Money Saving Tip #198: Pictures with Santa

If you are a parent of young children, chances are you love getting your child's photo taken with Santa Claus every Christmas season.  I am no exception!  If you take your kid(s) to the local mall to get their photo taken, you will be forced to purchase their photo package.  Their photo packages usually start at around $20-30 for one sheet of photos.  And, they don't let you take your own photos unless you buy theirs.  The other HUGE drawback to the mall Santa is that you are forced to wait in a huge line.  If your kids are young, they will probably get tired and cranky just before you get to the front of the line. 

Instead of rushing to the mall for your Santa pics, turn to your local community instead.  Just this morning, I passed a Christmas tree lot that advertised Santa pics.  You can find local churches and community centers that host a Santa event for a fraction of the cost or free. 

Last year, one of our local high schools hosted a Breakfast with Santa event to raise money for the band.  For $5 per child, each of my kids got a pancake breakfast plus an individual photo with Santa.  So, for $15 all my kids had a breakfast, and I got 3 photos.  This year, we went to our local Parks and Recreation Center and paid $10 for all the kids to get their photo taken plus access to the craft show.  Plus, I took about a dozen of my own photos on my camera. 

Money Saving Tip #197: Grocery Shop with a Calculator

Inside my coupon folder, I keep a small calculator.  I use this calculator whenever I do my grocery shopping.  I use it to determine the price of an item when there is a certain percentage off.  And, I use it to compare prices. 

When I compare prices, I look at the quantity of the product in the package.  Using the ounces on the product, I can determine the cost of that item per ounce.  Then, I select another similar item.  Using my calculator, I can figure out how much I would be paying per ounce.  Here is an example:

Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt 32 ounces:  $2.34 each = $0.07 per ounce
Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt 6 ounces:  $0.60 each = $0.10 per ounce

Based on my math above, it is cheaper per ounce for me to buy the larger yogurt.  I should buy one large yogurt container rather than 6 individual yogurt containers.  You should do this comparing two similar brands too (Jiff vs. Skippy peanut butter).

Money Saving Tip #196: Stop Going to the ATM

If you visit an ATM at a bank other than yours, you will be paying several extra fees just to get your own money.  The bank that you visit may charge you about $3.00 just to use their ATM, plus your own bank will then charge you another $3.00 because you used another bank. 

Imaging this:  If you withdrew $20.00 from another bank's ATM, this transaction can cost you about $26.00. 

Rather than going to another bank's ATM, go to a grocery store instead to get some cash.  Go to the checkout with a very inexpensive item (one banana, a pack of gum, candy bar, $1.00 nail polish, etc.).  Swipe your debit card and select the amount of money you want for cash back.  There are no extra fees plus you will have gotten at least something for your purchase!

Money Saving Tip #195: Stop Tanning

Visiting the local tanning salon can cost you a lot of money and can be unhealthy.  Like a gym club, many tanning salons want you to join some sort of membership.  You don't need to sport a glowing, beach tan year round.  Save the money.  If you insist on having a darker shade, consider those tanning lotions made by Jergens, Aveeno, and many other brands.  The benefit to these products is that you cannot get skin cancer from them, and the tan you receive is gradual.  Many tanning lotions look completely natural without that organge look. 

Money Saving Tip #194: FREE Checking

If you are paying any fees to keep your checking account open, you are paying too much.  Some banks offer 100% FREE checking with no fees for use of their Debit Cards.  These banks even offer free online banking.  If your bank charges you a fee, shop around.  Most credit unions don't charge any fees for their checking accounts. 

My bank doesn't have any fees for my checking account as long as I have my paycheck direct deposited. 

Money Saving Tip #193: Buy Generic Drugs

When it comes time to getting a prescription filled or buying a medication over-the-counter, go for the generic or store brands.  The formulas will be the same (or very similar) to the national brand.  And, they will work just as effectively.  Depending on the prescription you purchase, your savings could be substantial. 

