Even before I was laid off, I always tried to look for ways to stretch my pennies. I'm never one to buy full retail if I can help it. It sometimes means a little homework before a purchase but in the end it may save me as much as 60% on things that I use everyday. Now that I really have to keep a close eye on my budget, cutting back on some things that I can live without, I am constantly looking for ways to help keep my bank account out of the red. As a single parent, it always seems that no matter how careful you are, things pop up that challenges your cash flow. The internet is a fantastic place to find websites that promote frugality, budget tips and coupon deals to help with the every day purchasing. Most are free and just need an email to sign up for them. They usually consist of downloadable coupons, or will scour the weekly local ads and publish the best deals on products.
One of my favorites are http://moneysavingmom.com/. It is basically run by readers who find deals and freebies from all over the country. It also helps with meal planning and budget suggestions. I love how the web site is set up. It's very informative and positive. It includes coupons, recipes and resources for those who homeschool. I just love this site.
Another of my favorites is http://www.ebates.com/. It is basically a website that after you sign up, you do your normal shopping (i.e. walmart, target, etc) through the website. After your purchase, they will rebate you back a percentage (4% or more) and will mail you a check. You can order something for walmart, have it sent to the store if it isnt in stock and you get a rebate back on top of it all. Plus they offer codes to use for extra discounts or buy one get one free deals for the same stores. There are a ton of stores to choose from.
The last deal I got from there was a restaurant coupon from Restaurant.com. For $4 I got a $25 gift certificate to a local italian restaurant, plus a rebate from ebates for 60 cents. Not bad!
If you live in the Kansas City area, there are a couple of locally run websites that offer deals of the day. I'm sure each metropolitan area offers such local sites. The ones I love to use are muncharoo.com and dealbug.com. They mail you each day a different deal from a local business. It can range from a restaurant discount to teeth whitening. It is also free.
One other creative method that works especially for services is bartering. For instance if you know how to cook really well, offer a few dinners to go for some lawn service. Or offer to help do some sewing for window washing. Or offer some tax help if you are good with taxes in exchange for an oil change. Look around. Use your skills in exchange for services. Or if you are really good at cleaning, offer a cleaning session in exchange for a discount for something else. I have a friend who painted her lawyer's house on the inside in exchange for some of the lawyer's fees. Don't be afraid to approach someone you know who can do a job for you and offer a barter. There are also formal barter websites that you can find on the internet. The only thing with those is be cautious and do your research on the quality of the barters.
You just have to be creative. Sometimes during your creative moods, something like an idea might occur that you can actually build a business on. So look at it as a positive outlet to be active on that will also help you during these lean times.
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