How to Get MORE Coupons: Part 1

 I once purchased 32 FREE bottles of baby formula over a month to give away just because I was able to gather a LOT of extra coupons that gave me overage.

 The way to save the most money with coupons is to stock up and buy things when you can stack a sale with a coupon to get the lowest possible price.

Kitty doesn't want to trade. ;)

When I started couponing a year and a half ago, I found all sorts of ways to gather extra coupons. In fact, my friend and I even went around to the apartment complexes in the area (where coupons arrived in the mail, not the newspaper) and gathered hundreds of discarded coupon booklets. I shared my secrets and favorite coupon blogs and she shared some delicious meals. We had so much fun clipping and discussing our savings and comparing our stockpiles.

 One simple way to get more coupons is to start a coupon swap.

How To Coupon Swap:

To Coupon Swap you will need to access couponing websites or find some couponing friends.
Facebook fan pages like the ones for The Krazy Coupon Lady will allow you to "meet" people with whom you can trade coupons online.

1.  Post a comment on your Facebook page and let your friends know what coupons you have and what coupons you are looking for. It works a little like bartering.
2. Remember, coupons are similar to cash tender in the store. Offering a fair trade, dollar for dollar, not coupon for coupon will get you the best results and build your network of coupon swappers.
3. When you decide a fair trade, you can pass them off to each other or mail them to one another.
4. Decide if you will pre-clip them for each other or hand off the scrap pages.
5. Once you decide on a trade, make sure to send the coupons right away so that they have the chance to use them with any current sales that may be going on. Trust that they will send yours ASAP too.
6. Be cautious. Don't give too much personal information to strangers. If you coupon swap extensively and have access to a secondary address, be sure to use it. I prefer to coupon swap only with people within my real-life network. If you choose to coupon swap with strangers, just be aware. If they are local to you, you may consider meeting to swap coupons at the grocery store, so you don't have to waste money on stamps or give out your address.

Want another way to get more coupons? Check out tomorrow's post, How to Get MORE Coupons: Part 2.

Like the "Train" idea? Try it out with other things like children's clothes and toys, garden supplies, etc. A few weeks ago I mentioned starting a seed trade or seed train to save free seeds for your garden for next year.
Do you ever trade coupons? Do you have any other ways you get MORE coupons?

How To Talk Your Way Out of A Late Fee

Eeek! I committed one of my very own Budget Breakers! (Insert embarrassed "oops" face here). With the stress of being sick, and moving to a new department at work (I get to work on itty bitty baby clothes! Yay!), I completely forgot about my electric bill until I did my budget yesterday and realized it hadn't posted yet. I thought, "Oh no! I got a dreaded late fee!"

 Can you hear the scary music and my thriller scream?

Fear not, I found a way to use my skills of persuasion to get the late fee removed and stop me from committing a Budget Breaker. I worked in a call center while I was at college, asking friends and family of Purdue to donate money to help improve the school. I learned a thing or two about "selling" and communicating ideas to encourage the other person to help you. I also learned what call center people hate to hear.

So without further ado...

How To Talk Your Way Out of A Late Fee

Here's what I did and here's how you can do it too:

Step 1: Schedule autopay.
After I saw the problem, the first thing I did was schedule autopay directly from my bank account on the service providers website. If you schedule autopay you will never have to pay another late fee (unless for some reason your bank account balance is negative). Nip that problem in the bud before it happens and you wont have to waste your time with steps 2 through 7 ever again.

Plus this gives you something to talk about in step 5.

If it is an option, you can also set up the autopay on the phone when you talk with the service provider.

Step 2: Call the service provider.
When you finally get through the automated system and find a button to press to get a live person, very carefully follow the next few steps.

Step 3: Be nice.
I know you are probably angry at this point from all the automated systems and the waiting. But remember there is another person on the other end of the line and they are just doing their job to put food on the table for their family. They have reasons of their own to be nicer to people who are nice to them. You'll understand this more when you get to step 7.

