Contributed by member SwapSavers owner of www.swapsavers.com

Cook your own meals: The only way to truly know the calorie content of what you eat is to prepare the meals yourself. By cooking your own meals you can substitute for less fattening or lower calorie choices when necessary. Most recipes list calories, fat grams and other useful information to help you keep track of your daily intake. When you eat at restaurants or fast food places you eat more calories and fat grams since the portions are typically larger then what you would have at home. Furthermore it is difficult to keep track of calories or fat gram intake. Cooking at home is significantly less expensive then eating at restaurants or fast food places.

Drink Water: Tap water is free and free of calories. If you were to only drink water for a week you could probably save at least $20 or more depending on your current drinking choices. Most drinks contain 200 calories or more, whereas drinking water has zero calories. Water has numerous health benefits. By drinking water you eat less since people tend to think they are hungry when they really need water. Water helps your body to break down fat which increases fat loss.

Turn off the TV: If you eat meals while watching TV, you are often unaware of how much you eat. Research by Eliot Blass found, people eat between 31 and 74 percent more calories while watching TV. Most people watching TV are motionless which burns few calories. In terms of energy consumption, watching TV will cost you about $100 per year in your electric bill and your cable bill about $600 per year.

Workout with a friend: Working out with a friend will help you stay motivated and provides extra support or new ideas to keep your workouts interesting. You can carpool with your friend to the gym to save on gas.

Tags: Cooking, Loose Weight, Meals, Motivation, TV, Water, Weight Loss, Workout
Posted in Articles, Frugal Living | No Comments »

Contributed by member SwapSavers owner of www.swapsavers.com

In order to purchase items at Warehouse Clubs (i.e. BJ’s, Costco, Sam’s Club) you have to pay a membership fee usually around $40-$50 a year. Before you pay the price for admission ask yourself these questions to figure out if it is worth it.

How far away do you live? Similar to a gym membership, if you live far away (20 minutes or more) from the Warehouse Club, the chances of you using it on a regular basis decrease significantly. If you live close by (5 minutes or less) and you are able to purchase milk and other staple items, the prices are considerably less then other stores. Also these staple items rarely go on sale at most grocery or other stores so the prices will always be less at the warehouse clubs.

Will you use the entire product? Most items sold at warehouse clubs are sold in bulk. If you have a large family or business, your odds of using up the entire food product before it goes bad increases. However if you have an average size family buying in bulk might equate to throwing away a lot of food.

How do the prices compare to nearby stores? This requires some research, but in the long run you will save either the price of the membership or you will save money from purchasing less expensive items at the warehouse club. If you already have a price log of items you purchase on a regular basis, bring it with you to the warehouse club you are considering and compare prices. You will need to do some math to figure out the price per unit for the bulk items. If you don’t have a price log create one for a few weeks making sure you write down the prices of items you purchase especially when the items are on sale since the sale prices can be noticeably lower then warehouse prices. Also keep in mind most grocery stores double coupons and warehouse clubs do not.

Does the warehouse offer a free trial membership? Before purchasing the membership, ask if you can do a month or more free trial membership (without the surcharge fees). BJ’s usually offers a free three month holiday membership in October. Obviously if you can try it for free first, you have more time to use the above questions to figure out if it is worth paying for the rest of the year.

Find more information and deal discussion in Hotcouponworld’s Store Deals forum

Tags: Bj's, Bulk Shopping, Club Store, Costco, Free Trial, Grocery Shopping, Membership, National Chain Stores, Price Comparison, Sam's Club, Warehouse Club, Warehouse Store
Posted in Articles, Grocery Shopping, Stockpiling | 7 Comments »

Contributed by member SwapSavers owner of www.swapsavers.com

Nothing pains me more than to realize my coupon is expired or forgotten at home. If you forgot your coupon or have an expired coupon, here are some tips to prevent or correct this situation.

Preventive Tips:

Mark your Calendar – If you have a great coupon or rewards coupon (such as CVS Extra Bucks or Best Buy Rewards) mark the expiration date on your calendar. You can also make a notation to use the coupon at least a week or two before it expires.

Use the Coupon Immediately – If you use the coupon as soon as possible you decrease your chance of forgetting or losing it. Also if you wait until the last minute to use the coupon you may be unable to make it to the store (if you get sick, etc.)

Coupon Organizer – If you use a coupon organizer you can identify coupons which may expire soon by placing them in a certain location or using a sticky tab on the soon to expire coupons.

Coupon=Wallet – Treat your coupons like dollar bills and bring them wherever you would bring your wallet. Using a coupon organizer makes it easier to transport your coupons in the car or store similar to a wallet holding your dollar bills.

Corrective Tips

Ask if Store Accepts Expired Coupons – Some stores will accept expired coupons, especially if it is a store coupon such as Bed and Bath. If a manufactures coupon is only a day or two expired, some stores will also accept the coupon.

Ask about Coupon Reimbursement – If you forget your coupons, ask if the store will reimburse you the next time you shop. Most stores will reimburse you the coupons amount if you bring the coupon and receipt to customer service the next time you shop.

