CATAGORIES.............BY REQUEST

My Filing System still is "prettified" as I have yet to put the duct tape (hot pink) on the boxes , as I just haven't had the time to get the tops trimmed and it done NEATLY like I want it to be ............so I don't have an updated photo to show you but I have had several requests for CATEGORIES that I use.

As I have stated many times, my categories may or may not work for you. Some people like to put in order of the store layout that they shop most frequently, others may alphabetize their categories, I don't do either........ I put what "makes sense to me" which is what I have gotten used to over the years......

So here goes nothing,  here are my categories as you have requested:

1st Box .......... on the left 
FRONT:  coupons that I think I need to check against products to see if sale prices/unadvertised prices are worth my buying,  this is in FRONT and not under a "tab" that categorizes

FREE:   free coupons that I need to use so they don't expire

FROZEN FOODS:   category I usually don't have many coupons for

2nd box Left
BREAD
DAIRY.............subdivided by 2 snack bags,  regular dairy and then another for items that really are not dairy but in the dairy case (ie: biscuits)
PRODUCE
MEAT

3rd box left
Breakfast
Canned Goods
Condiments
Mexican

4th box left
Desserts
Baking Items
Snacks
Drinks
Wine Tags:  this category is now almost obsolete due to those that have abused this luxury, it used to be such a wonderful item..........now ............not so much


FIRST BOX RIGHT
front of box : uncategorized:  miscellaneous things like coupons from scanned ECB card that I have not used yet and short exp. date items

BABY
PET

2nd Box:
Paper / Plastic
Cleaning

3rd Box
Health / Beauty  (subdivided by 3 bags:  soaps and body care / make up / shaving needs)
Oral Health Care

4th Box
Medicines
Household:  (batteries, office supplies etc)

My side box  contains : paper clips, pens, business cards and I put my phone there while shopping
The very front of box has rec'ts and /or ECB /Register Rewards or Catalinas that may "spit out"
The Top lid contains Scissors, extra dividers, coupon wallet that holds VIP cards and /or gift cards
and very top of lid is where I put uncut coupons and / or store folders in which I pull coupons/ads etc and file so I can easily pull out a "shopping guide" of what I want to purchase with the relevant coupons.

I hope this helps you guys!  

ANJIES NEW SYSTEM!

NEW COUPON FILING SYSTEM! I finally did it!

photo credit:  tommi brandt

The photo you see is the OLD system I created about 18 -20 years ago?  I don't know exactly when but this coupon box was created from a CASSETTE TAPE BOX.   I had been couponing about 10 years when I developed this system to be a "cheaper and more efficient version" of the one I had before this one!

I gutted the bottom out of it and used cards, envelope boxes,  envelopes and snack bags to file all of my coupons.   IT WAS THE BEST SYSTEM I EVER USED!   When I was introducing my GF, TOMMI to the coupon world (we think 16 years ago she started?)    I don't know if you can see everything , but I ditched my box from wear and tear years ago,  TOMMI HAS NOT THIS IS THE BOX SHE IS STILL USING !  (photo taken today)

Since that time that I ditched my beloved coupon box and rebate box too for that matter.......... along with all of the FILES AND FILES of cut UPCS that used to be the "bread and butter" of couponing and rebating,  I have tried, reviewed,  and tested many methods.  The binder system , many boxes, wallets and last but not least the system that my new friend and fellow couponer ANN uses..........   this was the absolute best way I could find and I posted about it HERE 
and more recentlyin the article  FILES AND PILES UNCOVERED

Photo from the OLD DAYS!  @ Vicki P my BFF and KINDRED SPIRIT and I collecting the forms and coupons!

NOW....................... TO UNCOVER MY NEW FILING SYSTEM !   I just finished putting it together THIS AM and it is cleaned out and ready to be ROAD TESTED!   :)   I have been brainstorming what I wanted for a very long time and this is the closest I can come to the OLD BOX  (see first photo) that lasted for so long!  I am sure it will need to be TWEAKED to get it JUST RIGHT........ but for now ........... I LOVE IT! 

I don't think the photo does it justice but for now this will have to do as I am multitasking like crazy!

HOW I MADE IT

ANJIES NEW SYSTEM! :) not a stereo silly........ a COUPON ORGANIZER

I bought an attache case at STAPLES  item # 555695  priced $35.99 ,  I actually bought mine in store and used the 15% off savings pass that I got in the mail.  BE SURE to have your reward # on your online account if you order on line, thats how I got this free savings pass, being an online customer with a reward #.  Staples does have coupons to use online too, if you are not ordering right now , sign up for their emails and if they have a sale or coupon you will know and you can apply it to your order then.  I am sure other stores have similar ones and you may find a better deal.  I like this one as it is ROOMY without being too big and has locking hinges on the side to keep the "lid up" while shopping.

measuring the boxes ..........empty envie boxes worked great

I had to make sure not to interfere with the hinges on the sides and not too tall to block the top from closing, I still may need to tweak this ,   Faith said I should "hot glue" them to the bottom,  I'm not so sure about that .

4 reg. sized envie boxes and one #10 envelop box they are 99cent each at Target

I am using a pampered chef free coupon wallet I got to hold my "cards" and have it tucked away in a pocket

I got these nifty avery small files with tabs as a free sample via snail mail this week

 The AVERY envelopes with tabs were just what i needed to put in coupons that I am going to match with sale flyers .    They are thin and opaque, PERFECT!

manilla folders .........for sale flyers

I labeled some manilla folders with the store names that I shop most often and paired them with the Avery envelopes.  I put these in the expandable pocket in the top of my box.

I made organizer dividers to reflect what I deem the necessary categories, how I shop, everyone may be different!

Some people would file alphabetically, others by store aisle,  I file according the categories I "grew up with" the ones that I know from years gone by........ Everyones will probably be different , you do what works for you!   I paperclipped all of the boxes together so they do not slide around, they are all connected.  there is empty space on the right side of the box so that I can put my keys in the box while shopping.

SNACK BAGS , those little short bags with the purple and pink birds on them are what I am using because I could not find the clear ones at a price I liked, these are clear on the backside, so I put the coupons in to the clear side.  I found these bags for 25cents each at target on end cap clearance.    As you can see I have scissors, pens, paper clips, business cards  etc all in the box.  there is a spot for my cell phone which I can just slip in the case top while shopping.  It doesn't fit well enough to carry it in all the time.  I still want to take a better photo, cover the envelope boxes (maybe with some of that cool new duct tape?) and tweak it to make it "perfect."  Only time will make that happen and USE............. which I plan to get plenty of!

I hope this system works as well as the last ..............here is a photo of the last system that my GF tommi is still using as of this post from 16 years ago!

