Northern Cheapskate

Tips for Stockpiling Kids Clothing

2009-07-09T07:04:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite blogs, Baby Cheapskate, recently asked her readers if stockpiling clothing for their kids is a smart idea.

I think it's a great idea! I'm a BIG proponent of stocking up on kids clothing when I see a good deal. I buy clothing for my whole family for the following year at the end-of-the season closeouts. I also stock up on kids' clothing at garage sales during the summer months. I save a ton of money by doing this.

But while I save money doing this, there is a risk involved. If you don't time it just right, your kids may outgrow the clothing before they get a chance to wear it.

Here are some tips to help you stockpile children's clothing.

Know your child's current growth patterns. Yes, kids go through crazy growth spurts, but you have a rough idea of how fast they grow. For example, my kids always seem to be about one size ahead of their age when it comes to shirts, but one size behind when it comes to pants. This helps me guess what sizes they will be in during the next year's season.

Know how the different brands run for sizes. I've noticed that certain brands (like Target's Circo brand, for example) tend to run small. Pay attention to how different brands fit and you'll have a better chance of the item fitting next year. Check out the discussion at Baby Cheapskate on this topic.

Stick with classic clothing. Avoid character shirts or trendy clothing. Styles change, and characters can fall out of favor with your child. I also stick with themes for winter clothing. It makes mixing and matching from one winter season to the next a piece of cake.

Stick with quality clothing. Make sure all the zippers and snaps work. Make sure no buttons are missing. If the item is used, look to see that there are no stains or tears. Check the quality of the fabric. If it feels thin when it's brand new, it will be practically transparent after a few washes. Check the care instructions to make sure that you're not buying a high maintenance garment (i.e. dry clean or hand wash). Buy the best quality at the best price so that you'll be able to hand the clothes down to other children or sell them at a sale.

If you're buying new items on clearance, save the receipts and don't cut the tags off. Some stores will let you return the items later if they don't fit. But if the store will not take a return, you can sell the item online or in a consignment store. You'll make back your money (or maybe even make a profit) because people like to buy new things at a bargain price. That's what you did, after all! You could also give the item that doesn't fit away as a gift.

Keep an inventory. You need to know what you have so that you know what you need. I find it very useful to sort clothing by size, but you need to find a system that works for you. I keep a list of things I'm looking for in my purse, so that when I come across a good sale I can focus on what we really need.

Do you stockpile clothing for your kids? What are some of your tips?

Share Recipes with Family and Friends Easily

2009-07-08T07:00:00.003-05:00

Have you ever been to a family potluck and your aunt made the best potato salad ever?

And everyone wanted the recipe, but your aunt didn't want to write it down 20 times.

Check out Sharecipe. Sharecipe is a free website that allows you to share your recipes with friends and family.

Think of it as a simplified Facebook for those who love to cook and are always looking for new recipes. You can share recipes, request recipes, and connect with family all in one location. Have a cooking question? Post it at Sharecipe and a friend or relative can help you.

What I like about this site is that it's not just another recipe site. This is a site that links you with people you know. So you know that if you love Aunt Selma's cooking, you won't be disappointed with a recipe she shares.

I've already shared one of my favorite recipes at Sharecipe, and I'm looking forward to sharing more. The site is simple to use - and simple is good. I need all the help in the kitchen I can get!

If you'd like to share your recipes with me, just search for me by my e-mail address (found under "contact" here .

Sharecipe is also planning to host a pretty cool giveaway for those who add new recipes to their site, so stay tuned.

Great Printable Coupons Available

2009-07-07T07:00:00.001-05:00

This month has been a little slow for coupons in the Sunday paper.

Fortunately there are a some good printable coupons lurking on the internet.

Check out some of the coupons available from Coupons.com:

$.55 off Cheerios
$1 off Filippo Berio Olive Oil
$1 off 32 oz Wisk laundry detergent
$2 off Dry Idea Antiperspirant
$1.10 off Romano's Macaroni Grill Dinners
$5 off Hasbro's Pictureka game

To print these great coupons and more click here.

And don't forget the printable coupons at RedPlum:

$1 off any Eggo BakeShop product
$1.50 off any 2 Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats
$1 off DelMonte Fruit Chillers

To print these great coupons and more click here.