Tips from being a telemarketer:
 - Remember to smile while you talk. This sounds crazy and feels crazier but trust me. It makes you sound friendlier, which makes people more likely to like you and help you out.
 - No matter how upset you are about the late fee, remember that it was probably your fault.
 - Even if it wasn't your fault, it certainly wasn't the fault of the little guy on the other line answering phones who probably gets paid somewhere in the range of minimum wage for a job that is hard work. Being nice can be the difference between them rushing to get you off the phone, or taking the time to look into things and answer your questions to ultimately meet your goal of fee removal.

Step 4:  "Say my name, say my name..."
Beyonce knew what she was talking about when Destiny's Child wrote that song. It's a scientific fact that...

people like to hear their own names. 

So make sure to ask the company representative their name right away. Write it down. Throughout the conversation, whenever it is natural to say his or her name, make sure to do it- but only for positive things. If possible, do this a few times, especially to show gratitude when they help you with something.

"Great, that makes so much more sense after you explained it to me. Thank you,  (insert name you wrote down)!"
 
Step 5: Ask questions to build rapport.
Since you just set up your autopay, now you can ask questions about how it works. For instance:
 - "What day does the auto draft occur?"
 - "Can I set up the autodraft to be on a certain day?"
 - "If the autodraft is due on the 15th, does the payment post on the 15th or does it post before or after that date?"

Questions like this show engagement and will assure the representative that you are sincerely sorry for your blunder and want to make sure you get it right from now on.

**It is important not to skip step 5. Building rapport with the representative will softens them up for the big important question.**

Step 6: Save the late fee for the last question, unless they bring it up earlier.
After you've had all your other questions answered and have been really nice and thankful throughout the conversation, they will try to close with a final question. "Is there anything else I can help you with today?"

That's when you say, "Yes, (insert name you wrote down) I was wondering, could you waive the late fee for me just this once?" Or throw in casually "now that I think of it, (insert name you wrote down) would you by any chance be able to remove this late fee just this once? Now that I have autopay, I know it won't happen again."

Unless you are a repeat offender (tsk, tsk!), they will likely say, "Sure. I can remove this late fee as a one time courtesy for you."

Poof! 

Late Fee Vanished!

Budget Breaker Averted! 

Step 7: Close nicely and thankfully.

Phone representatives get scored on random phone calls. Help them get a better score for helping you out! After you write down the confirmation number, don't forget to say, 

"Thank you so much, (insert name you wrote down). You've been such a great help. I really appreciate it. That will be all and have a great day!"

Yes, it really works!

Click here to see a real Budget Breaker: Food Waste.

Have you ever gotten a late fee? What did you do?

Budget Breaker: Food Waste

 Part 1 of my new series: Budget Breakers! 

Because we all make mistakes sometimes...

Poor piggy...

I was going to write you an article about how to save money buying discounted meat. I found a good deal on chicken at the grocery store. I took it home and put it in the refrigerator and promptly....

I would have saved 44 cents a pound and bought this at a decent price of $1.04/pound.

forgot about it. :(

 I give myself the excuse of being sick, too tired to cook, sleepy from medicine... but really, I should have just frozen it. I have no excuse.

Last night I opened up my meat drawer to find it, and frantically began thinking of ways I could cook it all... only to find out in the end that it had gone bad.

So as much as I hate to waste food, if it smells funny, it's going in the trash.I'll admit, 5 bucks is not that much money to lose but 5 bucks here, 5 bucks there adds up over time.

Moral of the story: Meal planning is your friend. So is your freezer. There will be more on meal planning and freezing soon enough...


How many times have you wasted food? How much does that add up to wasted food and money over a year? A lifetime?

Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon + other deals (Labor Day Week)!

Example only. Click below link for more details.

Hobby Lobby released it’s new circular and sales ad today with another 40% off coupon (valid through September 8th)!
 
You can use the 40% off coupon on any item that is NOT on sale. Follow the links above for more information!

