October deals

October is around the corner. Time to start thinking about best deals for the month. My favorite resources say to look for the following:

Large appliances

Lawn Mowers
Grills
Tires and other car care supplies
Outdoor sports equipment
Candy for Halloween
Cars (later in the month is always better as sales folks look to make their quotas)

As always, thank you to my favorite resources for this information: frugal living at about.com, Real Simple Magazine and bankrate.com.

Enjoy the month,

-reenie

Is it too early to start my personal holiday list?

Holy catfish, Batman! This gadget girl thinks she's in love. I get a daily email newsletter that talks about cool products/things to do, and they highlighted these funky glasses. I WANT them! These Myvu glasses plug into your video-based player or game system. Video eye wear. You put glasses on and see video -- anywhere! Ear buds add the sound. Have I moved to the land of The Jetsons?? My newsletter suggested wearing them while at a salon. Let's you tune out while your stylist does his/her magic.

The ultimate veg-out. Count me in. Maybe at the dentist, too.

Family -- are you reading this??

-reenie

House closing

So, dear readers, my house is finally under contract. Cue the marching bands. Yesterday I started making some calls on quarterly services (to put a stop to them), but also called my oil dealer asking them to not make any more deliveries between now and the end-of-October closing. They said the smarter thing (and best way to recap my money) would be to fill the tank the day before closing so that the buyer would be asked to pay for the full tank at day of closing instead of some guesstimate of the amount actually left in the tank. Really?

Help! Is this the smart way to handle this situation and my money? Or the smart way for the oil dealer to handle my money?? I hope people out there can tell me. I'm seeing my realtor on Friday and will ask him then, but was curious if others might know the answer. This is a new one on me. Figure the answer will be helpful to anyone buying a new home.

Not wanting to waste a single dime,

-reenie

Saving money on auto loans

I stumbled on a government website created to help people save money. WooHoo! Some of the ideas are helpful. Thought I would share a few here....

In terms of Auto Loans:
Make a large down payment and go for the shortest term possible to get the best interest rate (and save tons of money).

Check with your own bank on financing before agreeing to dealer financing. It can land both ways on this one given some of the special incentive financing deals offrer by car companies -- but it's best to know, in advance, where you'll get the best rate.

Look at both sides of the coin on better low-rate financing and lower sale prices by way of a rebate. Getting a low interest rate may mean paying a higher price on the car. Do the math to be sure.

Happy car shopping,

-reenie

Fall Clean-Up

Don't let the impending change of season get you down. Yes, there is likely yard work to be done (and at my house, we're talking tons and tons of leaves), but use the mindset to get yourself to your local Garden Center. Check out great prices on yard tools. Think gifts for the holidays for your favorite gardener (and that might be you!). And pick up bulbs to get your garden ready for Spring blooms! A trip to the Garden Center might inspire you for some work in the Spring (a great way to pass the time as cooler weather heads our way).

You just never know, but there are bargains to be had, so don't let the deals pass you by.

-reenie

September is National Coupon Month

Did you know that September is National Coupon Month? Me neither, but now we both do. I have to admit -- I used to hate clipping coupons, but as I have become more conscious of the money leaving the checkbook, I pay way more attention. I look for them before I buy something, and I hold onto them if I receive them at a store. I check local shopping websites to be sure I'm saving all I can (hint, hint). Are you doing the same?

Biggest caveat with coupons -- remember many coupons are put out there to push trial of a new product. Which is fine if you've been wanting to try the new product. Just be sure you buy things you meant to buy in the first place... things you are certain you will try and will not just sit on a shelf.

Happy clipping,

-reenie

Quality counts

Just because a garment is expensive -- does not mean it's well made. I'm a big fan of buying quality over quantity. InStyle had a great checklist in their September issue on what to look for...



Check beads and any extras. The fabric needs to be strong enough to hold the doodads sewn onto it. Make sure the seams around the areas aren't pulled or stretched.

Check the buttons. Gently tug to make sure they are attached well. (I think that is one of my biggest pet peeves when buying new clothing -- buttons that are ready to fall off before the item comes off the hanger.) Also, be on the look-out for extras -- either sewn into a hem or attached in a packet. Always good to have a back-up. I write the garment description on the envelope to help keep track in my button-box. In fact -- I did that just this morning.

Look at the lining. Make sure it feels cozy against your skin, and that it helps the item hang correctly when worn.

Patterns matter. Make sure they line up perfectly. I tried an inexpensive shirt on this summer - and, oh baby, the pattern was so off, it made my head spin. Back to the rack!

Check the seams. Make sure they are neat, and InStyle calls French seams (turned under and beautifully finished to hide raw edges) the very best!

Zip it! Does the zipper glide easily? Snags in the store only lead to bad things at home. Check it a few times to be sure.

There you go. Smart shopping tip for the day: look for quality on clothing items you plan on keeping for a few seasons.

-reenie