And finally, SmartSource has some good coupons, too:

$2 off Huggies Overnights diapers
$1 off any two Tony's multi-serve pizzas.
$1 off any two pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream
$.50 off one tub of Betty Crocker frosting

To print these great coupons and more, click here.

Freebies and Deals

2009-07-06T12:43:00.002-05:00

Here are a few of the freebies and deals I've found recently. There are definitely a lot of great photo deals lurking around. Enjoy!

Freebies
Get a free pint of Starbucks ice cream on Facebook. Read how to get your free ice cream at Freebies4Mom.

Get a free sample of NatureMade TripleFlex liquid softgels.

Get a one-week free trial to ListPlanIt. This is a great resource for those of you who liked to stay organized while making lists. (Thanks, Money Saving Mom).

Get a free Acne Complex Sample from Murad. This sample includes clarifying cleanser, exfoliating acne treatment gel, and skin perfecting lotion. (Thanks to NWA Deals).

Get a free sample of Kotex overnight pads.

Create a Share Site on Shutterfly and get 30 free 4x6 photo prints. Post your picture to Shutterfly and get an additional 10 free prints. Post a photo book to the share site and get another 10 free 4x6 prints. Offer ends September 1, 2009.

Register for SeeHere.com and get 100 free photo prints as a new member.

Deals
Looking for a hot diaper deal? Check out Common Sense with Money's tip on two sweet Pampers and Huggies deals. She also has some Kmart coupon price match-ups if you're one of the lucky folks whose Kmart is doubling coupons this week.

Get 50 photo prints for 50 cents at Snapfish before July 10. Just use the code PENNY.

Buy 5 Kodak Gallery Photo Cards and earn 25 free photo prints. Use the code 25FORFREE. If you're new to Kodak Gallery, you can also get 20 Free 4x6 prints when you join the Kodak Gallery!

Find Used Book Sales Easily

2009-07-06T07:01:00.000-05:00

I love using my local library to read books for free.

But sometimes I just like owning books. When I splurge on books, I try to get the best deal possible. One of the best places to buy books are at used book sales.

Many non-profit groups (such as libraries) hold these used book sales as fundraisers. The books are donated to them, they sell them, and use the proceeds to support their cause. Most used book sales charge anywhere from 10 cents to $3 per book. Some sales will even have a $1-a-bag deals! It's a great way to get a lot of books for a little bit of money and feel good about helping people in your community.

And now, finding those sales is even easier!

Check out Book Sale Manager - a new site that allows you to search for non-profit used book sales in your area. The site is free and easy to use - You can search by city, state, or zip code. You can also find non-profit organizations that have used book stores in your area, too.

It's also free to list a used book sale at Book Sale Manager. So if your library or other non-profit organization is holding a used book sale, you'll have one more free way to publicize your event.

If you sign up for a free account, you can take advantage of cool features like creating a calendar of sales you are interested in.

Happy Reading!

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-03T08:00:00.005-05:00

This weekend while we are celebrating our country's independence, I challenge you to celebrate your independence from a life of debt.

May this be the weekend you say, "No more debt."

I hope you put away the plastic and pull out a pencil and start your budget. May this be the weekend you no longer blame fate for your situation and recognize that it's time to take responsibility for your personal finances. It's time to get out of the clutches of consumerism.

Happy Independence Day! Be Happy! Stay Safe! Remember that the best things in life aren't things... it's your family and friends. Enjoy the weekend!

I'll be taking the weekend off to celebrate. You can start your celebration of independence from debt with my series on budgeting.

Budgeting 101: Start by Tracking Your Expenses
Budgeting 101: The Guts to Change
Budgeting 101: Cutting Expenses
Budgeting 101: Boosting Income
Budgeting 101: The Resources

I'll be back next week with more posts and a giveaway so stay tuned!

Utility Usage Blues

2009-07-02T07:02:00.000-05:00

My local utility company recently sent me a letter saying that I was one of 10,000 randomly selected customers chosen to receive a "Personalized Home Electricity Report."

The report contains information and analysis about our electricity consumption and includes comparisons to my neighbors' electricity usage. The report also contains tips to make my home more effecient and to help me "make smart choices to reduce [my] electricity use and bills."

When I got this little note in my mailbox, I was excited about it because I thought I would be able to find new ways to save on my electric bill.

And then I read the report. And then I got angry.