CREATIVE SAVINGS TECHNIQUES in the LAUNDRY ROOM

CREATIVE SAVINGS TECHNIQUES?

  I buy sale/bogo/coupon laundry detergent and I get laundry detergent samples frequently and YES I use them when I can get a super deal but I can't do this ALL of the time ........... I love to save money and OH BOY  is this ever one of my #1 TOP TIPS that i frequently share and make it a point to share when I teach a seminar or a class on saving money........... its not always about clipping...........

This is another older article that I dug out to help the newbies and refresh the minds of the "pro" SAVINGS SPECIALISTS

 Laundry Savings

I am all about FRUGAL and saving money on things. One of the biggest savings that I have in my household (besides groceries) is Laundry Detergent. I hate the hiked up laundry product prices and have been disgruntled about the "cease in making the small box" that I used to get for pennies after coupon usage (doubled) in the grocery store. I live for laundry product free samples and would otherwise buy the $2.99 laundry detergent at food lion, if I didn't MYO (make your own) laundry soap. This saves me an incredible about of money and my clothes smell good for pennies.

PREVIOUS POST ON MYO LAUNDRY SOAP AND DRYER SHEETS
MYO............ Powdered Laundry Detergent
1 cup grated Fels Naptha Soap (I use 1/2 a bar for each batch and make 2 batches at a time)
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup 20 mule team borax
Mix and store in airtight container or bag. For light loads, use 2 tablespoon. For heavy loads, use 3 tablespoons.
ANJIE NOTE: THIS RECIPE SAVES YOUR TONS OF MONEY! if you cannot find the ingredients locally you can purchase them here

MYO DRYER SHEETS : use a matchless sock and liquid fabric softener. Put a quarter size dab on the sock of the liquid softener. Rub the sock together until the sock is not wet but rather damp and throw in the dryer with a load of clothes. CHEAP softener is AOK, I love using free product samples to do this!

HA HA HA this was written in 2008 and the following paragraph makes me laugh because everything old is new again! .............


Now one of the draw backs of MYO laundry detergent is that the colors and whites are not as deeply colored or bright white if you do not use BLEACH of some sort. So then we start talking about the added expense of doing laundry one more time. I like for my clothes to last a long time. I am not a slave to fashion and tend to buy more of "what i like" than what is "in style." This drives my daughters crazy, and they threaten me with "what not to wear" from time to time! :) I tend to wear 70's style , gypsy-ish long dresses A LOT! :)


USING  stain fighters and color booster is a savings in the long run........... your clothes last longer and look "newer" too! The cost of a bottle for 33 loads is about $2- $4 without coupon at your DG or FD or Dollar store....... I have found that I can stretch a 33 load bottle into 40 loads further reducing the cost to cents per load. This is a small price to pay for the RESULTS in SAVING YOUR CLOTHING from the TRASH BIN due to stains and/or dulling color, dingy whites. Not only is it effective in treating stains it is also easy to use. It doesn't add but a couple of seconds to the time it takes to do your laundry and works most of the time! :)

SAVVY GREEN SHOPPING : Is that an oxymoron? Not Always!

Photo Credit:  shopperschoice.com

 "ITS WHAT YOU SPEND NOT WHAT YOU SAVE"
People always say "eating healthy" and "being environmentally conscious" is expensive and for the most part they are right.  There are exceptions to this rule and I attempt to buy & eat healthy when I can and within my "budget" of $200 a month or less for all consumable products in the household.   Most of the time I am "under that" and even have gone an entire month spending only $20 out of pocket but have also gone the other way and spent the entire $200 or more on a party or cookout.  I am always looking for ways to LIVE LAVISHLY FOR LESS and I try to educate others on how to do the same.   If you are a long time follower you hear my voice in your head saying certain phrases and the one above in red , should be one of them!
Many blogs and  SAVINGS SPECIALISTS (freelancers are otherwise known as) tout about all of the SAVINGS they have but they don't talk about their BOTTOM LINE .............. stick with me and I will show you the way! 

I DONT LIKE TO COMPROMISE LIVING or my LIFESTYLE  ............. TO SAVE A DOLLAR  and neither should you......that is like being on a BUDGET which like a LIFE DIET  & everyone knows that doesn't work.............

I made several orders with the $100 I won on this site.............
this is one of them.............
I actually paid ZERO for the $25 credit.......... (you can earn credit too, sign up,  enter the contests and refer your friends!)

GO HERE to sign up if NEWBIE TO DEAL PULP
GO HERE if you are already a member

this particular deal is expired but you will get the idea from this
I am using online sites for price comparison and there may be better deals at the dollar stores but ......... this is the easiest way for me to make my point........

I normally pay for Trash Bags for the kitchen,  I try to find GOOD DEALS on them but they are expensive (especially the bio/green ones which I prefer) I have over 100 bags in this order which if you are looking at walmart/glad bags they are $16 for 100 before coupons...........I got OVER 100 and bio/green in this order

Next I ordered the "to go" coffee cups with lids (environmentally friendly / not styrofoam for those that subscribe to that theory)
Comparably Walmart carries 50ct for $9.97 WITHOUT lids + s&h and are not bio/green   -  we do use the reusable travel cups too, but have problems frequently with "leaking, breaking, losing" them too so we would much prefer these

these 2 items above equal the amount I spent....... about $25 out of pocket.......... SHIPPED (save the gas money) and EARNED points on my CREDIT CARD for rewards later too.......  These are items that we normally use, pay for out of pocket and need to replace often at our house........

PLUS I got 200 jello shooter / disposable condiment cups 2oz each with lids for Summer Cookout and Lunch packing (bio/green) they are $10 for 100 of them here without lids (+ shipping)
like getting it for FREE when you consider the price comparisons, you can also look at this purchase in reverse....... we will need the souffle cups and would have to pay for them full price later 
so it would be like getting the coffee cups and trash bags free
comprende? capishe?


the trick to this is #1  use a reward site when you can (this one is not listed on the reward sites so n/a)  #2 use a reward card to purchase (earn reward points) or Paypal (get free paypal money to pay)  #3 compare prices and make sure to include your TIME & GAS in the equation  #4  get "free" items if you can, ship it for free when possible and  kick your "normal" up a notch by purchasing better quality at the same cost  #5  buy products you purchase ANYWAY or NEED for gift , not buy to get a "deal"  buy the deals to meet a need and live lavishly with the rest and most importantly #6  NEVA NEVA NEVA pay full price for anything!

HERE IS MY INVOICE! 

