Saving Money on Food and GroceriesWritten by Stefanie Epperly
The average family of 4 spends about $120 a week on groceries according to figures from U.S. Statistical Abstract. That adds up to over $6200 per year! There are many ways we can reduce our grocery bills, it just takes a little time each week. I will share with you ideas that I have gathered from other people as well as tips I have used myself. Prepare *Keep a list of needed grocery items on your refrigerater. Children can even help with this. When the've used last of a particular item, have them add it to list. This way you already have your grocery list made by time you go shopping and you also won't have to make unnecessary side trips to store to pick up items you have forgotten. *Once a week, take about 15 minutes to scan sales ad of store you shop at. This way you will know what is on sale and you can add them to your list. *Clip coupons! The best way I've found is to only clip items you use on a regulas basis. This way you won't be spending money on products you don't use. I used to spend more money at grocery store using coupons because I was buying products just because I had a coupon for it without really needing it. So just clip coupons for products you actually use! *Don't go store hungary. You will spend more than you planned because everything looks good! *If you can, go without kids. I always spend more when my kids are with me for 2 reasons. The first one is they want EVERYTHING! The second is if they are being difficult you will hurry without being able to comparison shop or you may miss some items on your list. Shop: *Stock up on items that are on sale. When hamburger is on sale, for example, for .99 per pound, buy at least 5 pounds. When you get home, seperate meat in into 1 lb packages and freeze. Take advantage of 2 for 1 specials since meat will stay good in freezer for quite a long time. Stock up on canned goods that you use on a regular basis and store them in your basement or linen closet or any other space you may have.
| | Your Income Tax Refund: Sofa, Pecs, or Freedom?Written by Darlene Arechederra
Your Income Tax Refund: Sofa, Pecs, or Freedom? What will your tax refund 'buy' for you this year? A lovely sofa? Perfect Pecs? Freedom? I hate to admit it, but I almost bought Pecs. I opened a colorful brochure that caught my eye...And, there it was... perfect way to *invest* my refund: in myself -- with my very own home gym! Who doesn't deserve those Abundant Abs, that perfectly Toned and Sculpted Body... All for under $1,200, with payments under $35/month! I was drooling. I had to have that gym! I deserved it! I'd wanted it for over a year now... Good things come to those who wait, right? I found some even smaller print at bottom -- The APR was just under 22%! I exhaled. Slowly. It felt like someone had stopped Bob Seger's 'Beautiful Loser,' right at best part of song. The drooling stopped. The adrenaline retreated, waiting for next spending rush. My sanity returned. Still dazed, I followed efficient-looking tax lady back to her desk, all while calculating how much interest I would have paid for those Perfect Pecs... those Adorable, Abundant Abs. Just how tired would my bones be by time I had this home gym paid off? I didn't even have refund in my hands yet. But I was holding a brochure that had power to devour any refund I might have... before it could chill in my bank account.
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