Store brand over-the-counter medications usually have the exactly same ingredients.  Read the label.  I save about $9.00 for my husband's sinus medication.  We buy the store brand product rather than the national brand.  After reading the labels comparing the products, I found that it was the same product.  The only difference was the packaging. 

Money Saving Tip #192: Stop or Reduce your Cigarette Smoking

It probably doesn't seem like much money to spend $4.00 for a pack of cigarettes, but that money quickly adds up.  If you smoke one pack per day, you are spending $1,460.00 per year on those little cancer sticks.  Having never been a smoker myself, it's easy for me to suggest that you quit.  But, I know it's not that simple. 

If you cannot quit cold turkey, try gradually reducing the number of cigarettes you smoke per day.  If you normally smoke 20 cigarettes per day, cut back to 18 per day for a week or so.  After that time, cut back another 1-2 cigarettes per day.  Cutting back to 15 cigarettes per day can save you hundreds of dollars every year. 

Money Saving Tip #191: Changing Your Engine Oil

Most of us grew up knowing that we had to get an oil change on our vehicles every 3,000 miles.  However, many cars can go much longer.  Check the owner's manual for your vehicle.  You may be surprised to find that your vehicle can go 5,000-7,500 between every oil change. 

I work for a business that provides company cars.  We get our oil changed every 7,500 miles. 

Money Saving Tip #190: Body Wash vs. Bar Soap

Whether to use body wash or a bar of soap is a matter of personal preference.  Some people swear by their speciality body wash and scrubbing loufa.  Some people (like my husband) are happy using whatever bar of soap I put in the shower.  When crunching numbers though, the bar of soap is significantly cheaper than the body wash.  You can still get nice, moisturizing soap in a bar for a lot less than the body wash. 

Don't compare prices of body wash to a bar of soap.  You use far more body wash per shower than you use of a bar of soap. 

I have discovered a bar of olive oil soap at my speciality nutrition store.  Though I paid a little less than $3.00 for that one bar, it lasts 3-4 times as long as a traditional bar of soap.  The bonus to this soap is that it is all organic and only contains 3 ingredients. 

Money Saving Tip #189: Leaves: Good and Bad

Now that fall is here, what will you do with all those leaves?  Some of you don't have to rake, but some of you do.  Because of the landscape of our yard and the types of trees on our property, my husband has to rake every fall.  In some cases, those leaves can be an asset to you.  But, at other times, it could ruin your property. 

Good Leaves:  Use leaves to insulate your flower beds.  The extra layer of leaves act as a blanket for those times when the temperatures get really cold or freezing. 

Bad Leaves:  Leaving leaves on your grass could kill it.  Be sure to rake all the leaves from your lawn.  Also, leaves can stain your driveway if they are left during rain.  Use a leaf-blower to get all the leaves off your cement.

Money Saving Tip #188: How to Wash your Sponge

Rather than tossing your dish sponge every week or so, get more life out of it.  Run it through your dishwasher with the "heated dry" setting.  Or, microwave your wet sponge in the microwave for one minute on high.  Or, soak it for 5 minutes in a mixture of 3/4 cup bleach and 1 gallon of water. 

If you decide to use the bleach and water method, get more use out of the water.  Use the mixture to sanitize your children's plastic toys, clean your kitchen cupboards, wipe your floors, etc.  Don't just toss it once you have cleaned the sponge.

Money Saving Tip #187: Pack your Freezer

Your freezer keeps it's temperature and uses less energy when it is filled with other frozen items.  All those other frozen items help keep each other frozen.  If you don't have a lot of frozen food in your freezer, fill up empty milk cartons with water and store them in the freezer.  Doing this will cause your freezer to run less meaning a little savings for you. 

Money Saving Tip #186: Storing Fruit and Veggies in the Refrigerator

Where to store fruit and vegetables varies between person to person and generation to generation.  To get the most out of your produce, store most vegetables in the high-humidity drawer in your refrigerator.  Most of your fruits should be stored in the lower-humidity drawer. 

Don't mix your fruit and vegetables together.  The gases from one type of produce may cause the others to ripe much more quickly.  I have a separate basket for my bananas and onions that I store on my counter.