SS) = free or close to free
5. 5-Cent School Supplies: 2-pocket folders - $0.05 each with in-ad coupon (Limit 5) 5-pack Paper Mate mechanical pens - $0.05 each with in-ad coupon (Limit 3) Mini composition book - $0.05 each with in-ad coupon (Limit 4) Highlighter - $0.05 each with in-ad coupon (Limit 3)

I absolutely love saving money. I was having a mini withdrawl since we went away on vacation last week and I didn't bring any coupons! To make up for things I decided to maximize the great savings at CVS and Walgreens as well as the grocery store. Here's what I got:





First stop- Walgreens


Who can pass up free hair products? I stopped by Walgreens for FREE Loreal Vive pro shampoo and conditioner. Walgreens had these on sale BOGO & I used a BOGO coupon from this past Sunday's paper. All in all, I walked away with 6 bottles of shampoo & conditioner for free.




Next up- CVS (Transaction #1)


I split my CVS transactions up in order to maximize the 3/15 coupon before it expires. I got:

• (2) bottles of Sure deoderant, used (2) $1 internet printable= $1.69 each
• (6) bottles of Sally Hansen nail polish, used (2) $3/2 CVS coupon= free
• (1) Excedrin 24ct Back & body

I used $3/15 CVS coupon , $5.99 in extrabucks to pay for my order, $0.71 out of pocket (oop) & got back $3 extrabucks & I'll file for the full $4.79 excedrin rebate & $2.69 sure deoderant rebate (6/29 SS). So, after extrabucks and rebates, I'll have made $4.17!

CVS (Transaction #2)

(1) Excedrin PM, used $2/1 coupon

(2) Gas x thin strips, used (2) $1.50/1 coupons & (1) $5/2 CVS CRT

• (2) Gold Emblem pretzels, used $1/2 CVS CRT
  

Here are some resources regarding NC foreclosures. I found this in the Sunday, July 13th edition of the Raleigh News & Observer:

NC Hope Hot Line
Toll-free number set up by the state attorney general & state banks commissioner to connect callers with nonprofit housing and credit counselors
888.995.HOPE

Mortgage Foreclosure Project
Legal assistance with referrals from Legal Aid of NC. The goal is to keep working families in their homes.
866.219.5262

NC Banking Commission
Useful tools and steps for homeowners to avoid foreclosure

NC Academy of Trial Lawyers
Free legal help through a phone call or email exchange. No legal advice is given but information about the law is.

NC Attorney General's Office
Website helping homeowners to avoid foreclosure and scams.

Consider this a tribute to the local readers and those with Harris Teeter grocery stores nearby. I have so many searches on this site for deals at Harris Teeter that I decide to make a post of the good deals going on this week. I am also including coupon match ups so you will know right where to look in your coupon stash.

• Pillsbury toaster scrambles, toaster strudles- B1G2F (4/20 or 6/29 RP $1/1; 5/4 RP $1/2)= $2.85 each- $3 (3 $1/1 Q's)= 0.15 overage
• Maalox liquid- BOGO (5/4 SS $1.50/1; 6/1 SS $2/1)=
• Garnier Fructis shampoo 2/$5 (5/4 RP $1/1; 6/22 RP $1/1)= $1.50 each
• Right Guard deodorant 2/$5 (5/18 SS1 $0.75/1)= $1 doubled or $0.25 tripled
• Arm & Hammer laundry detergent- BOGO ($1/1 internet printable)
• Barilla pasta bags 4/$5 (6/15 SS $0.50/2)= $0.25 doubled or $0.25 overage tripled
• California Pizza Kitchen $5.49 (6/1 SS $0.75/1) $3.99 doubled or $3.24 tripled
• Brawny paper towels BOGO (6/8 RP $1/1)= $10.69/2- $1= $4.35
• Easy off Bam cleaner $2.99 (6/29 SS 0.75/1)= 1.49 doubled or 0.74 tripled
• Spray n' wash laudry stain remover $2.99-3.49 (0.75 internet printable)= $0 doubled or $0.75 overage tripled

Are you following our budgeting series? We could all use a financial tune-up. So I challenge you to join us even if you already have a budgeting plan. I am constantly re-vamping the way we do things around our house to achieve financial success. You can catch up by reading the first two parts of our series & doing the homework.

Budgeting 101- Part 1
Budgeting 101- Part 2

Our next order of business launching at the end of this month is to actually set a budget. I'll have sample worksheets and spreadsheets for you to use. But first it is essential that you are diligent in completing the homework from part 2, tracking your spending. Since we are 1/2 way into the month, I thought I would do a friendly check-up. How diligent are you? Tracking every dollar? If you've not done so great, make it a point to finish this assignment strong. Your financial success depends on it!

