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Getting the Most for Your Money March 12, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in Budget Smart Cook.
Tags: bargain priced foods, budget friendly foods, foods that are good for you, March-nutrition month
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March is National Nutrition Month. Many people think if you’re on a budget you can’t get healthy foods. I’ve never thought that was true. There are some foods that are inexpensive yet still provide good nutrition.

Here are a few of my favorites-

Eggs
When it comes to perfect nutrition, eggs just about have it all. Protein, B vitamins, most notably B12 and B2, vitamins A and D, iron, choline and phosphorus. And they’re low in calories.
Eggs are just about one of the best buys in the supermarket, on average they’re about $2.79 a dozen. That being said, and this is my personal preference, I always opt to pay a bit more and go with the cage free/organic variety They cost about 70 cents a dozen more but they’re still a great bargain because I usually get about two or sometimes three meals from one box.
And if you think eggs are just food for breakfast, you’re missing out on lots of options. One of my favorite lunches is a curried egg salad… chopped hard-boiled eggs, curry powder, mayonnaise and mango chutney. Serve it with pita bread and a side of fruit salad (kiwis, strawberries and grapes) and you’ve got a healthy and quick lunchtime treat. One of my favorite easy dinner recipes is a frittata, eggs mixed with sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, maybe some spinach, baked in the oven and top with cheese. Another one of my favorite quick meals is egg and bean burritos. Scrambled eggs, black beans and salsa rolled in a tortilla, and topped with chopped tomatoes and sour cream.

Beans
When it comes to nutrition and value for money, beans get an A+. They’re high in B vitamins and fiber, and all for just pennies a serving. They’re also easy to add to every day dishes. Plus, with so much variety, you’ll never get bored. Try adding them to soups and stews and using less meat. Also, you can make bean burritos, tacos, and even bean dips. Canned beans always seem to be on sale. However, if you want to save even more money, here’s what I do. Buy dried beans from the bulk bins, soak them overnight and then cook them in the slow cooker. When they’re done I freeze them so I’ve always got a supply for chili, soups, bean burgers etc.

Oats
Oats are low in fat and an excellent source of fiber. It’s also another item you can buy from the bulk bins. In fact, oatmeal is one of the cheapest breakfasts you can make. I know not everyone likes oatmeal, but I’ve found just about anyone, even children will eat it if you add things like dried fruit and honey. And try adding oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs next time you make a meatloaf, or use it as a topping along with nuts for fruit desserts.

Broccoli
It’s great for your immune system and supports cardiovascular health. And like most produce is on sale at least once a month. When it is we eat fresh broccoli for dinner. On the weeks when it’s not, I can guarantee I’ll find a coupon for frozen vegetables at the very same time the store is running a special on frozen veggies. That’s the time I stock up on frozen broccoli.

Salmon
I’ll admit that salmon isn’t always cheap. If your budget can’t stretch to fresh salmon, maybe eat it just once a month and for the rest of the time try the canned variety. Salmon can be used in place of tuna, added to sandwiches, and a great way to use leftover mashed potatoes is to make salmon fishcakes. I even made quesadillas with it. And mix it with some cream cheese and dill and you’ve got a gourmet like sandwich filling.

Soy
Just about every supermarket sells soy products now. From veggie/soy burgers and soy milk. However, the best bargain of them all, tofu. I use it in everything from stir frys to pot pies.

Spinach
It seems Popeye was ahead of his time. I know most people pull a face when you mention spinach, but if you add it to dishes with lots of other ingredients, you’ll hardly notice it’s there. I sometimes add just a little to minestrone soup, I make pesto with fresh spinach, and often make a spinach and mushroom frittata. I sometimes buy fresh spinach, but the best value is the frozen kind. Once again, it’s one of those items that always seem to be on sale.

Yogurt
So far this year I’ve had at least one coupon for yogurt each time I’ve shopped. So once again a good for you food, good source of protein that’s budget priced.