Hobby Lobby is a family friendly company that believes employees should have time with their loved ones. Remember, Hobby Lobby stores are closed on Sundays, so the deals all start tomorrow!

*Keep in mind, for Labor Day, they will be closing early at 5:30PM in line with their family focused beliefs.*

 Happy Shopping & Happy Crafting!

Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon + other deals! (Week of August 26th)

Hobby Lobby released it’s new circular and sales ad Sunday with another 40% off coupon!
 
You can use the 40% off coupon on any item that is NOT on sale. Follow the links above for more information!

Remember, Hobby Lobby is closed on Sundays, so the deals all start tomorrow! Happy Shopping & Happy Crafting!

Free Bridal Guide Magazine! (GONE)

Click here and you can get one free issue of Bridal Guide Magazine!

Not getting married anytime soon? Already married? That’s OK! Sign up and then give it to a friend. I’ll be giving my copy to a girl friend at work who got engaged a few weeks back. I always give her bridal catalogs and she loves those so she will be very excited about this!

Hurry, before the deal ends!

How To Get What You Need Without Spending Anything!

No, it's not the "5 finger discount."...

It's bartering!

Back in the days before we had dollars and cents, let alone a rapper named 50 cent,  before we had Ben Franklin’s portrait on paper, bartering was the most common way of getting what you needed.

Think back to your elementary school days- what did we do when we had a snack in our lunch box that we didn’t really want?  We bartered. Nowadays this concept seems pretty foreign, but I promise you, it is innate and it works for almost anything… except perhaps utility bills. There are plenty of places you can find to barter. Try farmers markets, craft shows, local bulletin boards, and websites like Craigslist.org.

1. The key to successful bartering is that both parties must walk away feeling like they won.

2. Offer a reasonable barter…

Keep in mind that they may counter you. So don’t start with your absolute best offer. Aim a little better and wiggle back and forth until you both come to an agreement.

3. Don’t be too eager.

If you really need something, that puts the ball in their corner, meaning you could end up with the bad end of the deal. Don’t show all your cards right away. Be aloof but firm and leave your emotions at home.

4. Remember the value of your bartering relationship.

Whether the deal is better on their end or yours, or one of you concedes slightly for the sake of the bartering relationship, at the end of the deal you should both walk away satisfied with what you are receiving.

5. Finish the paperwork…

Have fun, be honest, be aware, be kind, and of course, if these items are large ticket items, make sure all the proper receipts are accounted for and the paperwork is squared away. You don’t want to take your items home and find out they were stolen goods, or worse- be scammed out of your item by someone who was playing you all along.

6. Safety First!

If you don’t know the person with which you are trading very well, make sure to take a buddy!

Eat Cheaply: Lentil Soup

My lunch today.  Remember my "secret" to making any meal look fancy.

Bean dishes are known for being especially tasty, especially cheap, and healthy to boot! According to this site, lentils are high in fiber, iron, B vitamins, and protein. So eat up! 

Here's my very own cheap and easy recipe for lentil soup.

 

 

Ingredients:

2 cups dry lentils
Water
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Black pepper

Optional:

Ham or Steak bone (already cooked, meat removed from bone)
Red pepper flakes
Minced onions
Chopped chives
Fresh parsley for garnish

Prep:

1. Put 2 cups of lentils in a big bowl. I prefer a Tupperware bowl or Mason jar, but anything big enough that can hold liquid will do.
2. Rinse and strain.
3. Then cover with twice as much water. Loosely cover with a lid.
4.  Let sit overnight at room temperature. The lentils will soak up all the water and grow up to double their size. They may even possibly show signs of beginning to sprout. This is perfect!

Cooking:

1. Rinse the beans one more time.
2. Then pour them into a saucepan, and top with water, just above the beans, or more if you like your soup thin.
3. If you have a ham or steak bone, now is the time to add it.
4. Bring to a boil.
5. Add spices to taste (sorry, I never measure...trust your senses).
6. Boil for 20 minutes or until beans are soft.