According to the report, we use 35 percent more electricity than our neighbors. Now, I don't know who they consider my "neighbors" - probably other randomly selected people - but I can tell you that my actual neighbors are all summer cabin owners, so of course, my consumption will be higher.

We also have a duel fuel hot water heat system. Which means that we use off-peak electricity to heat our house most of the time, and fuel oil at other times. I wonder if that fact is even considered in their comparison with our neighbors' usage.

But what really got me angry was their "Personalized Action Steps:"

Heat water at a reduced rate. I am already on the utility company's program for off-peak water heating - something they could have easily found by looking at my records.

Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). I just spent the last two years replacing every single light in our home with CFLS. I also claimed all the rebates through my utility company that I could for those bulbs. Once again... they could have checked their records.

Look for the Energy Star label. We don't buy any appliances that don't have the Energy Star label. We replaced our last big energy-sucking appliance last year. And we also got a rebate from our utility company for that. Once again, they need to check their records.

Looks to me like this entire report was a giant waste of energy for them. And since it is a rural electric cooperative - that means they're wasting my money, too.

Tell me something I don't know.

Now Earn Cash with Swagbucks

2009-07-01T20:08:00.001-05:00

Now you can earn cash from Swagbucks!

Swagbucks is an internet search engine that rewards you with "swagbucks" for searching the web. You can trade your Swagbucks in for all kinds of things such as gift cards, electronics and sports memorabilia.

And now you can trade them in for cash via Paypal! You only need 80 Swagbucks to earn $5 cash. This is a great alternative to the other swag you can earn because there's no temptation to spend money above and beyond your gift card amount. Use your Swagbucks to pay bills or beef up your savings. All you need is a paypal account!

Earning Swagbucks is easy. You simply sign up for an account and use the Swagbucks site to search. You can also add Swagbucks toolbars to your browser to make it even easier to search the web and earn Swagbucks.

The Swagbucks search engine is powered by Google and Ask.com so I've gotten great results when searching. My favorite thing to spend Swagbucks on are the Amazon.com e-gift cards because it only takes 45 Swagbucks to earn a $5 e-gift card. The customer service is outstanding, and they have a great referral program (you earn Swagbucks when your referrals earn Swagbucks!)

If you haven't already signed up for Swagbucks, I highly recommend doing so before July 6 because you can earn an extra 2 Swagbucks using the code CASHISKING (the code is case sensitive). This will start you out with 5 Swagbucks instead of the usual 3 you get for signing up!

Happy Earning!

YoBaby Yogurt Giveaway Winner

2009-07-01T14:42:00.002-05:00

It sure has been fun having lots of giveaways lately! I hope you have been enjoying them, too!

Today I get to select one lucky winner of a YoBaby Yogurt Gift pack. The winner will receive a YoBaby big, bowl with lid, and five coupons for FREE YoBaby yogurt!

I used the random number generator from Random.org to select my winner.

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-07-01 19:33:37 UTC

And the winner is..... Leann B!!!

How do you know if you've won? I've sent Leann an e-mail telling her how to claim her prize. If I don't hear back from her within 48 hours, I'll pick another winner.

Thanks to all of you who entered this giveaway.

Be sure to visit YoBaby to learn more about their great line of organic foods for your baby. You can save money on YoBaby, too, when you sign-up for their email list.

Month in Review: The Splurge and Purge Edition

2009-07-01T07:00:00.002-05:00

June went by so fast. It feels like I blinked and it was gone.

This month was quite a bit different from other months for me. At the beginning of the month I gave myself permission to shop. This was also the first time my husband and I spent a night away from our kids out of town, and so we splurged a bit more than we normally do. We stayed in a whirlpool suite, ate all our meals out, took in a baseball game, and did some shopping. It was a much needed mini-vacation and we came back feeling relaxed and recharged.

And while it was fun to deviate from our normal frugal nature, it's much more comfortable to head back to our frugal ways.

I cooked from home a bit more toward the end of the month, which made up for our splurge in the beginning of June. My monthly coupon savings of $99.87 is indictive of two things: first I bought more fresh ingredients this month for which there were no coupons, and secondly, that I was a bit lazy when it came to coupon clipping. Our stockpile is still pretty strong, so I haven't felt the need to shop for many incidentals.