Nutrition Sites
And if you want more ideas about what healthy eating and foods that are good for you, I really like these two sites- www.whfoods.com/eathealthy.php
www.foodfit.com/healthy/healthy.asp

Thinking About Starting a Business? March 10, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in Budget Smart Girl's Guide.
Tags: business ideas, entreprenuers, mittminders, starting a business
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Have a business idea but think it’s a lousy time to put it into action? Many successful companies were launched during a downturn in the economy. Some out sheer necessity, and some by people who took a ‘what have I got to lose’ attitude. One way to increase your success rate is to learn from others. I thought it would be a fun idea to once in awhile feature an entrepreneur on Budget Smart Girl. You’ll hear how they got started and what they learned along the way. To kick things off (and you might remember her mitt-minders www.mittminders.com from the Stocking Stuffing Gift Guide) is Marcey Max.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Tell us about yourself and your background?

Marcey Max (MM)-I’m an advertising executive, and have enjoyed a 20 year career in radio and public television. I’m married with 2 teenage boys, 19 and 15. They are old enough that I can spend quality time on mitt-minders! My sister who helped to create the product lives in New Jersey with her two big dogs. She’s a school teacher turned music festival tour coordinator.

BSG-What are mitt-minders and what do they do?

MM-mitt-minders are the fashionable solution to the lost glove syndrome! They keep your gloves attached to your coat sleeves so you never lose your gloves again. We make them in 9 fun and classic designs from patent leathers to animal prints! And coming this fall/winter a new addition, beautiful bling adorns the face of the clip, to give more of a jewelry-look to the product. Who doesn’t love bling?

BSG-When did you get the idea?

MM-Driving home from our respective jobs we were chatting on the phone and complaining how we hate to lose our gloves! She had recently moved to the East Coast from Arizona, had her first pair of leather gloves and was upset she may have lost one already. I usually place my gloves on my lap when I’m driving and they end up on the parking lot or driveway –if I’m lucky they are still there when I come back to the car.

BSG-So you had this idea for a product…what were the first steps you took to turn it into a business?

MM-When we visited together in November of ‘07 we took a few trips to craft stores to buy materials to make a prototype. We tried a few different options, the first as one long piece of material that you wear inside your coat threaded through your coat sleeves but we didn’t care for the way it felt when we were driving.

BSG- What hurdles (if any) did you face?

MM-I don’t recall any hurdles except when it came to ordering our materials in bulk, some things took a lot longer than we imagined and that was scary as we set a deadline to launch mitt-minders at the Philly Gift Show in July of 08.

BSG-Any moments when you thought, this isn’t going to work? If so, what kept you moving forward with your plans?

MM-Yes! The initial equipment purchased came with the wrong piece to hold the rivet and we were ruining 50% of our product at first. Luckily we were able to recognize the issue before too long. Again, the deadlines we set kept us on course. We were in motion and not going to slow down for anything.

BSG-Was financing a problem at any point?

MM-Not at all, at first, due to the many offers of low credit balance transfers I had been receiving back then from credit card companies. Now, it’s a bit more challenging and we don’t have the marketing funds we’d like to have to create awareness —we’re working on low cost/no cost methods to make this happen.

BSG-How about making a prototype of the mitt-minder? How do you do that?
MM-mitt-minders is a product I can make at my dining room table, in fact that room is affectionately referred to by my family as my sweatshop! The prototypes we developed were interesting as they lead us to the final product which we have tweaked a couple of more times, adding the charm and bling just recently!

BSG-How have you grown your business, what’s worked, what’s not?

MM-The business has sadly not grown in terms of revenue, only in terms of retailers that carry the product. The 09 sales year was disappointing due to my lack of time to devote to this part-time venture AND the economy. What has been helpful is to place product in local consignment stores in and around Baltimore where I can gauge what is selling—-this is extremely helpful!

