Tuesday's Tip: Know your local resources!

These days it seems that the best bargains are found at big box or chain stores.  But, that doesn't mean you can't tap into local resources for extra savings.  One of my favorite local stores is Adams Fairacre Farms where I buy produce and meat/poultry!  Another place for added savings is the local paper.  I don't often buy the print edition, but my local paper frequently carries extra coupons on Wednesday and those coupons can definitely be worth spending the 75c on the paper!

Local resources can mean bonus savings!

Tuesday's Tip: Take a bite out of...

According to a study at Carnegie Melon University, picturing yourself eating food bite by bite reduces your consumption. Why?  The visualization can trick your mind into thinking you've already eaten the food and can help curb cravings.

Now that's food for thought!

Source: Women's Health Magazine, May 2011

Tuesday's Tip: Coffee in Bulk

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Cheryl Magat at Peet's Coffee recommends that consumers don't buy coffee in bulk.  In fact she recommends not buying more than a two week supply.  Now, for those of us who stockpile this is clearly not an option.  I can't imagine not taking advantage of a great coffee sale!  However, there are a couple things we can do to keep that coffee stockpile fresh.

~Grind it yourself.  Whole beans last longer.
~Store your coffee in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Source: Family Circle Magazine March 2011

 

Tuesday's Tip: Cut 200 calories by making these simple choices

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~Opt out of the 6oz Pina Colada in favor of the 5oz glass of white wine and save 212 calories.
~Choose the thin crust veggie pizza over the regular or thick crust with pepperoni and save 202 calories.
~Order your Mexican entree without sour cream and cheese and you'll save 220 calories.

Source: Redbook Magazine

What are your favorite calorie cutting choices? 
I love to try and cut calories without feeling like I am missing out on enjoying my food and drink!

Tuesday's Tip: Snack on this;Tan on this!

Want the look of being out in this all day?  Do you desire perfect sun-kissed skin tones?
We all know the risks of sun exposure and are smart enough to protect our skin. You can spend money on an expensive bronzer or you can up your intake of brightly colored.....

fruits and veggies!  Carotenoids found in red, yellow, orange, and dark green produce are absorbed and give skin a golden glow.  So, next time you are at the market, choose your foods wisely and you'll have the best "veggie tan" on the block beach.

Source: Redbook Magazine

 This post is linked to:
Frugal Tuesday Tip
Works for Me Wednesday
Frugal Fridays

Tuesday's Tip: Pack a Lunch

My husband normally takes lunch to work where he has the luxury of a microwave, toaster and fridge.  His lunch most often is dinner leftovers, but this week he's at a seminar near JFK airport.  A lunch in that area (and many other areas for that matter) can easily cost $10 or more.  Packing food for the road can be such an easy way to save money with a little planning.

I checked my pantry and found some chocolate chip muffin mix that I scored Free at Shoprite some months ago.  We don't make baking mixes often, but they can  come in handy.  This mix was going to expire at the end of August, so perfect time to use it up. 

Next, I headed to the pantry to find some snacks.  Since convenience foods can sometimes be more expensive, I try to save them for times when we really NEED the convenience.
By stocking up while these items are on sale AND saving them for the most needed time we can really save money.  The iced tea and combos were free, the granola bars were a recent MM, and the apple was inexpensive at Aldi this week.  To round out the meal, I made a ham and cheese sandwich and filled a water bottle. I estimate the total cost to be around $1.00 for the lunch, which is a great savings if you compare the possible $10 meal!  That's a great deal!

Final thought:  Don't forget to save those convenience foods for the times you really NEED the convenience!

This post is linked to:
Frugal Tuesday Tip
Works for Me Wednesday
Frugal Fridays

New weekly features at Frugality in the Hudson Valley

Starting this week you'll notice some new features on the site.  This will be regular features every week and I hope they will offer a bit more insight into my frugal life.

Menu Plan Monday
Tuesday's Tips, which will replace Wednesday Tip Day
Woeful Wednesday- Wonderful Wednesday
Thursday's Thoughts
Family Fridays
Saturday's Shopping
Scrumptious Sunday (recipes,etc.)

Bzzzz, bzzzz, munch, crunch, bite!

Want to keep the bugs at bay this summer? 
Follow these tried and true tips from Redbook Magazine!

Bounce it away: Put a dryer sheet in each pocket.  Bounce contains a plant extract that is toxic to bugs.

Wear light neutral colors: Bright colors attract bugs and they mistake dark colors for animal hides.

Drink wine or iced tea:  Those nasty pests like beer, soda and anything that bubbles.  Stick with a non-carbonated beverage.

Wednesday Tip Day- Cash saves calories!

When it comes to shopping, most of us have heard that paper is best for keeping spending down.  The thought behind this being that you think more carefully about what you are spending when you pay in cold hard cash versus credit.  Well, apparently cash is good for more than your budget!  Recent studies have shown that shoppers spend less on junk food when paying in cash.  Spend our cash on cookies makes those cookies less appealing.  Who know we could conquer two birds with one stone cash envelope.

Wednesday Tip Day-- Trying out a deal.

Many times the deals that come along require a little math and a little planning and often they could go various ways.  Sometimes we think we have the registers all figured out and sometimes there are random things that are just beyond our regular "rules" or even our best estimations.  It's important to pay attention to your register receipts for that reason.  It's also important to keep your cool if the surprise at the register is not in your favor.
This all brings me to brown rice.  Yes, brown rice.

