Time to Pamper Yourself

The kids are back in school - now is time for a little pampering.   Obviously everyone needs to have their hair cut – and let’s face it ladies, we all like a little salon pampering, but the cost of a manicure, pedicure, eyebrow wax, and a haircut, can stack up fast.

There’s a much less expensive alternative to the salon though, you can allow a student to perform these services for you under the direct supervision of a licensed trainer. You will pay about 1/3 of the price you might normally spend in a salon.

You can find an accredited beauty school through the National Accrediting Commission of Career Arts & Sciences. If you do an accredited school search on their website http://naccas.org, it will bring up a list of schools and the services they provide in your local area.

Win a free copy of my e-book

Win a free copy of my e-book! Just comment on this page and then share with your friends. Winner will be drawn randomly on September 20th. AND for the month of September, my e-book is half off to celebrate my Birthday! Available formats for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, and Kobo via  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/331454
Promotional price: $1.50
Coupon Code: GR27Q
Expires: September 30, 2013

That New Car Smell

Never underestimate the power of negotiating for a better deal. If you are trying to buy a car, take someone with you that is designated to be the “NO” person. Sales people know all the right buttons to push, so if you have someone who can be the bad guy, it forces them to up their game, by lowering the price and throwing in extras.

A trick my family taught me in negotiating a deal is to pick out two similar cars at two competing dealerships. Go to the first dealership and negotiate for their best price, ask them to put it in writing and then tell them you need to sleep on it. Take that offer to the second dealership and see if they will beat the first offer. Get it in writing. Take the second offer back to the first dealership – 9 times out of 10 they will lower the price to beat the 2nd dealership’s offer.

September and October are the best months to buy a new car, as the new model usually role out in August, and they want to get rid of the previous year’s inventory. If you really want to be smart with your money, buy a used car, since new cars lose the biggest chunk of their value when they are driven off the lot. You can get great deals on 1 or 2 year old leased vehicles that have been turned in.

Tax Free Holidays

Take advantage of tax free holidays! Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia all have tax free holidays in August (Mississippi has their tax free holiday in July). Each state varies, but most drop the sales tax on clothing, shoes and school supplies for a day or a weekend. Most retailers also have 20% to 40% off sales at the same time. There are limits to the amounts, so you will need to check with your state to see what you can purchase, tax free.

Summer Fun Tips

Looking for cheap entertainment this summer? Many museums and amusement parks offer discounted tickets for admission during the middle of the week. Some museums even have free admission days. By attending on a week day, you will save on the price of admission and it will also be less crowded. Amusement parks also offer season passes for a few dollars more than the cost of a season ticket, so if you are a big amusement park fan, a season ticket is the best way to go. If you are up for a movie, matinee showings of movies are also several dollars cheaper, and many movie theaters have summer movie programs that show free children’s movies one morning during the week.

My New eBook! 12 Months of Practical Modern Living: A Frugal Resource

So I have to apologize for not keeping up with this blog, but I promise I had a good reason.  I have typed up all my best tips and frugal ideas and created this eBook.  Here is just a taste of my new book!  You can find it at smashwords.com.  Just click the link below!

12 Months of Practical Modern Living: A Frugal Resource

Today, frugal has an entirely different meaning than it did years ago. People actually live, but they are trying to spend money on things that are priorities, and spend less where they can. People have different goals – some have had to take lower paying jobs and are struggling to make ends meet. Some want to be able to stay at home and raise their children. Some people just want to step away from our consumer driven society and live a simpler life. Others have specific dreams of owning a home or achieving financial independence. Then there are those of us stuck on a financial merry go round, and we just want off.
No one wants to spend any more than they need to spend. Even so, sometimes it’s difficult to find the best way to achieve your goals. Everyday retailers and manufactures are pulling out all the bells and whistles to entice you to spend your money. It's hard to know when you are getting the best deal for your money.
Whatever the reason is, you have picked up a copy of this book to try to do something different in your life. While this isn’t the “be all - end all” of all of frugal living books, it does examine how to best exploit market cycles to spend less for the things you need or want. It examines how to time and anticipate your needs so that you spend the smallest amount necessary to achieve your goals. I’ve also outlined practical tips and ideas about using technology to save money and earn money - including an entire section on coupons in our digital age. It examines many items that have multiple uses, and finally it examines practical, old fashioned, tried and true methods, hands-on tips and ideas to save money and live frugally. Ultimately, it’s about living well, without breaking the bank

Worth the time or the money?

Don't feel like running all over town to do your grocery shopping?  You can always price match at Walmart. It takes a few extra minutes to check the sales ads, but it could save you a considerable amount of money, especially if you price match some of the loss leaders at other stores with a coupon - and it saves gas and some of your time.