LetsGoGreen.biz
Your order no. 698-16565 has been received.
Order Summary:

Item	Qty	Description	Options	Rate	Amount
EP-PC200	2	Eco-Products 2oz Corn Souffle Cup 100pk		$6.88	$13.76
EP-PCLID	2	Eco-Products Lid for 2, 3 & 4oz Souffle Cup 100pk		$5.68	$11.36
EP-BHC10-WA	1	10oz World Art Eco Hot Cup 50pk		$9.98	$9.98
706173-020301	5	13gl Ecosafe Tall Kitchen Bags 15ct		$2.98	$14.90
Deal Pulp $25 OFF	1	Deal Pulp $25 OFF (Y2RJGKMCNQNWV)		($25.00)	($25.00)
Tax					0.00
Total					$25.00

Old Article Resurfaces! GET OFF YOUR LIFE DIET!

WELCOME NEWBIES - GET OFF YOUR LIFE DIET!

PREFACE:
I wrote this article in MAY of 2004 , long before Oprah "came up" with comparing Budgets to Diets (brilliant concept! tee hee) I wrote this article to introduce myself to a social network called BACKWASH. I only wrote a couple of articles and then stopped as the community was not really a "good fit" for me and the "process" of publishing articles was much more difficult than I was used to! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO without further ado......

HERE IS MY INTRODUCTION
Hi there, I am a resident friend in the frugal backwash arena that will be sending you the "Live Lavishly for Less" column. I thought I would take a minute and introduce you to "anjie’s world" before we get "officially" started.

"Anjie’s world" includes learning to enter contests that you can actually win, doing rebates, shopping online frugally, turning small change into dollars, getting free things, and getting off that LIFE DIET. Everyone can use this information, single moms, married dads, students reading from library computers to those in corporate offices using their laptops over lunch. Shop Macys, Nordstroms, Hechts (you can afford it, I promise) when you know how to shop "off season, with a coupon and free shipping" You may not be able to satisfy the common "gotta have it and gotta have it now" attitude that many kids are adopting today, but you will be able to have it, just be patient and you too will live lavishly for less.

I have always been interested in winning contests and won my first one when I was 8 years old. I inquired about "saving money" frequently from my limited resources, and always looked for ways to get things I was told we couldn’t afford. I sold greeting cards door to door at 10 years old, I formed a "ME" group with a few other preteens at 12, the ME stood for "money earners" we even had white tee shirts that we ironed the red letters M & E on the front. We babysat and we cleaned apartments. We lived in Goverment subsidized apartments at the time and no one had any money for luxuries but that didn’t mean we didn’t want them! I asked my mother once about a system that I heard about that you saved the labels from grocery items and could cash them in, she told me that was a ’scam’ and didn’t save you money. I was also told that there wasn’t any money but the finances were "none of my business" this was very frustrating for me and I didn’t understand how much things cost or the concept of a credit card at all. I didn’t understand how we could not afford for me to have the toys or records or clothes that I wanted but we could buy a new car. This concept just wasn’t clear, as children should be seen and not heard at that time.

My parents idea of "making it" was the KIDS doing without to pay bills. This sounded and felt to me like a "diet" you had to do without the things you want in order to achieve a goal. I never did like dieting, never saw one that you could actually stick to and frankly don’t want to live my life on a diet either. My little ways of making extra money and earning prizes paid off for me in ways that one could never imagine. Winning tickets to go to the movies and to go skating was very exciting for me at that time, and I proudly told my mother that there were ways that you could get the things you want without doing without if you really wanted them. She didn’t buy into that theory and never investigated this route because it was somewhat of a secret, people just didn’t share that kind of information.

I was totally unprepared for what life would deal me at an early age. At twenty years old I was a single parent, with no support system, no knowledge base on how to make it, no college under my belt and no real concept of "finances" "banking" "credit" etc. I had to teach myself, learn from others bits and pieces and put it all together like a puzzle and fit the knowledge into my life so that I could raise my daughter and provide her with a life that I never had. I wanted her to have everything that I could give her (within reason), food on the table, educational materials, toys, pretty clothes and to experience the world, of course, but I couldn’t afford it, so began my quest to "beat the system"

This may have been the catalyst for my dive into the world of frugality, but today I will tell you that even if I won the Lottery I would still be frugal and take advantage of the things America has to offer. There is no reason why there should be any Americans that don’t have enough to eat and there is no reason to be on a LIFE DIET. There are ways to enjoy your life, have the things you want and need, save money, invest small amounts of money that apply to all of us that will not compromise your enjoyment of life.

As you can probably tell I am very passionate about what I believe in and have learned through by life experiences. I am also a strong believer in RAOK (random acts of kindness), pennies from heaven, and KARMA the Law of Return that means, quite simply, that what you do affects what happens to you. If you do good, good is going to happen to you. You will see that there are ways to help others too in ways that you never thought possible, you will have excess in life instead of not enough, so there will be plenty to share!

That daughter is 24 years old 28 and I have another one now that is 16 20. I have two step daughters ages 22 & 12 that live with us and now have 3 grand-children. I have a college degree in Social Work and I have worked my entire life to perfect the science of being a "savings specialist." I have goals to create a proactive program (unheard of in government offices for the most part) to teach people what I do before they are in debt up to their eyebrows and / or have lived on a life DIET and begin to binge. I believe in the philosophy that you can help someone by giving them a fish if they are hungry but if you give them the fish and then teach them how to fish then you have changed their life. This applies to Everyone, not just the impoverished. Is there something that you really want to have or do that you tell yourself that you cannot afford or shouldn’t spend the money on? Well guess what? I am here to tell you that you can have anything you put your mind to and you will neva neva neva pay full price for anything if you apply some of my strategies to what you are already doing.

Well I hope that this introduction has helped you to get to know me a bit before we start our journey here. I look forward to making some friends, teaching you what I know and most of all to hear about your success in getting off your diets!