BSG-Many of my readers might be thinking about or already launching their own business. What tips would you offer them?
MM-Definitely set a deadline for your business to launch. Whether it’s a craft show where you’ll be selling as the artist, or a full-blown trade show with a booth you’ve created, it’s important to work towards that reality because you will put in overtime until you get it done. We invested money upfront in the gift show and thought we’d open 100 accounts, silly us. We opened 5. It was not a waste however, as we met people that could help us—the experience in that room was amazing and awe-inspiring.

BSG- Anything else you’d like to share with my readers?

MM-If you have an idea explore it! You never know what the result will be. I never wanted to be an entrepreneur per se, but Cheryl and I have said from the beginning, we’re saving the world, one glove at a time. We believe we’re doing something worthwhile, creating and marketing glove insurance, a small expense to protect the investment made in a nice pair of gloves.

Additionally, I don’t mind hearing “no” from potential retailers because there are so many out there. I can really see mitt-minders in a Macy’s or similar store and I’m not going to stop until I make it happen.

We probably should have had a business plan in place before setting out on this adventure, but we’re working on it now, in case funding becomes an issue, and we’re looking for a manufacturer as well—for when that big chain says “yes” to mitt-minders.

The Blog-Hobbies Cost Less at the Dollar Store March 8, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in The Blog.
Tags: birthday freebies, cheap craft supplies, Dollar Stores, Easter, flower arranging
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Earlier today I was driving by the new dollar store and thought I’d check it out. I’m glad I did. I discovered they had lots of craft items that I can use for one of my new hobbies. My Mom who passed away last year was an avid floral arranger. She did it as hobby but really should have made a career out of it. I found a box of vases, floral foam and some flowers and thought I might as well do something with them. Now I’m hooked because it’s very relaxing and great for a winter day when you can’t play with real flowers. Good thing I wandered into the dollar store because they have everything from floral moss to grapevine wreaths so my new hobby just got a whole lot cheaper.

And speaking of hobbies, last year I told you about a site called FaveCrafts. This week they launched a radio show. It airs live every Sunday from 7 -8 p.m. Eastern. If you miss it don’t worry because all the episodes are available on the site. Check it out at www.blogtalkradio.com/favecrafts

And Easter is less than a month away and while I was in the dollar store I noticed lots of Easter goodies like baskets and things to fill them.

Seems like everyone I know has a birthday this time of the year. I saw this article listing all birthday freebies http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108990/the-best-birthday-freebies

This week on Budget Smart Girl. Ever thought about starting your own business? It’s always nice to hear about how others did it. This week I’ll chat with an entrepreneur who did just that and she’ll share all her tips with us. Also, it’s Nutrition month. Lots of people think living on a budget means the end of good for you food. So what foods give you the biggest bang for your nutritional buck?

Have a good week.

Decorating For Less March 5, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in Budget Smart Girl's Guide.
Tags: Decorating for less, Dollar Store Style, home decor, Marlene Alexander, WalletPop
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Here’s another great expert to tell you about. Meet Marlene Alexander who has a Web site and newsletter called Dollar Store Style. Here she shares some of her tips with us. Be sure to check out here Web site www.dollarstorestyle.com for more budget friendly home décor ideas.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Tell us about yourself and how you became interested in budget friendly decorating.
Marlene Alexander (MA)-I’m an empty-nester living in Ontario, Canada with my husband of 35 years, John, a Jack Russell Terrier named Christie an a tortoiseshell cat named Cloe. I became interested in dollar stores around the same time I started reading decorating magazines like Style At Home. It occurred to me that some of the smaller ideas in the glossies could easily be copied with similar items I’d seen in my local dollar store and that’s how the idea for Dollar Store Style www.dollarstorestyle.com began.

BSG-You write a column on Walletpop.com about dollar stores. Any good finds for decorating rooms?
MA-Absolutely! Glass vases, a wide assortment of candles and candleholders, tablecloths (round or square table-toppers), frames, even smaller pieces of artwork. Sometimes, you can get some great dinnerware for a buck a piece, too.

