August deals

Another month bites the dust. Who put Summer on high speed? In any case, August starts TOMORROW and it's time to share the deals.

Look for these home items:

outdoor furniture

linens/towels

school supplies

pool supplies

outdoor toys

For yourself:

swimsuits

pre-season sales on Fall clothing

And for your pantry: looks like August is a good month for canned goods.

Kind of an eclectic list, but stuff I know I need. Might as well save.

As always -- thank you to the sources I rely on for this information: bankrate.com, Real Simple Magazine and frugal living at about.com

Now get out there and enjoy Summer and SAVE,

-reenie

Better health care shopping

Boy, I sure hate even typing that headline, but it is a reality we all need to deal with. Just last week I read some tips on finding ways to save on health care insurance when, days later, one of the very scenarios I read about happened to me.

I had a quick medical procedure performed last month. I asked my doctor about his network status and thought I was completely covered when I confirmed his network membership. Turns out the surgery center was also in network, but the anesthesiologist was not. I received a health insurance summary noting what my additional out-of-pocket expense would be after my carrier paid their out-of-network share. I had made the very mistake the tips list warned against: I had failed to make absolutely sure that EVERYONE involved in my medical procedure was in the network.

Fortunately for me -- when I called the non-network provider and explained the situation they agreed to accept the insurance payment as the total. Lucky for me.

So, be a good health care consumer, and do what I did not: don't assume everyone is in the network just because your physician is a member. My situation had a happy outcome, but I think that was sheer luck. I won't make that mistake again.

Wishing you good health (and no need for health care shopping),

-reenie

Groceries - more tips for saving dough at the grocery store

A friend shared a Yahoo! Finance article on "The Lazy Ways to Save on Groceries." I know I did a quick entry back in February on saving by buying above and below eye level, but these extra tips are great ideas, too.

-Per Unit Pricing

Let the little label on the shelf do the math. Be sure to check out the cost per unit when comparing prices. Strangely enough the big container isn't always the least expensive. Often, but not always.

-Cut Your Own Veggies and Fruit

You will pay more for convenience. Plain and simple. To save on produce -- cut the veggies and fruit by hand, and skip the pre-cut options. Same applies to single serving containers of packaged foods like oatmeal, cookies and chips.

-Skip Status

Store brands are often on par with name brands. Do your own taste test before writing off the store brand's quality.

-Stick to the List

How many items do you impulse-buy? I'm too embarrassed to include the answer here. Trust me. It isn't pretty. Make a list. Stick to it when you shop (much like with holiday shopping) and you will save. Plain and simple.

-Stop Feeding your Trash Can

Americans waste a lot of food. A whole lot of food. Remember the list? Make a weekly menu while you're at it, and avoid buying more than you can possible use -- especially perishable items.

Save on,

-reenie

Tax Holidays

I've been seeing a lot of stories on tax holidays (days you can shop and not pay sales tax). Interesting to note -- some areas have cancelled previously scheduled tax holidays, so I'm reluctant to link to a list that has them all (for fear the list might be dated). Below find the list I think is correct as of today. Please check with state officials to verify dates and eligible purchases:

- Alabama
- Connecticut
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Virginia
- West Virginia

Historically Massachusetts has offered an August tax holiday, but the information I am reading today indicates that it won't likely happen in 2009. If you know of a state I have left off (or one noted above that has cancelled) -- please add it in the comments section.

-reenie

Pet savings

Big news. I'm getting a new puppy. She was born on June 27 and will be coming home with me on Saturday, August 22. To say I'm excited would be the understatement of the year. Now, my old-man dog probably won't share my enthusiasm, but I am hopeful he will learn to love her the way I already do. He's going to be 12 in November -- and I'm hoping he's not too old for some new tricks. The new pup's name is Marlo (remember That Girl actress and Phil Donahue's wife, Marlo Thomas??). See my Marlo pictured here at 11 days old.

So, why do I tell you this here? Well, when I asked friends for their tips on saving money I got a long laundry list of ideas ranging from how to save on electricity (see July 14 post), to, you guessed it, ways to save on pet expenses. She mentioned that her Veterinarian holds monthly vaccine clinics where you pay a smaller charge than a usual visit (only if the pet has been seen by the doc within the last year and is not receiving a vaccine that state law mandates must be given by a doc). We don't go to the same practice, but she mentioned her doc gives a small discount on visits to families with multiple pet patients. I have two cats and a dog already -- Marlo will make four. I'm thinking I must qualify for something...

Many thanks to Kyle for bringing this up and reminding me that there's usually another option that can save some money if you spend some time looking for it.