2011 Coupon Schedule...................well from March on!

March
6 — Smart Source & Red Plum
13 — Smart Source & Red Plum
20 — Smart Source & Red Plum
27 — Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
April
3 — (2) Smart Source
10 — Smart Source & Red Plum
17 — (2) Smart Source & Red Plum
24 — Procter and Gamble
May
1 — Smart Source & Red Plum
8 — Smart Source
15 — Smart Source & Red Plum
22 — Smart Source & Red Plum
29 — Procter and Gamble
June
5 — Smart Source & Red Plum
12 — Smart Source & Red Plum
19 — Smart Source & Red Plum
26 — Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
July
3 — No Inserts (Independence Day)
10 — Smart Source & Red Plum
17 — Smart Source
24 — Smart Source & Red Plum
31 — Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble

August
7 — Smart Source & (2) Red Plum
14 — Smart Source & Red Plum
21 — Smart Source
28 — Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
September
4 — No Inserts (Labor Day)
11 — Smart Source & Red Plum
18 — Smart Source & Red Plum
25 — Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
October
2 — (2) Smart Source & Red Plum
9 — Smart Source & Red Plum
16 — Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
23 — Smart Source & Red Plum
30 — Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
November
6 — Smart Source & Red Plum
13 — Smart Source & (2) Red Plum
20 — Smart Source
27 — Procter and Gamble
December
4 — Smart Source & Red Plum
11 — Smart Source & Red Plum
18 — No Inserts
25 — Procter and Gamble

THE BOTTOM LINE! are you really SAVING MONEY? "APPLES TO APPLES"

Photo Credit: http://mykidsneedshoes.com

One of the biggest shopping tips that I can give you is DO NOT (I repeat) DO NOT spend more money than you need to...........this defeats the purpose of couponing.   Another thing that is a "throw off" is how some blogs show you "how much money I saved" meaning how many coupons and discounts they rec'vd, NOT the amount they spent.  THAT IS WHAT COUNTS, the BOTTOM LINE.................HOW MUCH MONEY WAS SPENT , HOW MUCH MONEY CAME "OUT OF POCKET" as I originally coined it!
DONT GET CAUGHT WITH YOUR PANTS DOWN TRYING TO SAVE MONEY!

If you are buying items that you don't use and you don't gift or donate then all of those coupon savings are a waste.  In Addition some people actually end up spending MORE money than they used to because they not only are buying EXACTLY WHAT THEY USED TO but they are also purchasing couponed items IN ADDITION.   If you do the math, the only way this saves you is if all of your "extra items" are absolutely FREE.  It is very disenchanting and confusing when you are not savvy in the coupon world and you attempt to "do like the pros" and copycat buy what they buy.................just because they are "saving money" and your bank account shows that you are "spending more."  YES THIS IS A COMMON NEWBIE MISTAKE and often discourages you from continuing your process because ................is this really saving money?

A great example of what I do that really works.AND SAVES YOU MONEY..................I have been pantry shopping since December, when I made my last huge grocery shopping trip because I was having my people over.  Even though it was "bring a dish" I still spent $250 on supplies, food and drinks.   This is over my "monthly" budget for an entire month.  In addition ,  we emptied our chest freezer when we built our carport and donated 8 bags of grocery items to the Food Bank since December.   Soooooooooooooo I normally spend $30- $50 a week and have been spending much less on misc. items to "fill in the gaps" which actually frees up $30-$50 a week (depending on what I Have to buy) for other things.   THIS IS SAVING MONEY when you save in one area and use that money to pay off other things (credit card balances, bills, birthday gifts or even stashing it in the bank) BECAUSE I have had other things to pay I wasn't able to "stash" this money but yes I was "robbing Peter (my grocery money) to pay Paul (other things). 

I am not making my weekly pilgramages out to the DRUG STORES to pick up the "free and almost free items" either. Saving money on gasoline and also the item cost (if any)  I am depleting some of my resources as I truly am bursting out of the seams of my closets and storage places.   I am not willing to use even more space, I have shared with non-couponing friends and have made up a few baskets as gifts as well.  This is in addition to making a large bag of donations and oh yea gifting a person I freecycled from.  I love what I do but I have enough...........more than enough when I run down on supplies then I will replenish.............  A few times I have participated in the community yardsale and sold many of these items at a fraction of the cost of what they could be bought for (without the couponing skills) and done very well.   I haven't done that in a while and my supplies runneth over! NOT that I would love the FREE BUTTERFINGERS From Rite Aid but until I "need" to drive that way it is not cost effective to go get them or time effective either.

Creative Cooking Skills come to play when you "pantry shop" and meals take a bit longer, this is TRUE but they are so worth it.   I am making lasagna tonight, I had to buy the Ricotta as a "fill in" item but everything else was here ............ and I am making the sauce from Tomatoes I bought with paypal money from MUR GLEN that I had on my other blog.   Yes it will take a bit longer and it cost about $2 out of pocket (ricotta) but will be eaten and the left overs will be frozen for Butch's lunches.  If I were "buying" groceries instead of pantry shopping we would be having garlic bread and salad with this but because I am creative cooking
we will have biscuits or tortillias with parm . cheese on them and fruit salad (from cans).

This week our Grocery list has on it:   Olive Oil, Canola Oil, Hormone free Milk, carrots and deli turkey for Faith's lunches.  Oh yea and we may need some Paper Towels.   Now, when Butch goes to the store he may pick up something else he sees/wants but that is because he has no will power LOL not because we NEED anything! :)   The total for what we need should cost around $10 - $12 which is at least a $20 savings.   If I were to write a blog and say that
"I saved $20 this week at the grocery store"   and you saw another blog that said "I saved $180 at the grocery store" you would assume the 2nd scenario was the best scenario wouldn't you?   ITS NOT!  unless the person that saved the $180 also  spent $12  after the savings.  THEN that would be a comparison of apples to apples.


THIS IS HOW TO CALCULATE
Ask yourself  "what do I normally spend at the STORES  (all of them ,  divide them up to "GAS"  "clothing" "food" "health & beauty" etc)  "
TAKE THAT AMOUNT AND REDUCE IT.................... if you are INCREASING YOUR SPENDING
you are NOT SAVING MONEY its that simple.............I don't care what your receipt says , what matters is what your BANK ACCOUNT SAYS!   :)

You want to do little things that MAKE MONEY (maken baken) to apply to the items you want to SAVE MONEY ON !   

NEVER FAILS:  fabulous freebies and items that you WIN on the computer without leaving your seat
are NEVER FAIL items, you cannot lose!  you got them free doing something you like to do and didn't spend any more time (if you follow along with me I save the time finding the REAL items for you) and the money / gas .  You get items for FREE and you can use, donate, gift or sell them for a profit.

NEVER FAILS:  surveys, search to win, paypal interest, referral dollars pennies on the dollar, mystery shops etc ............. MAKING MONEY you wouldn't otherwise have AGAIN saving the time (I do this for you) and I don't WASTE YOUR TIME by posting things that will get you no return or just because I will get paid to share.

REMEMBER ..................if your BANK ACCOUNT or your CREDIT CARDS say you are spending too much money it doesn't matter what discounts you got...................and thats the BOTTOM LINE!