We also did a great purge this month. We joined our family's garage sale and were able to sell a lot of baby stuff and old electronics, plus make a little cash and have fun doing it! And we hauled a carload of items to Goodwill to be donated, which also felt good.

My husband is currently teaching two summer courses, which means a bit of a pay increase on top of his regular salary. Our biggest challenge for the summer is to not get too frivilous with that money, and instead use it to build up our emergency fund.

We feel very blessed this month, and look forward to getting back into the frugal zone in July.

How was your month? Were you able to stay on track? Did you get rid of any clutter in your life?

Free Wild Cooler from Caribou Coffee

2009-06-30T21:01:00.006-05:00

Become a fan of Caribou Coffee on Facebook and try out their new "Wild it Up" photo application.

When you create a silly picture of yourself using the "Wild It Up" application, you'll be able to print out a coupon for a free medium Wild Cooler from Caribou Coffee. Check out my funny profile picture on the right! You can add everything from antlers to tattoos to any photo you choose!

My coupon says it expires on July 6 - not sure if that's the standard or if it's based on when you create your "wild" photo.

The Wild Cooler comes in 8 different flavors - Vanilla White Chocolate Mocha, Campfire Mocha, Lite White Berry, Mint Condition, Chai Tea, Apple Blast, Turtle Mocha, and Carmel High Rise.

And don't forget to check out their great deals on Mondays!

Enjoy!

Winners of the $100 Alice.com Giveaway

2009-06-30T13:10:00.000-05:00

I'm thrilled to announce FIVE lucky winners of my Alice.com giveaway. Each winner will get $100 to spend at Alice.com.

Alice.com is the hot new place to shop for all your household essentials. With free shipping and fabulous coupons, you may never have to visit a big box store again! You can read more about Alice here.

I've randomly selected the five winners using the random integer generator at Random.org.

Here are your random numbers:

75 37 27 125 63

Timestamp: 2009-06-30 17:44:54 UTC

And the winners are:

#75 - Jennifer T.
#37 - Cynthia H.
#27 - Sarah N.
#125 - Dierdre S.
#63 - Gina C.

How do you know if you've won? I've sent each of the winners an e-mail telling them how to claim their prize. They will have 48 hours to respond or I will pick a new winner!

Thanks to the nearly 200 people who entered the drawing! Remember, that if you even if you didn't win, you can still score some great deals at Alice.com.

BOGO Minor League Baseball Tickets

2009-06-30T06:33:00.000-05:00

Bring a Kraft Singles package wrapper to your local minor league baseball box office and you'll get one free ticket with the purchase of a ticket.

Ticket offer is only valid on Tuesdays through September 1, 2009, at participating Minor League Baseball teams' home games. This deal is not available at Allentown, Dayton, Indianapolis, Lake Elsinore, Pasco, Portland, OR, Reno, Spokane, Tacoma and Vancouver.

Minor League games are just one way to save on America's favorite pastime. Read more ideas on how to save at the ballpark.

Five Store Brand Items I'm Not Afraid to Buy

2009-06-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Buying store brand items instead of name brands can be a real money saver.

It's definitely worth trying out because many times the store brands come with a money-back guarantee, so that if you don't like it, you can get a refund.

You're also not shelling a lot of cash out of pocket for the storebrand items - so if you don't like it, it won't break your budget. And who knows? You may find that you never go back to the name brand version again.

Here are five of the store brand items I regularly purchase:

1) Over-the-counter prescriptions. These work exactly the same as their name brand counterparts for about half the price. Watch the endcaps at Target, Walgreens, and Walmart and you just may find a really great clearance deal!

2) Milk. All milk tastes the same to me, so why spend a fortune on the name brand? Some of the best milk is a store brand I found at my local gas station for only $2.50 a gallon!

3) Diapers. I've had a decent experience with Target, Walmart and Walgreens storebrand diapers. They seem to compare quite nicely to more expensive diapers. Walgreens will frequently have great sales on their brand - or have a sale where you can get a package of the Walgreens brand for free when you buy Huggies or Pampers. This is a great way to tray them out.

4) Pasta. I put this in pretty much the same category as milk. If you're purchasing plain ordinary pasta, buy the store brand. Save up your coupons to buy the fancier whole-grain, fortified pastas on the market.

5) Cheese. We buy the storebrand cheese for using in recipes - such as casseroles, pizzas and quesadillas. When it's hidden in something, you will never notice it's not name brand cheese!