BSG-A big obstacle for most of us is getting and keeping organized. What low cost items would you recommend using for storage?
MA-I can tell you what I’ve found in my dollar store. I have a plastic under-bed unit that closes with a zipper. It’s about 40″ long by 17″ wide and 4 1/2″ deep.
I also found cloth-covered drawer inserts that unfold to a size of 12″ x 9 1/2″ x 4″ deep. There are also woven cloth baskets in a variety of shapes and sizes. The ones I have are 9″ square and 4″ deep. These cost $2 each. And, of course, there are usually a variety of small bamboo or other reed baskets. I use one for storing fingertip towels in the bathroom and another to corral salt and pepper, napkins and spoons on the kitchen table.

BSG-Any current decorating trends which are easy and inexpensive to duplicate?
MA-I have noticed that trends usually end up in the dollar store in one form or another. Smaller accents, of course. For example, when frameless canvas art became popular, I began seeing 8″ square canvas art at the dollar store and some of it is very nice.

BSG-Say you’re bored with a room in your house but don’t have a lot of money for a major redo, what can you use to give it a facelift?
MA-Decorating experts talk about this all the time. They say that the best inexpensive thing you can do to give a room a major lift, is a fresh coat of paint. More simply, you can re-arrange the furniture, change cushions and switch accessories from one room with those from another part of the house. Adding fresh flowers is also recommended.

BSG-Any sites/stores you recommend we check out for decorating bargains?
MA-Vintage Printables www.vintageprintable.com is a site containing a wide assortment of free downloadable images that are great to print and frame.

BSG-Garage sale season is coming up. Any tips for using sale items for jazzing up room?
MA-This isn’t really my area of expertise, but magazines like Style At Home http://www.styleathome.com/how-to/diy-decor/how-to-make-over-a-coffee-table/a/28022 always have ideas for making over old furniture or other accessories to bring them up-to-date. This link will take you to an article about making an old coffee table into a bench.

BSG-Here’s something I’m currently dealing with and I’m sure many other readers are to. Kitchen cabinets that are structurally perfect but the doors are looking worn. Anything we can do to give them a makeover?
MA-I think paint and new hardware would do the job. The tricky part is the how-to and for that you need an expert like Debbie Travis.

BSG-What are some of your favorite tips for low cost decorating?
MA-You can recover existing cushions with dollar store cushion covers, provided you find some that compliment your decor. I have also used a colorful headscarf as a dining room table cover. Another thing I do is to re-purpose things from the dollar store. For example, I use a hanging wicker basket in the bathroom to store extra toilet paper, my kitchen window has a valance made from three tea towels and I make small rectangular cushions by sewing two tapestry placemats together.

BSG-Tell us about the newsletter you send out and what readers will find in it.MA-The monthly newsletter includes an original article detailing a craft or decorating idea using things from the dollar store. My readers are the first to see these articles before they become available on the website. I sometimes include things that I have personally discovered don’t work for one reason or another, tips on what to buy for upcoming seasons, a new section called “Quick Fix” where I suggest solutions for fixing common household problems, simply and quickly and “Reader Suggestions/Questions.” Lots more information, as well.

Mom Saver-in Chief-Lisa Reynolds March 3, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in Budget Smart Cook.
Tags: easy meal preparation, Lisa Reynolds, RedPlum, saving money on food, Viva La Value
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Now you know all about RedPlum, here to share her money saving secrets is their Mom Saver-in-Chief Lisa Reynolds, who is also the host of Diva Toolbox Radio” ‘Viva La Value’.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Tell us about yourself and your radio show. How did it get started and where can we listen to it?

Lisa Reynolds(LR)-I’m a busy working mom of two young boys who loves gathering with friends and family over good meals and fun activities, taking chess lessons with my sons, and actively participating in my church community. I also love to cook, and try to keep my meals to less than five ingredients or less than 30 minutes. I live with my husband, Robert, and two sons, Robert, 8, and Ryan, 5, in Northville, Michigan.
We launched our online radio show, Viva la Value, in October 2009 and have been gaining momentum ever since. My show helps people achieve a value lifestyle through real savings, tips, coupons and coupon codes. You can listen to Viva la Value on and get more information the show at www.redplum.com/vivalavalue.

