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Smart Ways to Save on a Wedding

by Wanda on April 20, 2016

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Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life and everything just has to be perfect! The only problem with the perfect wedding is that it’s insanely expensive, right? Wrong! Of course what truly matters is that you marry the one you love and that the important people in your life are there to share the occasion with you, but it’s not wrong to want the perfect party, and you can definitely have that without spending like crazy! Here are some smart ways to save on a wedding:

  • Limit the guest list. You don’t have to invite everyone you say “hello” to, or your best friend from high school if you no longer have anything to do with her. The number of guests makes a difference in price, so invite only your nearest and dearest.
  • Plan for off-peak season. There’s nothing wrong with a wedding in October and it will likely cost less than the same party in June.
  • Get married on Friday or Sunday. Those days are cheaper than Saturday.
  • Don’t splurge on flowers. Using flowers that are less expensive and filling in with more greenery can be just as beautiful.
  • Use flowers that are in season. Always cheaper than importing from halfway around the world.
  • Serve just beer and wine. No need for a full bar.
  • Single-page invitations. These are less expensive to begin with, and you’ll save on postage.
  • Save on photography. Hire a student, or ask a photographer you admire to recommend an associate who might charge less.
  • Skip a sit-down dinner. Have a less formal affair with just drinks and appetizers, or a buffet for significant savings.
  • Skip the cake. 
  • Don’t limit yourself to a bridal gown. You can still wear a beautiful white gown, but you’ll save if you buy a prom or bridesmaid’s gown.
  • Don’t buy a new gown. Save a lot by buying from a resale shop or look into renting a bridal gown. You’ll only wear it once, anyway.
  • Prioritize. Decide what’s most important to you. Spend your money on that and cut corners on other things.
  • Don’t use seating cards. You won’t need them at all if you don’t have a sit-down meal, but if you do, make a decorative seating chart instead of individual cards.
  • Save on music. Get students from a local music school and save a lot.
  • Hire a small band. Or hire a DJ and don’t have a band at all.
  • Skip favors. Or have your favors double as seating cards.

These little changes can get you some significant savings and you’ll still have a beautiful wedding.

Gerber Baby Nutrition Kit

by Wanda on April 19, 2016

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Newborns need the proper nutrition to ensure their growth and development, and luckily, Gerber is there for you. Click here to find out how to get a free Gerber Baby Nutrition Kit, which includes lots of information, samples, and coupons!

Colgate Coupons

by Wanda on April 18, 2016

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Colgate can help keep your mouth in top shape. Click here for money-saving Colgate coupons!

Small Ways To Save That Add Up

by Wanda on April 17, 2016

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Saving money can be hard. Whether you’re saving up for something big, trying to build a nest egg, or planning for retirement, it always feels like a real challenge to put money away! It shouldn’t have to be that hard, and the secret is that there are many small ways to save that really do add up. Here are 20 small ways to save that add up – really!

  1. 401 k. If your employer matches only a little of your contribution, your earnings by the end of the year will still be pretty impressive. Plus, since you can defer taxes on your 401 k there will be more in your paycheck now.
  2. Raise insurance deductibles. Yes, it’s a gamble, but you’ll lower your monthly or quarterly expenses by decreasing your premiums.
  3. Get a library card. Don’t spend money on books and movies! Borrow them for free from the library. Another idea is to swap with friends.
  4. Pay off credit card debt. Figure out what you can manage and don’t spend your money on interest.
  5. Get a credit card with rewards. Let the money you spend work for you!
  6. Program your thermostat. This will help you save a lot on energy costs. Sealing and insulating your home helps a lot, too.
  7. Cook your  meals at home. Eating dinner at home and brown bagging for lunch will save you a lot! Plan your meals around supermarket specials to save even more.
  8. Make shopping lists. And stick to them!
  9. Enjoy free entertainment. Every town and city holds many free events all year- lots of them for kids, too.
  10. Buy seasonal items at the end of the season. Get your Christmas decorations for next year after Christmas, buy your costumes after Halloween, and save a lot by buying clothing when it goes on sale at the end of the season.
  11. Buy generic brands. Don’t pay for fancy packaging and advertising when many generic products are just as good as the expensive brands.
  12. Stay away from the mall. We all know the temptation is too great!
  13. Take up gardening. Gardening is a pleasurable and inexpensive hobby, plus you get all that free produce.
  14. Carpool. You’ll save on gas and wear-and-tear on your car.
  15. Cancel services you don’t use. Take a long hard look at the services and subscriptions you pay for; how may of them do you actually use? Don’t pay for things you’re not using.
  16. Coupons. Use coupons to save money on food, clothing, appliances, and virtually everything. Clip them from your local paper or search for them online.
  17. Exercise outside. Go for a long walk or run outside instead of paying for gym membership.
  18. Make your own coffee. You can brew coffee at home for pennies instead of the hefty markup you pay in coffee shops. But make sure to treat yourself once in a while!
  19. DIY. Make your own gifts, food, beauty products, and cleaning products for far less than what you’ll spend in the store. Get lots of good ideas from Pinterest.
  20. Save change. What do you do with the change that collects in your car or your pockets? Put aside a special jar and deposit all the coins in there every night. Count it up every month and be surprised at how much you’ve put together!