Here are the deals I am stirring up this week in NC @ CVS:


CVS
Here are the deals that I will be personally doing @ CVS this week. The most amazing deal this week is on photobooks with tons of overage! There are some other good additions as well. I'll be using the $3/15 CVS coupon of course. I plan to break this up into many smaller orders so that the coupon can be used more than once. The details that I'll be working up are here in this chart. You local readers better not beat me to it!

Coupons that is!

I've come to terms with it. I am a coupon lady. I am a young 20 something and I am a coupon lady. I used to sort of be embarrassed when I approached the register or entered a store because I knew that "they knew the secret"... they being the store associates and the secret being that I used coupons, heaven forbid.

I have now come to appreciate my coupon lady status, however. Why? It's simple math. I save money. I just don't mind to clip coupons when I save the kind of money that I do. My informal savings tally just this year is now running into the thousands, thousands! Coming full circle in my coupon lady embrace, I have decided to make the best of my store experiences by doing the following:

1. I enter the stores prepared. No one likes an absent-minded couponer. I try to always have exactly which coupons I am going to use clipped,organized and ready before I get into the register line. Can I get an amen from the customers that have stood in line behind me?
2. I make conversation with the cashier & associates. I have overheard store clerks telling horror stories of their coupon customers. Typically, it has to do with someone being rude and adamant about a deal. I have found far more success when I go into a store, learn the names of the associates (since I'm there so frequently), make conversation, and show a genuine interest in people's lives. This helps tremendously when I need a manager's intervention or special deal. Managers have also told me about upcoming promotions and given me coupons before because they recognized me.
3. I always stay on the up and up. There is a serious difference between someone getting a good deal and someone scamming for a good deal. I am becoming even more conscious about reading the coupon wording and specifics as to make sure that I am within the guidelines set by the stores and manufacturers.
   
   
   How about you? Have you accepted or embraced your couponer status? What strategies do you use when in the store?

This past Monday I happened to catch a segment on the Today show about expiration dates on our household items. The guest suggested that everything from pillows to shampoo has an expiration date. I found myself pretty annoyed as I watched. I don't know about you but I grew up not throwing something away until it was truly "ready." Growing up on a tight budget, I discovered most things were salvageable. Nearly every bottle of cleaning and beauty products could be saved until the last drop.

I confess that as I have become a savvy shopper, finding many deals in which I stock up on toiletries and groceries, the challenge has become how to use things up before the expiration dates. There is nothing more perturbing than throwing medicine, vitamins, or food away. Someone, somewhere could have used that... and is it really that bad? Even with all of the great CVS and Harris Teeter deals, throwing things away never gets easier. I've tried to give lots of gift baskets and donations as I can but it seems as though I am constantly throwing things away. This is a serious excitement killer to all of my deal finds. In fact, it makes little sense to find a great deal and stock up if we can't find use for what I buy.

Maybe I'm having a complex, maybe not.... my dear financial divas what do you say? How do you deal with avoiding those pesky expiration dates?

Staples is having a Back-To-School Sale in-store [view your local ad] with some items for one penny. The following deals are available in-store thru today only:

• Purell 0.5 oz bottle= $0.01


• 2-Pocket Paper Folder= $0.01


• Dixon #2 Yellow Pencils 8-pack= $0.01


• 1/2" and 1" Simply Poly Assorted Binders= $0.25


• Pentel Retractable Assorted Highlighters= FREE after easy rebate


• 96/20 Bright Staples Brand printer paper= $1.99 after easy rebate


• Staples Multi-use Paper 8 1/2" x 11" Case (10 reams). Buy 2 cases (20 reams) for $77.98 - $38.99 easy rebate = $38.99 for 2 cases (20 reams)

There have been big changes recently in how our credit scores are reported and calculated. Credit scores are so important since they are used to determine everything from how much we'll pay for a home, car, or apartment to if we'll land a great job. Scores range from 300-850. While only 11% of people rank above 800, over 30 million, yes million people are considered to have severe credit, scoring below 620 (MSN Money). Having bad credit is dumb because it costs so much more money in the long run. Here are a few simple steps that you can take now to better your credit score:

1. First, pull your credit report to determine the accuracy of what is on your records. You can reference my former post here on how to get a completely free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once per year. If any information is incorrect, contact the respective agency immediately. You can even submit corrections online.