Of course, knowing your unit prices is critical when it comes to shopping wisely. You may find that with a coupon, you can get a name brand item for free or nearly free. If that's the case, then go for it! But if you find that an item you like rarely goes on sale or has a coupon, consider buying the storebrand. You may be pleasantly surprised.

What storebrand items do you buy?

Hot Deals at Caribou Coffee on Mondays

2009-06-29T07:00:00.001-05:00

Attention, Caribou Coffee lovers!

Caribou Coffee now has three special deals on Mondays.

You can get a medium Caribou Blend Coffee for $1, a medium White Chocolate Cold Press for $2, or a medium latte (hot or iced) for just $3 on Mondays only. No coupon is necessary.

Check with your local Caribou Coffee to see if they're participating in the "Happy Mondays" promotion.

And don't forget to sign-up for Caribou Coffee's e-mail list. You'll get a coupon for a free beverage on your birthday as well as other great deals!

YoBaby Yogurt Giveaway

2009-06-28T08:43:00.002-05:00

Please note: This giveaway is now closed. Please stay tuned for the announcement of the winner!

Want to give your baby a wholesome snack that will fill them up? Check out YoBaby Yogurt.

Stonyfield Farm's YoBaby yogurt is 100 percent all natural and certified organic. It's made with milk from cows fed organic feed and not treated with antibiotics or artificial growth hormones. And they've recently reformulated YoBaby to include vitamin D and zinc, which are known to boost immunity and promote the development of strong bones and teeth. It's whole milk yogurt for babies 6 months and older.

I wish I had introduced my boys to YoBaby when they were babies because I love that you can read the label and know what everything is. Instead my kids are addicted to yogurt that's full of unpronouncable names and high fructose corn syrup. Ugh.

But your baby could be different. You could have a YoBaby baby!

I'm giving away a YoBaby Yogurt Gift Basket to one lucky winner.

The gift basket will include the following:

A YoBaby bowl with lid
An organic YoBaby bib
Five coupons for FREE YoBaby

To enter my giveaway, simply fill out the form below before 11:59 p.m. CST on Tuesday, June 30. If you can't see the form, please click here. You must be a US Resident age 18 or older to be eligible. The information I collect will only be used to notify the winner. Please only enter once per household. Duplicate entries will be deleted.

I will randomly select one winner and notify that person by e-mail. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or I will pick another winner.

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Be sure to check out all the great things YoBaby is doing to ensure that your baby is getting a great product. While you're there, you can sign up for coupons. And if you're already a big fan of YoBaby - save those UPCs - just 4 UPCs and $2.99 shipping and handling will score you a free Eric Carle Very Hungry Caterpillar growth chart.

Disclosure: Stoneyfield Field Farm gave me two coupons for free YoBaby Yogurt in exchange for hosting this giveaway. Northern Cheapskate was not compensated in any other way for this post.

Sign up for Recall Notices

2009-06-27T08:11:00.002-05:00

One way to be a savvy consumer is to be aware of recalls. You need to make sure you know when a product you own is unsafe. And you need to know how to fix that problem so that you can make sure your money hasn't been wasted.

The easiest way to learn about product recalls is to sign up for e-mail alerts through the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC will send you daily e-mail alerts with the latest recalls.

This is how I found out one of my cribs had been recalled. I was able to return the crib to the store and replace it the same day. I was able to rest easy that night knowing that my baby was safe.

These alerts don't just cover baby gear. They cover everything from tools to coffeemakers to clothing. If you're considering buying something used, you may want to check out the CPSC website to make sure it hasn't been recalled.

If you're planning to sell your used items, you should read the CPSC Handbook for Resale Stores and Product Resellers. It's illegal to sell something that's been recalled, and this guide can help you determine what you can and can't sell. It's also a good resource if you're in the business of buying used goods.

It only takes a few minutes to sign up for the e-mail alerts, but the piece of mind is priceless.

Tips for Using Coupons During Summer Vacations

2009-06-26T07:00:00.002-05:00

The following is a guest post from Kathryn Vercillo of Promotionalcodes.org.uk.

Although a lot of people are smart about getting discounts when planning a trip (such as using voucher codes for flights) most people don’t think about making use of coupons during the days when they are actually on vacation. This is really unfortunate because coupon use during a trip can be one of the best ways to save money on a vacation.

