Week of 2/6/2008

Clearing Clutter Saves Money

You know you have a stapler somewhere around the house, but you simply can't remember where you put it. You have a great need for the stapler, so you run out to the store and buy one. Two weeks later while rummaging through the tool chest you find the stapler you knew you had.

Does this scenario sound vaguely familiar. OK, maybe it's not a stapler; it's the third jar of ketchup you just bought because the other two got hidden in the pantry. No matter how you look at it, it's the clutter that costs money. Getting organized is as helpful to your sanity as it is to your wallet. When everything has a place and it's always in place, duplication seldom happens thus saving you money.

Late fees are often the result of bills being misplaced. Organize your mail with an inbox and keep bills together to pay on time, or set up an online bill-paying service.

Cash rebate checks within a week after receiving them. Many insurance and rebate checks have an expiration date of as little as 30 days from issue. Lose them or pass the expiration date and you've lost money.

Claim rebate checks right away. Keep an open file on them to make sure you receive them and if not follow up.

And, oh yes, while you're at it, why not organize the entire house. The Definitive Guide To Home Organization For Busy People will help you get the best of clutter before it gets the best of you.

Week of 2/13/2008

Cheap versus Frugal

The difference between being cheap and being frugal can be a fine line for some and a chasm for others. If you think of cheap as being about the cost of something and frugal as being about the value of something, you can usually bridge the gap.

So what is the difference between cheap and frugal? Let's take furniture. A cheap person will buy a new sofa for $299 and have it break down in a matter of years. A frugal person will pay the price for a top quality sofa, either new or used, and keep it for a lifetime. A cheap person buys a loaf of generic white bread for $1.29 because it's cheap. A frugal person buys a loaf of 100% whole wheat bread for $2.79 because it's healthy and it tastes good. A cheap person will try to get the lowest price on everything or go without. A frugal person tries equally as hard to get a low price but will spend what is necessary on something that is really important.

Being frugal is admirable. Being cheap is a pain in the you-know-what.

Week of 2/20/2008

Attention Target Shoppers

Target is a shopping phenomenon. It's demographics cross every age and income strata. And no wonder. Target is all about value. Even more value can be had from Target if you know a well-kept secret -- it's markdown strategy.

Target marks down different types of merchandise on different days of the week.

• Monday: Electronics, Kids clothing and stationary (Cards, gift wrapping paper, etc.).
• Tuesday: Domestics, women's clothing, pets and Market (food items,etc).
• Wednesday: men's clothing, toys, lawn & garden, health and beauty items.
• Thursday: House wares, lingerie, sporting goods, shoes, music, DVDs, books and luggage.
• Friday: Auto, cosmetics, hardware, and jewelry.

For the best deals, get to the store early on the markdown days. Use the in-store scanners to find additional bargains that are otherwise unpublicized.

With this new-found knowledge, your Target shopping experience can bring you even greater savings.

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