2. Stop being enticed by stupid offers. During my college years, credit card lenders would line the center student union with tables of free T-shirts, hats, and stuffed toys if you filled out a credit card application. So many students signed up for these offers for a free something or other. Post-college folks fall for similar gimmicks. Ever applied for a store card for a one-time discount, coupons, etc. Don't do that! This is because every time your credit report is accessed (by someone other than you) for a credit inquiry, your score is lowered. Shop for the best credit card offer first, then apply & only in that order.



3. Be obsessive about late payments. Aside from a major negative event like foreclosure or bankruptcy, paying bills late is the single most damaging thing you can do to your credit. Do whatever you can to pay all of your bills on time. Try a filing system, online bill pay, paying over the phone or any other technique to keep you on track.
   


4. Watch your "percentage" of credit limit usage. Knowing not just your credit limit but the percentage that you are using each month is the key to a better score. If, for example, you have a $5,000 credit limit and your balance is $2,500, you are using 50% of your available credit. Your credit score looks at the sum of your available credit to what you are using. This means that if you have to take into account what percentage of credit you are using overall. Consider the following example:
   
   

   	Credit Limit	Balance	Percentage Used
   CC #1	$1,000	$500	50%
   CC #2	$500	$500	100%
   CC #3	$5,000	$3,500	70%
   Total	$6,500	$4,500	70%

In this example, you would add each of the total credit limits and balances for an overall score of 70% usage of your credit limit. You want to shoot for using no more than 30% of your total available credit; the lower, the better.

This is important even if you pay off your statement in full each month. Credit card companies report what the last statement balance was without mention of whether or not it was paid in full. This means that if you have a balance of $1,000 and a limit of $1,000, you are still using 100% of your available credit and that's a no no.

5. Don't necessarily run to close your credit card accounts. Because of what we just discussed, not closing your credit accounts is as important as opening them. Think about our example above. If you closed the first credit card, because say the interest rate was too high, your percentage would rise to 73%, if you closed the second card instead, your percentage would only decline to 67%. It's more important for the credit companies to see that you can handle multiple streams of credit. Remember, changing the number of accounts you have alters your percentage just like a credit balance. The exception would be for those of you who do more harm than good with credit cards such as overspending or difficultly paying bills on time.

6. See how you stack up. Don't want to pay a fee for obtaining your credit score? I found a credit score estimator at Bankrate that gives you a rough estimate of where you stand. Try playing around with this tool as you manage your credit to see how your score changes.

I got this in my inbox this morning. I've never tried snapfish but I have heard many people that have & liked the prints. Here's the details:

For one week only you can get 50 4x6 mail-order prints for only a penny each! (Plus Shipping)

Additional 4x6 prints are just 9¢ each

Use coupon code JUL4PENNY08 at checkout. This offer ends July 12!

Normally I wait until Saturday to summarize the best of my weekly savings but I wanted to post a day early in order to give you enough time to get in on a really great diaper sale happening now at Walgreens. We are getting ready to head down to sunny Florida to visit some family and attend a conference, so I will post as many great deals as I can find on the run next week. For now, here's what I worked up and how you can do it too:

Walgreens:
Thanks to Baby Cheapskate & Jennifer at Sisterly Savings, I landed a pretty amazing deal for next to nothing diapers at Walgreens this week. I got six packs of jumbo size 1 & 2 diapers for $9.35 out-of-pocket (oop) which I paid for with my Walgreens gift card from all the free after rebate items I've been scooping up. After paying, the register spit me out (2) $5 off your next shopping trip coupon-SCORE!
Basically the diapers were on sale for $5.99. I got three packs each time & used a $2/1 coupon from at the pharmacy & $5/2 coupon found in the July EasySaver catalog. Read the linked text above to get exactly how you can do it too.

Between having a baby shower & all these great deals, I estimate that we've spent less than $40 bucks on diapers/ wipes for my three month old so far.

CVS:
Even though there are some decent deals at CVS this week, I just haven't been up to shopping with so much going on. I made a very quick stop to snag these deals:

• 2 coppertone baby sunblock sticks- $4.99 each- $10 in CVS extrabucks= free!


• 1 Physicians formula mineral eyeliner- $7.99- $7.99 in CVS extrabucks= free!


• 5 cleansing & make-up remover towelettes- $2.99 each (purchased each separately)- $2 Skincare coupon (click here for coupon & scenario)- $2.99 in CVS extrabucks= $2 profit each x 5= $10 profit!

That's it... not much to write home about but free is free.

There sure are a lot of free magazine offers lately. Here are the latest two. Click the image to subscribe to 10 issues, 1 year, of More Magazine and/ or 8 issues, 1 year, of Traditional Home from Value Mags.