BSG-You suggest buying everything on sale and using coupons. Any favorite techniques or places to check for coupons?

LR-Always share savings with a friend. People are passionate about scoring great deals, and women always like to brag about their finds. Word-of-mouth is a great way to find deals. Another easy technique is to look for online coupon codes. Coupon codes at redplum.com save consumers dollars or percentages off on everything from clothing to restaurants to books and movies. This savings coupled with additional online offers and even free shipping offers, makes online shopping not only convenient and a time saver, but a cost saver, too.

You can also start an office coupon swap, or with your neighbors. Have your co-workers or neighbors bring in coupons that they may not be able to use and share them. Especially staple items like aspirin, cold medicine, etc. – everyone can always use these items. You may not be able to use a coupon for diapers but your co-worker or neighbor with a newborn may need it and you can share it with them.

BSG-You say you inherited your bargain hunting gene from your mom –who is a great cook – and from your grandma who lived through the Great Depression. Any tips they shared with you?

LR-Never buy anything that’s not on sale and don’t go to the store without your coupons! Seriously though, there are many tips I’ve learned through the years that really don’t require a lot of time and effort. For example, stock up on sale items. When you see an item on special, or a savings is featured with your loyalty card and you have a coupon –stock up. Sixty-six percent of coupon shoppers say they are often able to combine coupons with other in-store specials, sales or frequent shopper discounts.

BSG-You like to keep meals simple using five ingredients or less. Any tips you want to share about meal planning?

LR-I advise people to plan meals using their store’s circular. Many savvy moms create meal plans based on what their local stores advertise that week. Using coupons for items that are already on sale that week saves you even more.

BSG-What mistakes do most people make when they’re trying to save time and/or money on meals?

LR-I think the biggest mistake people make is not looking for deals out at all, and making the assumption that it takes too much time. In fact, the average family can save at least $1,000 per year by spending just 20 minutes a week seeking value from a variety of sources. So, you just have to be willing to look and spend a little time doing research and planning your shopping trips.

BSG-Any recipes you’d like to share with us?

LR-My kids and I have been making kabobs a lot lately — fruit kabobs and chicken & vegetable kabobs. They’re easy and fun to make, taste great and the kids love to help. I also love do-it-yourself pizzas because they’re kid-friendly and you can make them as healthy as you want because you’re adding your own ingredients. You can purchase store-made pizza dough or easily create your own.

BSG-Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

LR-We have more tips for getting the most for your money at our savings and lifestyle website: www.redplum.com.

RedPlum and how it can save you money March 3, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in Budget Smart Girl's Guide.
Tags: coupon sites, money saving coupons, RedPlum
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Every Wednesday waiting in the mailbox are flyers that have the name RedPlum on them. You might have seen them too and like me you might have wondered just who they are. Here’s the lowdown-

RedPlum –
RedPlum brings consumers relevant offers and deals on the brands they want most to best stretch their budgets. RedPlum delivers deals on a weekly basis to over 100 million shoppers in the mailbox, in the newspaper, in-store and online.

Redplum.com Coupons – At redplum.com, you will find one of the largest collections of printable coupons, coupon codes and savings tips along with the best deals and the sweetest coupons plus trends, tips and inside information on what to wear, buy and do right now.

RedPlum Network –
This past year, the RedPlum Network has become the fastest growing online coupon network, delivering hundreds of thousands of national and local deals to consumers from coast to coast each month. With nearly 1,000 affiliate sites across 220 designated market areas where you can find redplum.com coupons, the network reaches 45 million online consumers. It is focused on reaching and activating value-conscious consumers interested in recognizable brands. In addition to deal-oriented sites, the network extends to lifestyle, local, newspaper and retail sites to reach consumers on sites that are relevant to their lifestyle and shopping needs.