Do you notice something different about this picture?  Most of the time our multiples are of the same size product, but I've got a 2lb bag in the mix.  You see, I noticed (by pure accident) that the last time I used Carolina rice coupons they all full doubled.  Now, this didn't make sense based on the regular "rules," so I deduced that for whatever reason the coding in these coupons allows for overage as long as the total value of the products works out.  A regular product coupon will only double to the value of a single product, but with the Carolina coupons they doubled to cover the total value of Carolina products.

With this past transaction I was willing to try that math and see if it would work again.

So, I had four 75c coupons that would double up to $1.50 or a total coupon value of $6.00.  The small bags were on sale for 99c and the large bag regular price at $2.99 for a total value of $5.97 or free after all coupons doubled.  Well, my plan worked and I got 5 lbs of brown rice for free!

Just another reminder to pay attention to the receipts and reap the benefits! 

Lost mittens? (Wednesday Tip Day)

It's hardly the time of year when most of us think of mittens, but it is the best time of year for yard sales.  And planning ahead is key when it comes to saving.  Think ahead a few months to the cold NY winter and you'll quickly remember cold hands and lost mittens.  So, how do you avoid an emergency run to the store to pay full price for some mittens when your little darling has lost theirs at school or the playground?  You stock up during yard sale season!  Like many frugal choices, planning is KING!

Splurge vs Save---Wednesday's Tip Day from pro chefs

A recent Women's Health magazine article featured a splurge vs. save page from the mouths of pro chefs.

Here's what they have to say:

Wednesday Tip Day- Don't forget to visit regional blogs when you travel!

 

We've just returned from a visit to see family out in Arizona.  While it is nice to take a break from the frugal routine, we still want to find a way to stretch our dollars.  Some meals were taken with family and we made reservations at hotels that offered continental breakfast, but we knew there were still going to be a few/several times when we would need to eat out or have snacks on hand.  I first did a quick search of the names of the grocery stores at our first destination.  I then searched for a blog that covered those stores.  I found  Saving Cents with Sense.  After a quick browse of the best snack food deals at a single store, I took a look around the blog and found a great coupon for a Free Taco at Del Taco.  A quick visit to Del Taco's site revealed several restaurants in the areas we are visiting.  I also noticed that Del Taco offers a club with two free tacos for joining.  A stop at Restaurant.com landed me a discount gift card for another restaurant.

The lesson:  visit local blogs and sites to find regional deals when you are traveling.  They will likely lead you right into great savings!

Myth or Fact: Premium-Grade Gas is Better

 

According to AAA the difference between grades of gasoline is octane.  An engine with a higher compression ratio needs more of that pricey octane.  Most engines don't need the extra octane, so skip it and save.  

Disclaimer: I'm clearly not your mechanic, so consult a pro, but use this as a catalyst to look deeper into what YOUR engine needs!

Wednesday Tip Day--The Library is not just for books!

We recently decided to cancel our Blockbuster by mail subscription.  Instead, we now primarily request movies through our local library and definitely make use of the occasional free codes for Blockbuster kiosk or Redbox.
We find it's good practice to periodically evaluate expenses, even the small ones, and see if the expense is worth it.  This small item is saving us around $15/month, which totals $170 annually.  We aren't missing the movie subscription, so it's definitely a great place to save!

Wednesday Tip Day---Shop on Tuesday!

 

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Avoid the lines by shopping on Tuesday.  According to shoppertrak.com Tuesday is the lightest shopping day with Thursday night and Saturday afternoon being the busiest.

 

Visitor Centers are for Locals, too!

In search of some local coupons?  Stop by your local visitor's center, welcome center or chamber of commerce and see what they have to offer.  These places can be a great resource for local restaurant savings and even local grocery savings.

Do-it-yourself Easter egg dyes

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Kiwi's April/May 2011 issue had a great article on natural egg dyes. 

Pink

1 15oz jar of beets

1 cup water

1 tsp vinegar

Bring beets and water to a boil 

and let simmer for five minutes.  

Strain and cool, then add vinegar.

Yellow

1 tbsp turmeric or curry powder

2 cups water

Bring spice and water to a boil and simmer

for five minutes. Cool.

Green

1 cup water

3 chlorophyll capsule(vitamin/healthfood stores)

Bring water to a boil, then remove from heat.  

Open capsules and stir into water. Cool.

Blue

2 cups frozen blueberries

2 cups water

1 tsp vinegar

Bring blueberries and water to a boil, let simmer 

for five minutes.  Strain, cool, then stir in vinegar.

Do you have any "natural" dye recipes to share?

 

Wednesday Tip Day- Don't be shy!

DD 5 recently required attention to some very dry patches of skin.  Her pediatrician recommended Aquaphor.  Since, I knew I wouldn't have time to wait for a sale, I asked the desk for samples on the way out of the office.  They were very generous and gave me samples totaling 2.52 oz.  I thanked them profusely for two reasons.  One- I didn't need to run right to the store. Two- It saved me at least $5.  I often asked for formula checks and samples when my girls were young and I'm not afraid to ask now.  A little polite question can save so much money!

Wednesday Tip Day: Storage of Produce

My instinct tells me to put my fruits and veggies in the fridge, but that's not always the best way to store produce.

Bananas- Store on a separate plate in a cool dry place.  The low temperatures of the fridge speed up spoilage.
Cucumbers- Store in a plastic shopping bag.  The fridge makes them watery.
Potatoes- The fridge causes the starch to turn into sugar and they will be too sweet once cooked.
Tomatoes- Keep in a spot away from windows.  The cool air of the fridge dulls the flavor and increases acidity.

Source: November Family Circle Magazine

What other tips to you use for storing produce?