-reenie (AKA: Marlo's new Mom)

Reenie Goes Green; Part 2: Saving electricity

This post is courtesy of my friends. I kept seeing this bank commercial about the little things people are doing to save money in our challenging economy. It got me thinking: I bet my friends have great money saving ideas that I should share here. My email plea went out last week and within 24 hours I had enough tips to fill a small book. So -- instead of putting them all together, I'm going to share them in categories. Today, the category is electricity. From the pens of Allie, Brad, Mary-Anne, Kyle and Stephen. Thanks, guys!

-If you're lucky enough to have a vacation home -- be sure to turn off the electric hot water heater when you'll be gone for a bit of time. Speaking of hot water heaters -- one friend mentioned saving $50 a month on her electric bill by switching from an electric hot water heater to an on-demand propane hot water heater. (That one only works if you have access to propane.)

-"Be maniacal about turning off lights." (Had to leave the quote -- I don't think I've ever heard my friend actually be 'maniacal' about anything.)

-Keep your dryer (please make it energy efficient), but when at all possible dry your clothes on a line. Friends tell me they save $50 a month in electric bills during the summer.

-Beware phantom load. This sounds like something out of Star Trek, right? Well, in plain English it means to unplug electric appliances when they're not in use. Think coffee maker, toaster, your cell phone charger when the cell phone is in your purse, the VCR, the microwave, etc, etc. Even if you are not using the item -- there is a small draw of electricity when you keep it plugged in. And, while you're thinking about plugs and table lamps, consider energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (but I've said that before).

Happy saving and lucky me to have such smart friends!

-reenie

Polaroid PoGo

OK... I'm still trolling through my stack of old magazines and stumbled on the details of the Polaroid PoGo camera -- launched in January of this year. OK, I'm behind. I admit it.

I don't know about you, but I have fond memories of Polaroid cameras and my Dad. He was a gadget-hound like I am -- guess I come by it rightly. In any case, this new digital Polaroid comes with a built-in printer (yes, I said built-in). You snap the pic and you print it, and unlike the Polaroid cameras from my youth -- you can store the picture, too. Oh, and you can choose to print your photo with the tell-tale Polaroid border of our (my) youth. Brilliant. I want one. What a fun thing to bring to a summer bbq with friends.

Anyone out there have one of these yet? I am so curious on how they feel. I loved, loved, loved the Polaroid press release. It noted that most people remember the fun of shaking the photo to make it materialize, which, of course, you don't have to do with this new Polaroid, unless you want to. This print comes out ready to view. "...the 'shake' is totally optional." Did I already say brilliant?

-reenie

Save money and feel pretty!

I love ideas that save money and make a season more fun at the same time.
I spent a large part of the 4th of July weekend going through a tall (and I mean TALL) stack of magazines.
I found a couple of great money saving beauty tips. Don't get me wrong -- I love getting pampered at the spa or salon, but in between visits -- a girl needs to take care of herself - right?

Tip 1 from InStyle: if you want your face to start the day with a little glow -- simply mix a drop of self-tanner into your night cream the night before. Be sure to let the mixture dry before you pull on your PJs or touch your skin to the pillowcase.

Tip 2 from Natural Health: mix your own body scrub. Combine 1 cup of sugar (use white or brown sugar with medium size granules) with 3/4 cup of oil (the mag suggests fractionated coconut oil), and 2-3 drops of the essential oil of your choice (simply pick your favorite scent, like lavender or peppermint). Stir to combine and use like the body scrub you normally purchase.

BUT be sure to treat yourself to a relaxing body scrub or facial at your favorite salon or spa (using a discounted gift certificate, of course). There's nothing finer during a stay-cation than a little local pampering!

-reenie

Cell Phone Savings

You've seen the commercials. I won't mention the carrier, but basically the beautiful spokesperson offers mobile phone customers "plan makeovers." I know it got me thinking about ways to save on my monthly cell phone charges, and I don't even use that carrier. Then I happened to stumble upon a few articles on general ways to reduce your monthly cell expense.

-Check your plan. Make sure you are signed up for the right level. Get a handle on your use-history and select accordingly.

-If you talk less than 200 minutes monthly (and don't need a data plan), you should be looking at a pre-paid plan. A couple of carriers offer programs for 200 minutes and lower that range in the $20-$25 range. A big savings compared to my monthly plan, but I do need a data package.

-Search out other calling plans (separate from your carrier) if you are making international calls. The swing in price per minute can be staggering.

-Look at when you talk. Do you do most of your chatting in the evening? Be sure to check out special flat-fee overnight calling features. This way you can get bare minimum minutes during peak, and play a flat fee for unlimited calls in the evening.

-If you send or receive even one text a day -- look at a text plan. Especially important if you have text-happy teens on your plan. Paying a flat .20 per text could add up during the course of the month and make a flat fee well worth the expense.

-Also, don't use directory assistance on your cell phone. Usually costs way more than you think it will. And, finally, 800 numbers dialed from your cell phone are not toll free to you (you are still racking up time spent). Dial from a landline whenever possible.

Happy dialing, and, hopefully, saving,

-reenie