Coupon Savings…Not!

I learned my lesson yesterday about coupons. I had $5 to $6 worth of
coupons to use at Wal-Mart, and when I got home, I looked at the receipt
and realized the cashier never entered my coupons so I was out the
money and the coupons! It would have cost me more in gas to drive back to
the store to complain than the coupons were worth. Now I will not only
pay attention to the change I receive from cashiers, but I will also
make sure they enter the coupons I give them. No more feeling rushed
through the line for me.
Shannon in PA

Roll-Over?

Please tell your readers to make sure to find out if their HSA plan
will rollover from year to year. Mine does not, and the monies saved must
be used by March of the following year or are forfeited. It’s still a
useful plan for covering deductibles, but be careful or you can lose
money.
Cresanna

It’s Nice to Be Wanted

Keep your eyes peeled for weekly flyers from pharmacy/grocery stores
with pharmacies inside. Many of them are competing for your prescription
business and will have promotions for a free gift card with a
transferred or new prescription.

I frequently transfer my prescription back and forth, pay my
prescription cost of $5, and end up with a gift card for free groceries or items
at Walgreens or CVS in the amount of usually $25-$30! I’ve probably
amassed close to $300 in free groceries/merchandise this way and always
feel great about the savings.
Christina B.

Freezer Find-It

I stockpile meat when it is on sale. I could never find
anything in my upright freezer, so I bought four plastic bins (we used
to call them dishpans) at Wal-Mart and labeled each one with a
different name: beef, pork, poultry, and vegetables. We put each on a different
shelf in the freezer and divided the items into the appropriate bin.
Half of the shelf is still available for larger items, such as turkeys
or a large roast. Wire bins would be better, but I could not find them
at the time. I have one that I got at garage sale. I use it for
miscellaneous items, so I can see what is in it at a glance.

I also date everything that I put in my freezer. When I buy new items,
I move the older dates to the top. Because I buy meat only on sale, I
am often able to share what I have in my freezer with my grown children.

Sharon C.

Can Opener Maintenance

Manual can openers always seem to get balky over time. When mine no
longer operates smoothly, I spritz the gear area with flavor-free cooking
spray before each use. The “lubrication” makes turning the handle much
easier, and the cooking spray is safe to use. I always make sure to
wash the can opener thoroughly afterwards.
Lynn in Dallas

Volunteer Savings

I have just found a dynamite way to save money. Volunteer in a thrift
store. The one I work in is “manned” mostly by women except for one man
who comes in on the weekend to check out the electrical donations and
make small repairs. We have some folks who work two four-hour shifts per
week and are on call for emergencies. We also have some that only work
a few hours occasionally. But we all get the 10% discount and
sometimes 50%. The problem I have now is that I am spending too much money! Of
course, I’m very well dressed, have a couple of pieces of jewelry I
have longed for, and have canes and a walker for bad days. All bought at
extremely low prices.
Judith D.

“Upscale” Garage Sales

Don’t forget to visit yard sales in upscale neighborhoods. I recently
came across one in my area that offered several new unopened lotion gift
baskets, similar to the ones that retail for $20-$30 at those body
lotion stores at the mall. They were marked for $5 each, so I bought all
that the woman had for sale. The next time an unexpected emergency
present was needed, there was no need to shop out of desperation, which
often results in a more expensive gift.
Cindy

The Bathroom Bag

Bathroom space at a premium? Place each family member’s personal
grooming items into a small drawstring bag or, for the children, a sand-pail.
Keep each person’s items in their own bedroom; they can carry their
bag or pail to the bathroom and then back to their bedroom when finished
in the bathroom. It cuts down on the space that is needed in the
bathroom and frees up space for the towels, tissues, etc.
WC

Website Patience

A lot of company websites have a sale of the day or web only sales. If
there is something you see that you like in a catalog, check out their
website. If you are willing to be patient, you will often be able to
get it at a greatly reduced price. I got a pair of Ugg slippers for $35.
They are usually $70.
Mary Z. in Woods Hole, MA

In an Emergency…

I have a terrible time remembering the names and dosage of the
medications I take. In the event of an emergency, I would not be able to notify
medical personnel of my medications. I’ve found that the pharmacy
prints extra labels with the name and dosage of each medication along with
my physician’s name, address and phone number. I place these stickers
(about the size of a return address label) on a card in my wallet. If
there are any dosage changes, I just place the new sticker over the old.
This helps me keep track of all my medications.
Mary in St. Joseph, MO
Gary Foreman
The Dollar Stretcher
gary@stretcher.com