Use the following tips to help you save money when using coupons during a vacation:

Plan to take some coupons with you on the trip. Smart coupon use during a vacation does require some advance planning. You’ll want to do some research to find coupons for all of the things that you might be doing during the trip. The top types of coupons to stock up on before a vacation are coupons for local attractions, coupons for restaurants and grocery stores that are in the area and coupons for transportation. Use a coupon organizer to make it easy to find what you’re looking for during the trip.

Ask for additional coupons everywhere that you go. You will also find that there are coupons available at your destination when you get there if you just ask around. The local visitor’s center is the best place to start. Also ask for coupons from the cashiers of any stores, restaurants or attractions that you visit. These people will know whether or not their place offers coupons and where you can get them.

Check the local newspapers. Another great place to get coupons when you are in a new destination is the local newspaper. Check the weekly papers as well as the daily papers. This is also a great way to learn about local events that you can check out!

Take your laptop or web-enabled mobile phone with you. Whenever you get to a store or attraction that you don’t already have a coupon for, check the Internet for a coupon code or printable coupon before you make the purchase. This is particularly a good idea when you find yourself suddenly having to shop for an item that you’ve forgotten (such as a swimsuit or umbrella) since these are often purchased at national chain stores which usually have coupons available online.

Give yourself plenty of time to compare prices on deals. One of the reasons that people fail to use coupons during a trip is because they feel rushed at every attraction and don’t want to take the time to deal with coupons. It can certainly be overwhelming to try to figure out if the daily special is more or less cost effective than the deal you get with your coupon. However, those savings are usually worth the time spent on them. Pad your itinerary with enough time to do this type of coupon comparison shopping at each destination on the trip.

Supplement your coupons with additional discounts. There are numerous discounts available to travelers and you shouldn’t forget about these just because you’re using coupons. Always ask for AAA, AARP, military and other discounts at hotels and attractions. You can also get some money back from the trip by purchasing everything on a credit card with a great cash back rewards program; just make sure that you pay that card off as soon as you get back from the trip to avoid interest charges!

Take coupons home with you from the trip. During your trip, there is a good chance that you’re going to pick up extra coupons. For example, the programs handed out at entertainment venues and theme parks are filled with coupons. You may also get new coupons with your receipts from places where you have just used a coupon. Don’t throw these out just because you’re on vacation. Take them home with you and see if they can be used there.

It’s tempting to leave our good coupon habits behind when we go on vacation. However, we end up being able to enjoy a lot more if we spend less money. Smart coupon use during our trips can help to make that happen. If you’re a true coupon lover, you’ll be able to enjoy this additional part of the vacation!

Kathryn Vercillo is a writer for Promotionalcodes.org.uk which gives away free voucher codes (like this la senza discount code) and also publishes money saving tips.

Winner of the FlipUltra Video Camera

2009-06-26T06:37:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all who entered my giveaway for the FlipUltra Video Camera courtesy of Lever2000 and the Make EveryTouch Count campaign. All of the submissions were great!

I've randomly selected a winner using random.org from the eligible entries.

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-06-26 12:42:29 UTC

And the winner is Patricia P.!!!! I've sent Patricia an e-mail and she now has 48 hours to respond or I will award the prize to someone else.

Thanks again to all who entered. Don't forget to grab the $1 off coupon for Lever2000.

And be sure to check out my giveaway for $100 to Alice.com - the hot new place to shop for household essentials (including Lever2000) online. There are five winners!

Freebies, Coupons, and Deals for You

2009-06-25T07:00:00.007-05:00

Here are a few of the goodies I've found for you this week.

Freebies
Free quart of Glidden paint today (6/25) only. Find out how at Mommy's Wish List.

Have you gotten your free chocolate from Mars yet? You can get a total of four free coupons per household so be sure to snag them all. Read more about it at Freebies 4 Mom.

Don't forget to sign up for the free photo editing class taught by Jessica Sprague. Deadline to register for this awesome, free, online course is June 28.

Sign up for the Betty Crocker newsletter (if you never have before!) and get a coupon for a free sample of YoPlait Whips yogurt.

Get free printable paper dolls from Patty Reed Designs. (Thanks, Freebies4Mom!)