Learn more at www.redplum.com.

A Salmon Chowder Recipe March 1, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in The Blog.
Tags: frozen food month, leftovers, March, Salmon chowder recipes
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Last week I was putting together my grocery list, opened up the refrigerator and noticed a leftover salmon steak from dinner, some green beans, also from the same dinner and odds and ends of vegetables like pototoes, carrots and celery. I also remembered I now had some fresh herbs growing the Aerogarden so making a salmon chowder seemed like a great idea. I thought I’d share my recipe with you, along with a photo. It turned out great and it just goes to show how leftovers and a few pantry items can become another meal…or at least a great lunch.
Salmon Chowder(Serves 4-6)
1 tablespoon oil
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 cup sliced carrots
1 teaspoon of fresh dill or ½ tsp. Dried dill
1 can (14 ½ oz.) chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup corn
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
Leftover ingredients-
Salmon—I used a leftover salmon steak from a previous dinner. It was probably about 1 cup of salmon, a 7 ½ oz. can of salmon could probably be used to0, maybe two if you wanted more salmon in the chowder.
Green Beans—I used about ½ cup chopped cooked green beans.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, sauté the onion until softened, add the garlic, carrots, celery and potatoes and stir together, sprinkle in the dill and add the chicken or vegetable broth. Lower the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in the corn, green beans and then gradually stir in evaporated milk. Gently stir in salmon and heat through.
Serve with bread or crackers.

And this week on Budget Smart Girl, another great guest who will share her money saving tips with us. And it’s almost spring, so let’s think about ways we can give our homes a new look on a budget.
And don’t forget March is Frozen Food Month, look for coupons and in store promotions on all types of frozen foods and stock up while you can.
Have a good week.

The Budget Smart Girl Newsletter for February 2010 February 26, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in Budget Smart Girl's Newsletter.
Tags: coupon lovers, Epsom Salt Council, gardening, homemakeovers, Spice Hunter, Taxmama
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I know February’s the shortest month of the year, but where did it go? Maybe, I’ve just been too busy to notice. One good thing, we’re moving closer to spring. I’ve been thinking about my garden and already making a list of my outdoor projects. I know most places, yes, even ones that usually get icy temperatures had snow, but let’s think about gardens and plants. So to start this newsletter, here are some gardening tips I was sent from the Epsom Salt Council. I hadn’t realized that it was a plant’s best friend.

Epsom Salt helps seeds germinate, makes plants grow bushier, produces more flowers, increases chlorophyll production and deters pests, such as slugs and voles. It provides vital micronutrients to supplement your regular fertilizer. Epsom Salt is recommended by Master Gardeners and used regularly by commercial growers around the world. Tests by the National Gardening Association confirm that roses fertilized with Epsom Salt grow bushier and produce more flowers, and it also makes pepper plants grow larger than those treated only with commercial fertilizer. www.epsomsaltcouncil.org

Tips include:
• Houseplants: 2 tablespoons per gallon of water; feed plants monthly.
• Tomatoes: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks.
• Roses: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. Also scratch 1/2 cup into soil at base to encourage flowering canes and healthy new basal cane growth. Soak unplanted bushes in 1 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to help roots recover. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole at planting time. Spray with Epsom Salt solution weekly to discourage pests.
• Shrubs (evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron): 1 tablespoon per 9 square feet. Apply over root zone every 2-4 weeks.
• Lawns: Apply 3 pounds for every 1,250 square feet with a spreader, or dilute in water and apply with a sprayer.
• Trees: Apply 2 tablespoons per 9 square feet. Apply over the root zone 3 times annually.
• Garden Startup: Sprinkle 1 cup per 100 square feet. Mix into soil before planting.