SHOPPING STRATEGIES: don't put all of your eggs in one basket

Photo Credit:  www.rainboweggfarm.com

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Hello Southern Cooking Fans! My name is Anjie and I am The Frugal Freelancer. I ! I am originally from the deep south, the state of Louisiana but now reside just below the Mason Dixon Line in Virginia. I was thrilled to have found Christy and her blog several months ago while surfing the net. Being a lover of both cooking and books, her site caught my eye and I had to make an order! After reading her blog and ordering her cookbook, It quickly became apparent that we shared the same recipe heritage! I didn’t think that many other people even knew about these! My readers will certainly recognize the home made doughnuts along with a few other goodies that I have posted over the years

I have been on the internet now since 1996. Back then you turned your computer on and a little blinking line welcomed you. It was the PONG vs’s WII Days - if ya know what I mean! I met some friends on the only internet choice “Prodigy” that shared some of the same interests that I had: Couponing, Cooking, Saving Money, Free things, Contest and anything that could help one to live more lavishly , but for LESS! I traded coupons and upcs with a “group” (the one and only original group) of couponers on the net! (”the starving student, anjie” is now waving to Dorothy, Bobby & Ethel in case you are reading this) We all met each other here in Virginia and Dorothy even came all the way from California!

Couponing and Saving money is an entirely different story! I started that hobby / necessity in 1982. I was a single parent, with no support that didn’t want to be “in the system,” but rather yearned to “live lavishly” and buy named brand products, eat well, and live well! :) So I worked full time, lived in government subsidized apartments and did “what ever it took” to have and experience the finer things in life. I do all of this now because I love it, it’s my passion, and I don’t know of any other way to do it! I occasionally splurge and buy things without a coupon now (even though it is a air tight economic climate) like a LAVISH $10 bottle of peach tea syrup at lunch today with my girlfriends at a local tea shop and a bottle of wine for when my husband gets back from his trip to California next week. This lifestyle is made possible for me because I live beneath my means. I use a plethora of making money and saving money ideas and strategies to “make it work” and it is just a “way of life” for me. I don’t live in huge house but I still have that southern big front porch and a deck with grill that was won recently in a sweepstakes! I live in a cottage bungalow that was a fixer upper on a lake, drive a Hyundai and spend UNDER $45 a week in groceries.
$45 a week in Groceries? YES that’s right and it has recently increased to that amount from $30 - $35 in the past due to the recession and drastic increase in prices! I know a lot of you think that I must eat poorly to do this because they have read my $30 a week menu / shopping article I wrote years ago. This isn’t exactly so, those menus (along with other sites menus that have popped up drastically in the last few years) were written to help out people who are “just starting out on their journey’s to save money” or have just recently had a hardship etc etc……… They work and are better than ramen noodle and peanut butter & rice diets, if you know what I mean? They are not the healthiest of diets and tend to be mostly “carbs.” It is expensive to eat healthy………. and eat gourmet style meals ESPECIALLY if they are organic ! So with all of that in mind, I would like to give you some ideas on how you can save money and cook “SOUTHERN STYLE” but for less money………..
I use any and all of these strategies together…………. not one excusive strategy……….for now you may want to try ONE at a time and work your way up, if you are a “newbie freelancer.” First you learn to SHOP and then you learn to COOK around what you bought!

REMEMBER YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING………….
Couponing….…… wanna see me in action? THIS Today Show clip shows me “couponing” in 2002. I have also started a blog called Coupononomy. It will eventually hold all of my past articles that are still relevent. Right now it has a good amount of information if you are interested in the “how to’s”

REBATES
HERE is a recent example at Walgreens……
which we STOCKPILE (buy lots of)

it is expired NOW but you can get the idea:
2 Nabisco crackers 4-8oz are $1.99 each *****STOCKPILE ITEM!
- Buy one get one free SALE
- $2/2 Sunday paper coupon = 2 FREE
****GET EXTRA COUPONS FROM YOUR FAMILY / FRIENDS to STOCKPILE THIS ITEM, DONATE AND/OR SHARE YOUR EXTRA……….. OR COOK CREATIVELY WITH CRACKERS AND PACK THEM IN LUNCHES!

Angel Food Ministries This is for EVERYONE, no income limits or barriers……. it benefits religious organizations when you buy it and you get a lot of food , no coupons needed for $30. Read about it here and find out if there is a local pick up site in your area. I had to wait until late last year to take advantage of this program. I have been “watching” this program in other areas for years! Great program thus far! You order online and pick up 1x per month at scheduled date and time. Some areas take Food Stamps and my area takes a Credit Card. This is not a benefit for “poverty” it is a “nutrition program” for everyone.

Outlets / Salvage stores: Big Lots, Salvage Barns, Ollies, Dollar Stores: these can be good resources at times, but no coupons are allowed. I don’t have a bread outlet near me but if I did I would definitely take advantage of it) I recently found the entire ZATARAINS LINE at Dollar General (they do take coupons btw) and they have BLUE RUNNER RED BEANS (rare find in VA) …….oops…..maybe I shouldn’t have given away that secret….. and they have a sweepstakes there now……so enter while you are reading about it, remember you gotta be in it to win it!

ORDERING ONLINE From time to time if you order items online they are cheaper, or should I say “not as expensive” to get them online. When this happens I share this information with people via email in my newsletter HERE. I call these GDAS or Good deal alerts. A recent example of this was that I was able to buy 4 boxes of Kashi Mountain Medley Cereal for $1.98 shipped to my house! The only way to beat this deal is FREE and they would have to ship it to me, because the gas would cost more than this to go pick it up these days.



TEST / REVIEW PRODUCTSI have done several from survey sites as well as on blogs …here is just one example.I had my husband make meatballs for one! Blogs are FREE. You can start one on blogger its easy! You too can test products and review them from your home!


GROW YOUR OWN here
I use an aerogarden now! I love it. I have eaten lots of fresh herbs and now am growing romaine lettuce. It is wonderful and is EASY! A great way to buy this product is save your Amazon Gift certificates. Get these with your search and win points and redeem for a pricey item you otherwise wouldn’t buy for yourself. If possible (as I did) match with mail in rebate & make money for buying it. The rebate for $25 was used to buy another “kit.” I think you could probably make your own kits for these if you were savvy! I also have grown outdoor herbs and gardens as well, on a small scale (raised bed)


CONTESTS / WINNING
I have won several small prizes that reduce my shopping expenses! Even if I don’t normally buy a product or don’t use a product I will get it to GIFT it - if I cannot use it! More recently I won a $50 Gift Certificate to use on BEEF at Safeway! How cool is that? Christy, get ready I will be asking you for some BEEFY ideas! ***note that I am using 2 strategies here……..
In a pinch menu
Use this menu in emergency (the prices have gone up since written)
THIS IS WHERE IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING…………. IF YOU DO NOTHING ELSE DO THIS:

Stockpiling / Sale Shopping: take advantage of items that you can get for nearly nothing or free and stockpile them. (SEE PICS of one of my pantries……… some stockpiling going on there!) Do you see the stacks of canned chicken? I recently paid 25 cents a can for them with coupons. What would you do with 20 cans of canned chicken? Well, if you don’t already know the answer to this question I have the answer…………CREATIVE FRUGAL COOKING! The steps are easy………… pay as little as you can for the healthiest of foods and cook around what you ALREADY HAVE rather than what you need.
USE COOKING SITES AND VIDEOS to find recipes using ingredients. You can search for these recipes by using SEARCH & WIN SITES (if I am going to be searching, I might as well have a shot at winning something or earning points! I have won many items this way) I have a drop down menu of them on my blog if you are interested in a list of them (l see eft side of home page) I usually will shop for a “main” ingredient or the item I have the “most” of . Here is a Favorite that gives you suggestions by ingredient

THIS WEEKS NO COUPON SHOPPING was under $39 without even touching my coupon box! multitasking , tax season, catching up, scrapbooking, lost an hour, electricity out, full schedules, meetings, school, PTO, sports ………. etc etc.. does this sound familiar? I had to “stay home” from the trip to California that I was scheduled to go on….. this ought to tell you how much “extra” time I had this week………. in this case you are “in a pinch”
If you are an average spender of $145 a week you can use my techniques (there are many others) and save $100 a week if you want or need to! What would you do with the “extra?” MAKE SURE you give extra items that you don’t or won’t use to charities, share with your neighbors, friends and family too! They will all appreciate the help and you can earn a tax deduction, pay it forward and/or barter for other things you may need! Take the monetary savings and use on items that are “splurges” or pay down your other bills, take trips, buy diapers, heck, what ever you do with it…………… its like Free Money! I have stockpiled my kitchen with all kinds of cookware, serveware, appliances and even kitchenaid dishwasher for FREE! If I can do this YOU CAN TOO!   What are you waiting for ? Get started!
Remember Neva Neva Neva Pay full price for ANYTHING!
@njie

"To Cut or Not to Cut?" that is the question!

Photo Credit:  helix.co

I used to cut EVERY COUPON and I mean EVERY SINGLE ONE , even if I didn't use the product or know anyone who did I  cut it...........and filed it and then threw away what I didn't use.........those days are over !

THE HISTORY
I had a GREAT filing system.  I had a gutted and remade Cassette Tape box that was PERFECT with ziploc snack sized (short bags) in each compartment to hold the sorted coupons.  It fit perfectly in my basket ,  locked tightly and was easy to manage (carry) but ............was a bear to clean out (the only pitfall of this particular system)  I don't have any photos to show you , but I used this tried and true system for many years.  I put other products on "test runs" "trials" and "reviews" to try to find a replacement that would be more efficient or really "more anything" but nothing every compared............it was damn near perfect I gave it a "10" for the "times."   I also had a rubbermade, locktight file box for rebate forms (there were a plethora of them in those days) and I filed them by expiration date...........and ad a box for "extras" and even filed TRASH (my trash and everyone elses that I could get my hands on)  to "pull the UPCS" I needed for an offer.   I traded via snail mail , conventions and some friends I met along the way and then started trading through "Prodigy" in the old days when there was a black screen and a cursor to work with.   I subscribed to every publication that talked about rebating and couponing to make friends, traders and contacts nationwide.
I even wrote articles to earn more issues...................... THOSE WERE THE DAYS

FAST FORWARD 20-30 YEARS LATER
there are many many sites that tout many many systems as the "best" and "tested" filing systems for couponing.   Its almost comical to see those binder systems and boxes that file the coupons.  I have reviewed most of them and trust me they are NOT worth the time and effort for the occasional deal that I may miss for doing things the way that I do now.  Not to mention the "cost" "bulk" and paper cuts on my fingers from the plastic inserts.   

The digital age has changed things and even though I am not sending out 100's of rebates a month (the postage increases have also dampened the "worth" of such ventures) I am still SAVVY SHOPPING ,  FREE SHOPPING,  GIFTING , STOCKPILING, DONATING and "rocking" the coupon world.
I barely send out 1 per week, if that these days when 1 per day was heartbreaking in the day.

Just as you "DONT WANT TO PUT ALL OF YOUR EGGS iN ONE BASKET"   you also don't want to depend on one SAVINGS STATEGY.............actually I have written several articles on the topic of using the different ways to shop depending on what you need, whats on sale and what you can afford.  I will be REPOSTING a "guest blog" that I did some time ago NEXT on this page / series on HOW TO BE A COUPONER! 

One of the strategies I use depending on the week is........ this online DATABASE here to "look up" items and match coupons with them.  This system allows for you to NOT cut your inserts and file them by date and look up the coupons to match with sales weekly.  I know it sounds complicated but really it isn't................ this video actually makes it a bit MORE SIMPLE THAN IT REALLY IS................truthfully it is somewhere in between









NOW here is another video about the STRATEGIC SHOPPING that she uses for DRUGSTORE DEALS...........I call is SAVVY SHOPPING .........its the same thing

THE FILES & THE PILES ......................UNCOVERED.

THE FILES & THE PILES ......................UNCOVERED.

One of the most frequent questions I get about "saving money" or "couponing" is how to organize things.  When I say things, freelancers know I mean "piles"  the piles of "things" that are necessary to the art of SAVING MONEY.    

• coupons  (clipped and unclipped)  or how do I do this exactly?
• rebates
• printed store specific offers/deals
• groupon type gift cards
• gift cards
• frequent shopper cards
• magazines
• receipts/bills/invoices

There are many tried , true and not so savvy ways to do the things I do,  I have tried most of them in my now almost 30 years of "doing my thing."  The VERY BEST system I had was learned in the days of "coupon conventions" and if you have been a couponer for a long time you FONDLY remember the days..........well.............. I know that I do.   ................but that is another subject...........

So let me start by saying that a "couponers work is NEVER DONE" and if you are one of those people that get frustrated with a lot of unfinished tasks going on then this hobby or lifestyle may not be for you.

There are piles of "things to do" "things pending" and "things that are complete" around my house and sometimes they end up in baskets like the one pictured  and oh yea did I mention closets, under beds and anywhere I can find are the perfect places for HIDING THE PILES when necessary?   LOL

My SYSTEMS have evolved to meet my personal need and technology.   Currently this is what I am using and what appears to work best for me.   GRANTED there are draw backs to every system and there are to this one as well.......but............... so far it works just fine for me RIGHT NOW

Cheap folders with pockets in them are 1¢ to 20¢ each depending on when you buy them.  I try to stock up at BTS time (august) when they are minimally priced.   I replace them often and do not expect a long life time out of them.  They are easily taken with me and fit nicely in a reusable shopping bag when I grab them out of their "file".