Coupons
Find a whole collection of great coupons from Clean and Clear such as $2 off any Clean and Clear product, $5 off Clean and Clear Advantage Blackhead Eraser Exfoliating Cleanser, and $5 off the Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Control Kit.

Save $3 on ThermaCare Heat Wraps when you sign up for their special offers.

Save 50 cents on the new Suave Wild Cherry Blossom Body Wash.

Save $1 off Advil Liqui-gels.

Don't forget to check out all the other great printable coupons at Coupons.com and RedPlum, too!

Deals
Buy one sundae at Ben & Jerry's and get one free on Mondays only. This promotion runs through August! Be sure to check to make sure your local Ben & Jerry's is participating.

Looking to print a bunch of photos or have a photo gift in mind? Get a free poster ($10 value) or $5 off your order when spend $30 at Shutterfly.com. Use Promo Code: AF86-SAVE.

Saving Money at the Ball Park

2009-06-24T07:00:00.002-05:00

My husband and I recently attended a Minnesota Twins baseball game, something we haven't done in years.

I was pretty surprised at how expensive America's favorite pastime had become.

$5 for a hot dog?
$6.75 for a beer?
$15 for parking?

I can only imagine what it must cost to attend professional games at bigger venues.

We didn't really plan ahead for our venture to the ball park, but if I had to do it over again, here are some ways we could save money at the ball park.

Park away from the stadium and take a city bus to the game. The cost of bus fare is only a couple of bucks, versus the $15 to $20 we paid for parking for a weekday afternoon game.

Eat before you go. I know, I know... part of the fun atmosphere of the game is the food. But if you're looking to save money, this is an easy way to do it. You can also check with the stadium ahead of time to find out their policy on bringing your own food and beverages. You may find that you can bring snacks or water from home.

Watch for special deals. Many times there are special deals because of corporate sponsorships. You may get a great deal on hot dogs or free baseball souvenirs during certain games. Check your team's schedule to see what special events they're having.

Don't be afraid of the cheap seats. Sure, you're farther away from the action, but you 're still there. Just bring a pair of binoculars. And remember... you've got more money in your pocket.

What are some ways that you save at the big ball game?

Save Big and Win Big with Alice.com

2009-06-23T07:00:00.047-05:00

This giveaway is now closed. See the five winners here.

Alice.com has just launched and to celebrate they're giving FIVE lucky Northern Cheapskate readers $100 to spend at their new website!

Alice.com offers you a convenient way to shop for your household goods. You tell Alice what you buy—choosing from great deals on 1000’s of products—and Alice goes to work. Alice.com organizes all of your products, finds coupons and deals for you, reminds you when you might be running low, and helps you order just the items you need so you can avoid that trip to the corner drugstore or the big-box store.

And on top of all that, you get FREE shipping!

I recently got a chance to beta test Alice.com, and let me say this - I was a skeptic at first. You can buy groceries and household goods from Amazon and get free shipping, too. What makes Alice so different? And I'm a deal hunter. I like to get things for free or nearly free by using coupons. What does Alice have to offer shoppers like me?

But after I tried it out over the last couple of weeks, I saw how unique the Alice shopping experience is! First off, the prices are terrific - they're similar to big-box retailers but without the crowds. And finding coupons to use is a cinch. Alice automatically applies them to help you save. I love how easy it is to find what I'm looking for and get a great deal, too.

Because Alice help you plan your purchases, it can help you budget and focus your spending, and you'll avoid impulse purchases at the store.

There's no minimum dollar amount to spend before you get free shipping, unlike other services.

Alice also has an affiliate program. When you refer new members, you get 3 percent of the new member's orders for up to one year. In addition, the new member also gets a $10 credit in their Alice account once they've spent at least $50 on the site.

Alice is a great way to shop for busy families, people who are homebound, or folks who live in rural areas. As the cost of gas goes up and life gets busier, Alice can help you save time and money.

I want to show you how Alice can help you save money! So I'm giving FIVE lucky readers $100 to spend at Alice.

To enter, sign up for a free account at Alice. Then return here and fill out the form below before 11:59 a.m. Monday, June 29. If you can't see the form, click here. You must be 18 years of age or older and a US Resident to be eligible for this giveaway. One entry per household please. Duplicate entries will be deleted! The information I collect will only be used to contact the winners. You must have an Alice account to accept your prize if you win.