Enjoy:

1. Remove bone and give it to your dog. He will love you.
2. Scoop soup into bowls and add garnish before serving.
3. Take a photo and post it on my blog. ;)

This is a great soup when you are stuck home sick (like I have been the past 2 days) or when the weather gets chilly.

I wrote this blog using the Blogger app while sitting in the doctors office. Do you have any go-to soup recipes for when you are sick?

How to Make Any Meal Look Fancy!

So I'll admit. I love to cook, but I'm no personal chef... With a background in art, at least I can kind of make it look like it! Whether it’s take-out, served last minute to friends, or a garnished 35 cents box of macaroni and cheese-  here are some key tips taken from discussions with my brilliant personal chef sister, Chef Melody...

Disclaimer: all of the photos of fancy food below were 100% home made. My brilliant sister reminded me she would "never, ever make boxed macaroni and cheese and garnish it," so there are, of course, no photos of macaroni below. Humor me and enjoy my side of dry italicized sisterly sarcasm. 

Here’s the secret: let the food take center stage:

Red and Yellow Tomato Salad by Chef Melody of  Order In With Me Photographed by Penny Weaver Frazier.

Treat your table as if it is a blank canvas. Each dish is a work of art. Presentation is key!

-Set the mood. 

S: Did anyone else hear some weird old man with a creepy deep voice saying that in your mind when you read it?
 
Beautiful lighting makes any meal look fancy. Create a low light setting with a darker room. Add soft light with candles or low watt bulbs, lampshades and curtains to dim the lights. Keep in mind that you can enhance mood lighting with reflective materials like mirrors or shiny vases.

- Invest in a pretty set of dishes

S: No, apparently pretty paper plates don't count. ;)

Molten Chocolate Cake by Chef Melody of  Order In With Me
Photographed by Penny Weaver Frazier.

Most upscale restaurants use plates that are white or black or at least a single neutral color.

- Serve smaller portions on large plates

S: as opposed to the American all-you-can-eat way of piling it as high as possible. You stop earning points for your mashed potato tower after graduating from college.

Seared Scallops by Chef Melody of  Order In With Me
Photographed by Penny Weaver Frazier.

The negative space makes the presentation look more appealing. It features the food.

- Serve each item separately, in courses

S: the way Martha would do it. "It's a good thing."

 Shrimp Scampi by Chef Melody of  Order In With Me
Photographed by Penny Weaver Frazier.

This allows your dinner guests the chance to focus on one set of flavors at a time and allows everyone to eat more slowly and savor the meal, without feeling the need to rush to the next course.

- Vary your colors.

S: You're S.O.L. if you're colorblind... vary textures?

Salad by Chef Melody of  Order In With Me Photographed by Penny Weaver Frazier.

If you absolutely must serve everything on one plate, make sure you have at least 3-4 different colors on the plate. A meal of macaroni and cheese, carrots, and orange juice is bright but boring! Mix it up as much as you can! Bonus: meals that vary in color supposedly have more balanced nutrition.

- Add decorative flourishes to semi home made meals.

S: OK, I'll admit it- this tip is mine. My sister doesn't make "semi home made" anything.

Completely Home Made Twice Baked Potato Soup by Chef Melody of Order In With Me
Photographed by Penny Weaver Frazier.

A  sprinkle of hand-ground pepper and a sprig of something as simple as a celery leaf on top of a scoop of boxed macaroni and cheese can elevate a basic meal to a higher level. A hand full of fresh berries and little bit of chocolate syrup swirled around a store bought angel food cake can turn your table into desert heaven and make your guests feel special regardless of what you spent on the meal.

- Last but not least, a smiling host makes any meal delightful!

S; OK, OK... it's cheesier than the boxed mac and cheese my sister detests, but it's true.

One of my own "fancy" semi-home made meals.

Regardless of your budget, you are the king or queen of your household. Relax and have fun! Don't take yourself too seriously. :) It doesn't have to be perfect.  It’s okay when there are surprises. That’s what makes life interesting and entertaining guests entertaining!