This is a tv tray that tucks under my kitchen island or is portable to bring anywhere in my house.  It has unfiled entire inserts, sharpee, scissors and magazines that I need to cut or tear out items from to put elsewhere, it is a WIP (work in process station)

This is a CLASSIC PILE of coupons, receipts etc that need to be filed ..........with my letter opener as a paper weight.  As I open mail the items that "need to be filed" go into a pile.  Yep another pile........if you are feeling panicky at this point, there is no sense in reading further , this is not the lifestyle for you...........if you are ok with this.......... then READ ON you are going to do just fine!

 

My CLUTCH that goes into my purse.  It has Credit Cards, Reward Cards, Punch Cards,  Loyalty Cards, etc etc in it

This is a peek inside ^^^^^^ note that the Carlton one is for stores that have long since gone out of business LOL ...........I think I need to throw that away...........or do you think an ebayer would want that?  LOL!

My Desktop Monitor with surrounding PILES of gift cards, loyalty cards and items that I need to "Input" and a few business cards that need to be filed in my roladex............I maybe convincing myself that an "assistant" would be nice .......LOL

CALENDAR :  at least 2 of these are NECESSARY AND NEEDED to "mark" so you don't forget to cancel , take advantage of , renew by dates, etc etc etc.........without this ...........I am LOST.  Note:  the "for dummies" book is for Photoshop 7...........My class is for CS5...........but I only have 7 at home .......so this is something else I cannot do without "at this moment"   this area is yet another transformed TV tray stand.

This ^^^^ is my work in progress as I am "sorting"  I am going thru piles and putting them elsewhere.  either in their respective folders, my clutch ,  my snap wallet , TV TRAY or envelope that is for "items to share"

I also have a box that you cannot see for the expired coupons to send to Military Members that can use for up to 6 months after expired.

 This is a closer view of my clutch which houses my GC,  ECB, WALGREENS REWARDS, etc etc
this is where I place the CUT coupons that I intend to use when I go out............ so they are not flying all over the place.  If they don't go there they go with a paper clip into one of the folders.........

I hope this photo blog has helped "some" in the process..........but if you are wanting more.............

I wrote a blog that I add to and do not publicize much a long time ago that is a place that is a reference to couponing . It has a lot of broken links due to the time sensitivity of them but you can get some valuable answers to questions and the "general idea" about a few coupon related questions and answers. if you want to check it out it is located HERE and if you are really in the mood for reading check out the Frugal Diary from 2004-2006 posts HERE that discusses a lot of "how and why" but again the time frame in which they were written is important to remember.

I will search for some GOOD VALUABLE INFORMATION  and make more posts on this subject soon.
this is a good start!

What is a Savings Specialist: FREELANCER

Saturday, January 8, 2011

MY FRUGAL DOINGS as a FREELANCER

"Gotta Get ........Lots O' Irons in the Fire"  

~Captain Ruby Red~

In the past few days I have had a plethora of FRUGAL DOINGS  I hope you have been following along

if not this list is to catch you up! :)  I have always had lotza irons in the fire and an "umbrella" company that houses them all ME .   I am a "Freelancer"  which can be defined as an INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR.  The IRS states that we are legally:
   People such as lawyers, contractors, subcontractors and auctioneers who follow an independent trade, business, or profession in which they offer their services to the public, are generally not employees. However, whether such people are employees or independent contractors depends on the facts in each case.
The general rule is that an individual is an independent contractor if you, the person for whom the services are performed, have the right to control or direct only the result of the work and not the means and methods of accomplishing the result.

These are my "means and methods" for the week:

Target
I went to the 90% off Christmas clearance sale at our local targets - 2 of them, I ended up buying some new stockings a few pins and 4 kids christmas baking sets.  I paid ZERO out of pocket because I had a Target GC that I have been holding on to a while.  AWESOME!   I paid $14.xx for over $140 retail and out of pocket was ZERO I still have about $10 on the card too!   I am "eyeing" the ping pong table that has been marked down to $99 ..............hopefully I will be able to "catch" it when it goes to about $50 or so.........and also use that $10 I have left to make it even betta!

Swagbucks
Cashed in for $10 in AMAZON GC this week!   I also recruited my niece in law to join the program
she is a newbie and needs to get in the "swing" of things.  Of course I have done several searches this week to collect points (at least once a day) and found a bonus code on their blog too!   Mega Friday always rocks for extra points too!

Coke Rewards
 saved a few coke points from the trash this week and added them to my account.  Mind you I had to get "help" reading the code from Faith who has much younger eyes and can discern the letters and numbers much better than I can! :)

Hautelook

Just depleted my "reserves" here and made a big purchase.  I had some credits that I spent here to get a suitcase for us as the one we have had for the last 5 years is on its final leg.  I can't wait to get it! :)  paid $99 for it before my credits and $30 shipped afterwards.  I tried to replace this one from the thrift store for many months (since our last trip) but was unsuccessful in securing one in better shape than what I have (thats really sad) that is large enough to accomodate.......so I bit the bullet and paid $30 for one that was listed as $400 value and designer too!   If you are not a member why not? get signed up and get ready for the next sale if you have a membership in good standing and you refer a friend that makes a purchase you get $10.    right now the designer blow out and the organizer sale is the best.  ENJOY!  (hint: this site has hotel/ getaway sale events too)

Mr. Rebate
I requested my check from Mr. Rebates this week.  It will come the first week of feb. directly to my paypal account.  this is just like free money!  (if you are just setting up a paypal account ......make your password unique , not one you use elsewhere and then also hook it up to a bank account that is separate from you main household account. My check this month is $22.xx!  :) 


Paperback Book Club Swap
this is one of my very favorite free sites ~!   its a service that allows you to list any books you have but don't want and collect points for each one requested and then collect points or credits to request books that you would like to read or collect!  I have traded or swapped all of my "extra books" so I am now buying credits to use on the site to collect all of my favorite books since I was a teen!  :) I am trying to collect the versions of the year that I would have read them in as well!  WHAT A COOL SITE for a bibliophile like me!   Join in the fun!   This week two of my wish list books were "granted" and I have them enroute to me .........for free!   (hint: you can fund or buy credits for your account via paypal once you are done trading your extras!)