See? You can save up without making major lifestyle changes! Try all or some of these ideas and see what a difference it makes to your wallet.

Clorox Coupon

by Wanda on April 16, 2016

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Clorox is your greatest weapon for removing stains! Click here to find out how to get a Clorox coupon for $1.00 off when you try Bleach Crystals or Bleach Packs.

Payless Shoes Coupon

by Wanda on April 15, 2016

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Save on new shoes for spring! Click here for 25% off everything in-store and online, plus BOGO deals. Use your Payless Shoes coupon before April 18 for big springtime savings!

Listerine Coupons

by Wanda on April 14, 2016

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Oral health is important to your overall health, so make sure you have the best products – like Listerine! Click here for Listerine coupons and save up to $3.00 on your choice of mouthwash and floss products.

National Make Lunch Count Day

by Wanda on April 13, 2016

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April 13 is National Make Lunch Count Day and that’s an important one. Every day is a national something day, and National Ice Cream Sunday Day and National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day are important ones, too, of course. I mean, ice cream sundaes and chocolate chip cookies! But lots of us don’t realize how important it is to make lunch count, or we do realize, but don’t have the time to do too much about it.

I know there’s a certain point in the middle of the day where I start running out of steam, and that’s when I know I need to eat lunch. But sometimes I’m on the run, or I’m too busy, or there’s some other reason that all I can do is grab something stupid just to tide me over, knowing that I’m not really getting the nutrition I need from my lunch. So, for National Make Lunch Count Day, here are a few ideas and recipes that make it easy to prepare a lunch that counts, even when you’re busy.

Mason Jar Salads: These have been popular for a while now, and they’re genius! The idea is to layer the ingredients in advance- the night before, or even at the beginning of the week- and then grab and go. The combinations are endless, but here are a few that sound especially delicious:

Healthy Taco Salad

Asian Noodle Salad Jars

Caprese Salad In A Jar

Mango Black Bean Mason Jar Salad

Greek Mason Jar Salad

Healthy Sandwiches: A sandwich is always easy to eat on the go; it’s easy to transport and easy to eat with one hand when you’re really busy. In order to make it count, make sure to include healthy and nutritious fillings. You can experiment with any ingredients here, too, but here are some to get you started:

Grilled Portobello and Goat Cheese Sandwich

Red Onion and Kalamata Tuna Sandwich

Egg White and Avocado Salad Sandwich

Basil Chicken Salad with Mushrooms, Walnuts, and Avocado on Whole Grain Bread 

Spicy Carrot and Hummus Sandwich

Smoothies: A smoothie can be the perfect lunch on the go as long as the components are nutritious. Be sure to include healthy protein and fat, in order to make you feel satisfied and keep your blood sugar steady. Protein powder, Greek yogurt, and nut butters will do the trick.

Some other tips for making lunch count:

  • Don’t eat too much or you’ll feel tired and sluggish.
  • Change it up from day to day so you get a variety of nutrients and don’t get bored.
  • Make sure you have a healthy balance of protein, healthy fat, and carbs.

Making lunch count will make you more productive during the second part of your day, and it will also help you lose or maintain your weight since you won’t be starving at dinner time. Give it a try and see the results!