I'll randomly draw five winners and announce them here. I'll also e-mail the winners. Winners will have 48 hours to respond or I will choose new winners.

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Just for fun, please share what you would buy at Alice if you had $100 to spend there. Please note, that commenting on this post does not count as an entry for the giveaway. You must fill out the form to be entered for the giveaway.

Disclosure: Following my beta test of Alice.com, Alice offered five readers of Northern Cheapskate a $100 credit to be spent at Alice.com. Alice.com did not compensate me in any other way for this review or giveaway. The links to Alice in this post are affiliate links (see terms of the affiliate program above). My review of this service is my own honest opinion based on my personal experience and was not reviewed or edited by Alice.com.

Sign up for a Free Photo Editing Class

2009-06-22T05:56:00.000-05:00

Looking to spruce up your photo editing skills? Always wanted to do fun stuff with your digital photos but didn't know how?

Well, now you can learn. Jessica Sprague, a contributing editor to Creating Keepsakes magazine is offering a FREE instructor-led photo editing class.

Photo Editing: Frame-ups and Special Effects is a two-week online class that is designed for all skill levels. You need to have a copy of Photoshop or Photoshop. Elements for the class, but don't worry if you don't have that, you can download a 30-day free trial!

Here's some of what you'll learn about: brushes, frames, masks, textures, blending modes, filters and more. You'll learn how to make worn edges, rounded corners and get those dreamy, vintage soft light looks that are so adorable.

In addition to the FREE class, you'll also receive a free digital design kit from Houseof3.com.

The class works like this: each day you'll get an e-mail from Jessica Sprague that introduces new techniques and tells you how to access the instructional content. There will be video, an online forum, and a gallery to share your work.

You don't have to be online at a set time. If life gets too busy, the course materials (as well as the free kit), will be accessible to you at any time, forever!

You must register for the class at JessicaSprague.com during June 22-28 to be able to take the free photo editing class. Free registration ends June 28. Once you've signed up, you'll be sent additional information on how to access the class. Class officially starts July 6 and runs two weeks.

To sign up for the class just log in to your account (or create one - it's free!) then click here and enter the code: FREECLASS062009 to be automatically registered! Then check out the class introduction in your "My Classes" link in the main menu.

The free class is just one of the many freebies that are part of Jessica Sprague's two-year anniversary celebration. For more information visit JessicaSprague.com.

I'm very excited about this class because I've taken one of Jessica Sprague's online classes before and it was phenomenal. I learned lots of neat new tricks in Photoshop Elements, and I loved how well Jessica presented all the information and made it easy to go back and review!

I have no doubt that this free class will be just as much fun.

Enjoy!

Winners of the $25 TJ Maxx & Marshalls Gift Cards

2009-06-21T21:23:00.001-05:00

Judging from all of the comments and entries, you guys really need to give yourselves some permission to shop!

It's good to be frugal and watch your pennies, but it's good to treat yourself a little. Just be responsible about it.

Anyway... I've selected two winners from my TJ Maxx/Marshalls Gift Card giveaway using the integer generator at Random.org.

Here are your random numbers:

381 76

Timestamp: 2009-06-22 02:04:58 UTC

The winner of the $25 TJ Maxx gift card is Andi E.

The winner of the $25 Marshalls gift card is Patti L.

Not sure if you've won? Check your e-mail! I've sent the winners an e-mail. Winners will have 48 hours to respond to the e-mail. If I don't hear from a winner, I will draw a new one.

Thanks to all of you who entered and/or commented! Stay tuned for some more great giveaways coming up at Northern Cheapskate!

Frugal Reading for a Sunday afternoon

2009-06-21T15:35:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week, so why don't you relax with a few great frugal reads?

Check out the Festival of Frugality at Stupid Cents. Lots of wonderful writing with a fun, Transformers theme. And you thought personal finance was boring? Think again!

I don't have a garden yet, I still haven't landscaped, but I enjoyed "How to Compost Without Raising a Stink" at Squawkfox.

I love the strategy behind "A Deal-Collecting E-mail Address" by The Simple Dollar. My inbox is full of temptation everyday - maybe I should try this approach.

Big news for Minnesotans: Target stores are now pricematching! Read all the details at Pocket Your Dollars.

And finally.... this wonderful "Simple Guide to Keeping Your Counters Clutter-Free" from Zen Habits.