Livewire
I completed a screener which qualified me for a survey here this week!  I will be getting paid $5 fot the completion of a survey on "running shoes" that took me only 10 minutes to complete!  If you figure out the "per hour" rate on this..........um ........... that is $30 an hour....... I think I would like that as a full time job !  "survey completer"  paying $30 a hour, oh yea babe wish I could do an hour a day at least! :)   More survey sites I like are located HERE

One Kings Lane
Another AWESOME designer sale site!   this one allows you a $25 credit when someone you know that you refer makes a purchase!   I had some $$ here from making referrals and was able to pay forward a gift to someone recently separated that was MINUS a clock in their study due to it!  she is getting a very nice clock to replace the one that was there.........maybe even a better one! :)  In addition I ordered some EXPENSIVE wine glasses (a complete set!) for myself.......... for FREE! now with that being said I am READY to get some more credits ! :)   head on over there and sign up.........then refer your friends and family so you too can get a $25 credit to spend..........then wait patiently to find "just the right deal" to pay it forward or buy the item you have been wishing for !  HOW COOL IS THAT?

Modnique

birthdays are coming up for my daughters and I got them each a very beautiful "extra" gift here .  AWESOME prices on jewelry and other items like BOOTS (ordered some for me a while back that I love) and Kelly scored a most awesome sequin tank for christmas that I paid a fraction of the retail value for! watch for the 80% off and more deals! wow.... I have never done the "make offer" deals but I love what I have gotten and OH MY if your referrals make a purchase $100+ then you get a $15 referral credit.  Shelly referred me and I had no problem making the $100+ for 6 gifts (reg. $600+) so she got the bonus! sign on up and wait for your SPECIAL DEAL to happen!   CONTEST TO ENTER ON SITE TOO!
 

Half.com 
I taught Butch how to sell on Half.Com over the Christmas holidays.  He brought my old computer into the living room while he was off and and I gave him movies and video games that we no longer need to list.  We had many that we had collected over time.  We collected after fees about $240 total and we spent paypal money (not out of our bank accounts) to pay for the postage..........which was mostly reimbursed so pure "profit" to our bank accounts. (hope this makes sense)    There are "coupons" or discounts you can send to people who are "newbies" that are $5 off $10 purchase.  If you are newbie and never used half.com let me know (send me a message either here or on facebook)  and I can send you a coupon and I will also get one too! details from site:

When you submit your friends' names and emails on the "Take Five!" page, they will receive an email with a coupon code valid for $5.00 off their first order of $10.00 or more (not including shipping and handling) at Half.com. Every time one of your friends uses their "Take Five!" $5.00 coupon at Half.com, we will give you a coupon code that you can use to get $5.00 off a $10.00 order. Both you and your friends win!

 This week my last deposit from what we sold over Christmas was deposited into my "extra" checking account for $59.99 ..  This will pay part of my Verizon bill this month! We still have some movies and a few video games up on half.com and are getting ready to list more items in the upcoming weeks. 

Comcast:  we have comcast.  we have comcast for cable and internet.  It is expensive, there is no choice of services here but the good news is that they honor "specials" because Direct TV is a competitor even if no one else is...... DirectTV is not for me but some people opt for it as an alternative.  I have been on "special rate" for many months now and all of the sudden full  price kicked back in and it took a "nano-second" for us to notice.  I called Comcast today to get back on the "specials" and saved $60 a month........until the next time.  It is still expensive but the savings is over $700 a year.

Craigslist.org
 I sold a couple of items this week on Craigslist totally $65.  Over the Christmas Holiday I sold over $100 on Craigslist with no fees.  While I have had success selling on Craigslist I have never found anything that I wanted to buy.  I have looked for things there but everything I have looked for has been overpriced so I try not to do the same.   I price things at what I would want to pay for them.   I love the site and if you use it wisely and make your deals with purpose and guidelines there is no reason to be worried.  I meet at a local Sheetz for most items , its public, very busy and security cameras are everywhere.  I deal with Cash Only and do not communicate by phone, only email.   I hope these hints help you to be successful too.   I have had friends successfully rent homes and purchase items through this venue as well.

Rue La La
I had a credit here and you may as well?  I was lucky enough to pay only $9.95 for the shipping on two bottles of wine directly to my house.  This wine sells for $65 a bottle and was on the site for $40 and I had a $30 credit.  so $20 for 2 bottles of $65 a bottle wine,  can you say "live lavishly for less?"  the single bottles are no longer on the site and there are only a few options left there were 10 options 2 days ago.  In any case if you have credits here DONT LET THEM EXPIRE!  :) they do ya know? the "sign up credits" expired the end of 2010.
 
Survey Savvy
 requested a check today , its been a long while since I have and I have been "collecting" so I had $35 in my account!  :)  this is one of my very favorite survey sites.  You should have a separate email account for survey sites and screeners and should only sign up for those that you KNOW to be reputable........ not everyone you get invited too, there are many that are not worth the time and effort required to collect very little if anything , and send you tons of spam.  I have a "rating" scale on my site here that you can check out and ALL of them are reputable.  the problem is that I have not updated this page in a long while so there may be some broken links, but most should be in working order.  In addition there are some newer reputable sites that are not listed there at all that should be. Hopefully this will all be "fixed" in the near future, in the mean time sign up for those that you are not affiliated with here and this should be a GREAT start for ya!

Sheetz

I redeemed a "punch card" this week for a free coffee and a free sandwich here.  I go to sheetz often and keep the punch card in my car so I always have it.  when you have "punched" so many you get a free one.  If I see a friend in sheetz buying coffee or sandwich I always get them to "punch" for me as well if they are not going to! :) you wouldn't believe the amount of people that thinks this is a hassle to keep up with and don't mind if you get a punch for them :) when we went to WVA over the holidays (there were 2 sheetz in a few miles) between the racetrack and our hotel we stopped there several times a day, so I was loaded with "punches" :)

Mystery Shop
another page that I need to update but is a good start if you are a newbie.  the links that are GOOD are GOOD ,  never pay or complete offers in order to get selected for Mystery Shops or get info about Mystery Shops, this should be free information without any "catches" to it.  It is a legitimate way to make a few extra dollars, try a few different things and / or indulge in a few lavish activities in return for your opinion.  I have been a mystery shopper for many years and have scaled way back in the past few years.  I have become "picky" and only do a few select shops from time to time.  there was a day when I was always raising my hand volunteering for ANY shops that I could do in order to get my name out there and make as much as possible but the fun left as the responsibility grew.  Now-days I take a few "here and there" and this past week I accepted one of my faves for a FREE LUNCH for 2 in a week! yeaaaaaaaaaaaa 

There are a few more things I did to save money this week but I have already overwhelmed you if you are a newbie and bored you if you are a seasoned freelancer, so I will stop for now.  My hope is that you are inspired to do some FRUGAL DOINGS as a SAVINGS SPECIALIST and are enjoying the benefits of being a FREELANCER! :)