Frugal tips for today. Here's mine, what's yours?

Need name brand items, but don't want to pay a arm & a leg?  Hit up your local Dollar Tree store YMMV, but similar bargains can be found I'm sure at your local dollar store.  When you find these brands in stock, buy 2 or more at a time.  Some items I found in stock today were:

Nivea Body oil
Tums packets in a box
Arm N Hammer, Suave & Dial deodorants
Excderin pm, Excedrin, Tylenol extra strengh, Tylenol in the travel sizes
closeup toothpaste in a double pack, aim, colgate, aquafresh, lavaris mouth wash
Betty Crocker holiday scents in soap dispensers & lotions
Oxy bodywash & shaving cream for men


Don't want to spend a arm & a leg at the show?  Here's some tips:

See if your theater chain has a movie club, which offers discounts.  My local chain is Kerasotes theaters & they offer for a free membership $5 for movies that have been out after a week or two.   Look for entertainment books, they usually offer discounts on buying in bulk that could save you $2 or more per ticket.

You can also try my trick of asking for a discount.  Do it when a manager isn't around of course.  But, the bible says "ask and you shall recieve...."  I have asked for & recieved a "seniors" discount several times.  I've got witnesses!! LOL.    Also ask for the student discount.  The worse they can say is no.

Scared of concession stand prices?   Sneak food & drinks in!!   Women carry a bigger bag & put your food items in.  Pizza, chicken, ice cream, hamburgers, I've done it.  But my hat went off to a family that bought a whole KFC bucket meal in & was passing food around in the show like they were at a picnic.

Need some movies for the kiddies?  If you have a Family Video in your area, you can rent up to three movies at a time for free from a special childrens section.

 

Since after a seizure, I can't drive for at least 3-6 months I order things on line.

I use mr rebates.com and that website keeps up with how much you spend at the websites you shop as long as you sign in there first. Every few months I get a check for rebates for the things I've spent. It's not much but that $25 or so comes on time.

I use baking soda with my body wash and facial wash when I want to exfoliate and it's gentle.

I just found a website called zennioptical.com to get glasses for about $30, some cheaper and some more expensive. ?You need your prescription and the measurments that they take at the opticians while fitting you for glasses. This will be a heaven send for me because all four of us wear glasses and both of my kids wear contact also and with my kids prescription their glasses would cost an extra $400. !!!!! This website has gotten great feedback.

I make my own hair products. I stopped doing it about 2 yrs ago and my hair and pocketbook has suffered.

I call and ask my dr. for samples of my meds because she knows my situation. Sometimes she has some and sometimes not but people would call everyday when I worked there and ask for samples of meds.

Make my own heat packs with fleece material and dry rice. Just sew or tie it together and heat it in the microwave for a few seconds and you have an instant heat pack that lasts for a long time.

I use hydrogen peroxide to keep mold and mildew at bay. I have asthma and allergies so bleach and strong cleansers hurt my breathing. I put the peroxide in a spray bottle and mark it .

Great info Neena.  ebates.com is another great website as well.   

Thought I was the only one who still snuck snacks in the movies.   I see there are other cheapanistas out there too.



I also carry on my own sodas and booze onto cruise ships.  If you need cruise booze smuggling tips PM me. I have become an expert.  Rum runners have nothing on my strategies.


For major purchases I compare prices online before I go into the store.   

If you are shopping online go to google, enter the item name, and click the shopping tab. It is hidden in a list of blue links right inder your toolbar. It will give you the lowest prices online in descending order.


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For groceries, I clip coupons.   I also take the ads from the Sunday paper and take them all to Walmart because they match everybody's prices.  It saves money and keeps me from running all around town. As a courtesy to the people in line behind me, I organize them all by list and the page the sale item is on, so I don't take all day.


When I go to the mall I ask the cosmetics counter ladies for new perfume samples and foundation samples.  When I find a fragrance I like, I try Ebay, or perfumania, or I get the gift sets around the holidays.  The gift sets usually come with a nice free gift and you get the perfume, plus a lotion and shower gel too.


I am also a member of mypoints.com. I get free giftcards for visiting websites and doing my online shopping.  If you join PM me, so I can get refer a friend points.


Before I buy anything online I search retailmenot.com or coupon cabin for coupon codes.  Or just do a search for coupon codes for the store you need a discount from. ex. Google "Lane Bryant Coupon Code".  You will get tons of codes for online discounts this way.  Never pay full price for anything not even online!

I book hotel rooms on Priceline or hotels.com.  I got a $99 suite in Charlotte for $25  in May , and a $179 for $79 in Miami in April with Pricline.  Go to betterbidding.com to get the inside tip on what to bid for a particular city.

I shop Ebay.  Wait til the last 2 minutes to bid, to get the best steals.


I  am a member of paperbackswap.com.  You swap your old books for new free ones. There is no cost to join.  There is no cost to receive books. There is no shipping to receive books. You don't have to use a credit card or anything to get books. You just pay shipping at your local post office for books people request from you.  When you list 10 of your old books you instantly get 3 free credits for 3 free books.


I ask my doctor if there is an equivilant $4 prescription when they prescribe anything.  That's usually cheaper than the normal insurance co-pay.


I pack snacks and drinks for music in the park, screen on the green, festivals, and amusement parks.  That way instead of buying a whole meal at the event, I can just buy 1 treat, usually something I can't get anywhere else, like kettle corn or a funnel cake, and the bulk of the food for the day is from home.


I check out movies and books from my local library. They have great current movies,  cd's, and tons of kids movies. for free.  Plus the check out time is up to 4 weeks with renewal unlike 3 days with Blockbuster.


I signed up for visa rewards, Everytime I use my debit card, I accumulate points redeemable for cash, gifts, or gift certificates.  Tip is when you swipe the card you need to press credit and not debit to get the points.

I rarely buy any clothing unless it is on sale or clearance.  I never have been trendy. I don't care if I am the 1st person to have a particular item, so I don't ming waiting for the price to drop.  If they sell out before the price comes dowm, it was not meant for me.


I used to get my hair, nails, and massages at a local beauty school.  Now I am growing my hair out natural, so that's even cheaper.

When I want a new place to eat out, I go to restaurants.com, creative loafing, etc to get those 1/2 off certificates.  You can get a $25 gift card for like $4 sometimes.


I launder my maxi pads and hang them dry to re-use them. NO I really ain't that cheap, but just wanted to know if anyone was paying attention.     Even a cheapanista has her limits.


I know I must seem cheap, but I am a single mom of a teenager. I have a modest middle class income. I own a home and 2 cars.  I love to travel and dine out, etc.  I find that by cutting corners where I can, I still can enjoy fine things in life when I am in the mood to splurge.  


I carry a Goodwill Coach  purse purchased for $5 on half off day, but I spent a week out of the country, a week in a condo by the beach, and have done a weekend getaway 1 weekend of every month this year, and still managed to keep the lights on and groceries in the fridge.  


If I have to choose between a new  Prada Bag or a weekend cruise, I definitely pack my suitcase and grab the sunblock.

Girl !!! I love the way to think. I'll take the trip over the Prada Bag any day.

WOW work it. the maxi note was funny,.lol