Call Customer Service – If you let a rewards coupon expire (such as CVS Extra Bucks or Best Buy Rewards) and the store will not accept the coupon trying calling customer service. One time my Best Buy Rewards coupon expired and the store would not accept it. After calling customer service, I was sent a “one time re-issue” of the rewards coupon.

Other Suggestions

Donate Expired Coupons - U.S. military families stationed overseas are able to use expired coupons on base for up to six months after the manufacturer’s expiration date. You can adopt a base by going to the following website: COUPONS TO TROOPS

Hotcouponworld also offers a coupon trading forum just for expired coupons, this is a great way to exchange your expired coupons for coupons you can use. Expired Coupon Trading Forum.

Tags: Coupons, Donate, Expired Coupons, Military, Organizing, SwapSavers
Posted in Articles, Grocery Shopping | 3 Comments »

INGREDIENTS

6 cups grated carrots
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium bowl, combine grated carrots and brown sugar. Set aside for 60 minutes, then stir in raisins.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 10 inch cake pans.
3. In a large bowl, beat eggs until light. Gradually beat in the white sugar, oil and vanilla. Stir in the pineapple. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the wet mixture until absorbed. Finally stir in the carrot mixture and the walnuts. Pour evenly into the prepared pans.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, until cake tests done with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan. When completely cooled, frost with cream cheese frosting.

Tags: Carrot Cake
Posted in Blog, Desserts, Recipes | No Comments »

Contributed by member SwapSavers owner of www.swapsavers.com

You can find great deals in the drugstores (CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens). Often you can find items for free or even earn money (if the store allows it) when you combine sales, coupons/in-ad coupons, rebates and Register Rewards (Walgreens) or Extra Bucks (CVS). Here are a few tips to make sure you get the best deals.

1. Make a List-Before you enter the store make a detailed list of what you plan to buy and what coupons/rebates are necessary. I also include the weight or size of the product to make sure I purchase the right item. If you know the information you may want to include the area of the store where the items are located to save you time when shopping.

2. Get the Circular/Rebate Book-Upon entering the store, I grab a circular and rebate book (only at Rite Aid and Walgreens). This way I can double check the sales, making sure I purchase the correct item, size, weight as I shop. I can also use any in-ad coupons. You can combine in-ad coupons with manufactures coupons.

3. Check your receipt-Before leaving the store always check the receipt to make sure the items are the correct price and the coupons were deducted.

4. Save your receipt-Always save your receipts since you will need the receipt numbers for the on-line rebates. You also never know when you might need to return or exchange an item.

5. Rebates-Walgreens and Rite-Aid both offer on-line rebate programs, no mailing necessary. The checks are mailed to you or at Walgreens you can get a gift card and earn an extra 10% back from the rebate (i.e. if your rebate check is for $100 you would earn an extra $10). This program is a great way to get a lot of free items or even earn money when combined with coupons (if the store allows). However, you do need enter your receipt on-line and you should always check to make sure the rebate was issued. On a number of occasions the rebate was not issued to my account. I called to find out what the problem was and they either issued the rebate or I returned the product. You should also keep in mind that the sales tax is not included in the rebate so you will have to pay that out of pocket. I have a credit card that I earn 5% cash back at drugstores which happens to be the sales tax where I live. You may want to consider doing this, but of course remember when using credit cards only charge what you can afford.

6. Use your Extra Bucks or Register Rewards-Walgreens or CVS offer these coupons when you purchase certain products. Sometimes the product will be free when you consider the fact they are awarding you the coupon amount for the price of the item (i.e. you pay $5 for the product and earn a coupon for $5 off your next purchase). Keep in mind it is a coupon and does expire. You should keep the coupon in a safe place and make sure to use it before it expires. You can even use the coupon to purchase another product that is free after the rewards.

Sounds like a lot of work? It is time consuming but it is worth it. In only three months I have accumulated enough I have enough shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, moisturizer, razors, and body wash to last for the next year!

Find out more about drug store shopping in our Store Forums

Tags: Coupons, CVS, Drug Store, Rebate, Register Reward, Rite Aid, Shopping, Walgreens, Weekly Ad
Posted in Articles, Grocery Shopping | 2 Comments »

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average family spends nearly $7,798 a year on housing. Whether you own your home or rent, it pays to negotiate. See if one of these tips can help you pay less.

Ask for a lower rate. Refinancing a mortgage usually requires thousands of dollars in closing costs. If you own, ask your mortgage holder if you qualify for a lower rate; you might if you’ve had the mortgage for at least a year, you’ve made all the payments on time and you have a decent credit score. You’ll be charged $1,000 or so, but you’ll avoid the closing costs.

Talk to your landlord. If you rent your house or apartment, consider asking your landlord to lower your rent, especially if you’ve always paid it on time or you’ve made improvements to your home. You may also get a lower rent if you sign a longer lease. But keep in mind that this may not be an option if the real estate market in your area is hot.

Tags: Finance, Housing, Quick Tip, Refinance, Rent
Posted in Quick Tip | No Comments »