Money Saving Tips (national, sale, items, best)

[dmills]

Originally Posted by bls5555

Just buy the 1.75 liter of Viaka Vodka for $10!

Don't mix it with anything, just take shots. It really tastes like s--t so you will force yourself to drink it really really quickly, thus leaving you really messed up and wishing you were dead! Job done for very little money!!!! In all likelihood the next morning you will never want to drink again saving yourself even MORE money

This gets the "post of the year" for sure.

[tickyul]

Buying marked down meat then freezing it.

[slackjaw]

Originally Posted by tickyul

Buying marked down meat then freezing it.

Winner.

Often "marked down" means in packages big enough to have a cookout for the entire neighborhood, but if you've got the space in the freezer then buy big bulk and take the time to remove each piece of meat to individually wrap tightly in plastic wrap to prevent burn.

Just last week we defrosted and cooked a turkey that we bought right after Thanksgiving when they were going super cheap.

[FW transplant]

Eat more veggies, fruit, yogurt, and less meat. Dilute juices with flavored carbonated water, which reduces calories, too. Electric blankets to keep heat low overnight. Library rather than buy books, DVDs or CDs. Buy used exercise equipment. Watch sports on TV rather than attend games. Attach blackout, insulated lining to window treatments.

[civic94]

Originally Posted by DanielleNC

If you actually are going to go out to eat this is a great site:
Restaurants.com - global restaurant guide

I get a lot of emails from them with the $25 certificates that cost $10 being 70% and 80% off. So you only spend $2 or $3 for a $25 certificate! When we do go out to eat we take advandtage of these huge discounts.

I too know about these, paying 3 bucks for a 25 certificate, but the thing is that you must spend 35 bucks on a meal. so 3 dollars to buy it, another 10 that you spend to make it up to the 35, so your basically spending 13 dollars for 35 dollars worth of food.. but to most restaurants, their food costs are about 30% or less, so it costs them 10.50 worth of food for your 13 bucks. they still at least beak even, the 2.50 difference goes to the website for the promo, and maybe napkins, water, etc.

these coupons are only for dinner, so it usually means restaurants can jack up the price a little bit, which means food costs are probably 28%.

also all of the coupons are dine in only, which means you have to tip. no take outs (no tipping)

This is pretty much bottom line for the restaurants, if they dont do these promos, they have no business. if they do, they are hopeing that the average customers buy more than 35 bucks, maybe 40 or more, so thats where they make some money, rather than nothing. and of course, tipping the wait staff, that keeps them employed. most of the resturaunts say 18% grat is applied prior to discount, so yes, they are making tiny money.

on the customers end, you are paying 13 bucks + tips @ 18%, lets just say 5 bucks tips. so, its 18 bucks to eat 10.50 worth of food cost, so its still costs more for the customer.

sorry to sound like a cheap skate, but I have many relatives that own restaurants, and i know how to read a balance sheet, food cost, etc. of a restaurant. these resturaunts or any kind of business will not do business that loose even a penny on a sales transaction. Its a good idea if you and another person want to eat out and enjoy, but money wise, it still costs more.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by FW transplant

Eat more veggies, fruit, yogurt, and less meat.

I pay 69c a pound for frozen chicken leg quarters, and no more than a dollar a pound for organ meats. Beef liver and heart about 1.50 a pound, and pork is often that cheap on special. One pound can of mackerel about 1.50. The only veggies I can get that cheap are onions, carrots and potatoes. Besides citrus in season, fruits are unheard of at less than 1.50 a pound.

[Starr.R]

Originally Posted by JDJeep98

In our case it's coupons, coupons, coupons. My wife bought about $200 worth of groceries the other day for about $110! I was so proud! Anyone else?

It's coupons for us, too. I love to see how much $ I can save; it's like a game. Never go to the grocery store (or a restaurant, like Boston Market) without them. Here's some I found just tonight:


coupons worth $10.00 in savings by mail.
BounceCare.com: Coupons

coupon for $2.00 off Febreze Laundry Odor Eliminator, as well as $10 in coupons for other oneCARE products via regular mail.
NewFebreze.com: Coupons

Fill in the form to receive coupons for $3.00 in savings from Tide®.
TideCare.com: Coupons

Cottonelle® Coupons. Follow the prompts to print your coupon(s).
https://www.cottonelle.com/coupons.aspx

[janacanada]

-We use coupons like crazy
-Shop at a weekly food warehouse "market"
-Buy clothing from thrift stores, garage sales, children's swap meets, and in the clearance sections of our favourite stores.
-We barter things we;ve gotten for free or very cheap from using coupons for farm fresh eggs
- We freeze cheese when it's marked down or if there is a really good sale, we stock up a bit and freeze it.
- We bring food with us as much as possible when we go out of the house.
- And something a little cheeky; we buy salmon from people who aren't supposed to be selling it

[NJBOSCH]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

Would I rather watch TV:

(a)... on my 50 inch HD plasma with my surround sound system while I relax in my leather recliner, or
(b)... would I rather watch it on a 19 inch monitor while sitting at my desk in my office chair?

If I chose (b) somebody please kill me as I have obviously sunk below the "no hope" point.

You can watch Internet content on your television.

[LittleDolphin]

Have a "swap" with your friends and neighbors---books, tools, linens, clothes, small appliances, CD's, bikes, recreational & sporting equipment...whatever you aren't using...everyone gets new things, no money exchanges hands...it takes some organizing but is fun. Great for Spring cleaning of garages, attics, barns, closets, and basements...