More Let’s Get Ready for Spring
Whether you’re thinking about moving this year or just want to give your home a low cost make-over, here are some of my favorite ways to do just that-

Clean Out the Clutter
Realtors say clutter is one of the reasons many homes don’t sale. If you’re selling your house, or just realize you have too much stuff sitting around the house, now’s the time to tackle it. You’ve got lots of options here. You can either donate anything you don’t want and get a tax deduction next year. You can hold a garage sale, maybe team up with some other neighbors. Or even take items like clothing to a consignment shop. Just getting rid of a few odds and ends can make your house look that much neater and bigger.

A Cheap Makeover
If I’m getting bored with a room but don’t have enough in the budget for a huge makeover one thing I always turn to is paint. Even top quality paint can be purchased for around $20 or less. You’d be surprised at just how great…and clean a room looks with just a different color added to the walls.

Move Them Around
I have to admit I get bored very easily and sometimes I sit in a room and start to think about ways I’d give it a makeover. Some of my ideas would break the bank, but an inexpensive way to make everything look new again is to rearrange stuff. Last year I decided to move the two couches around and put the side table on the other side of the room. Sometimes I move photos and bits and pieces from one table to another. And one way I’ve found that can really make a room look new is to move stuff from one room to another. Every time the clocks change in spring and fall, take a few minutes to change things around. That way you can have a warm and cold weather look to your home.

Have a Swap Party
You’ve heard of people holding clothes swap parties, how about swap parties for things like vases, paintings etc. You might just find something you’ve been admiring in a friend’s house is something she really hates and wants to get rid of.

Outside
If you are thinking about selling your home one of the first things a buyer sees is your yard. The idea is to make them think if they moved in they’d have very little work to do. So trim hedges and shrubs, cut out dead branches, and pull up the weeds. And one thing that can really be inviting to any visitor is a water feature. They used to cost a fortune but you can set one up on just about any budget these days.

Windows and Carpets
Two things that most people notice when they visit your house are the carpets and windows. It doesn’t take much to clean the windows and screens, and most supermarkets rent carpet-cleaning machines these days. And to make sure things don’t get dirty all over again, keep one pair of shoes just for wearing exclusively inside the house.

The Tax Man Cometh
If you haven’t already prepared them, yes, it’s tax time again. For some of you who once followed my column on Garden and Hearth you might remember these tax tips from Eva Rosenberg, for the new readers I thought I’d include them here-

Eva Rosenberg MBA, EA a.k.a. Tax Mama. www.taxmama.com, and author of the book Small Business Taxes Made Easy for some hints and tips.

What are some of the common deductions most of us overlook and hence shortchange ourselves?
It’s not the deductions that are overlooked, but the accounting. If people took the time to keep detailed records of all expenses that might be potentially deductible, you could cut your taxes by hundreds of dollars a year. However, when it comes to non-cash deductions, like donations of clothing and household goods given to charities, most people take the lazy way out and just use numbers like $30 per bag. If they took the time to list every single thing in the bag or box, they just might end up with several hundred dollars per bag.

What are items people worry too much about and what are items most people assume trigger an audit?
They worry that real expenses (the ones they really paid), when they are too high, will trigger an audit. If those expenses were really deductible, and you have the receipts to prove you spent the money, don’t worry. TaxMama says you should never be afraid to take a deduction to which you’re entitled.

I’ve heard there’s been an increase in the number of audits, especially for those who run a business and itemize deductions. Is this true, and is there anything we can do to decrease the likelihood of being audited?
Yes, the IRS’s computers are looking for obvious signs of un-reported income and excessive deductions. What can you do? Do your bookkeeping, keep all canceled checks and receipts and get educated on what the law requires of your business. You’ll find detailed guidance in my book. It’s so cheap, that it will cost you more in extra taxes, or audits by not reading it.

What are common mistakes people make when they prepare their own tax returns?
They don’t understand what goes where. They have too many Schedule C’s for insignificant business that should be combined. They treat their 1099 income as if it were wages and don’t pay the self-employment taxes on it. They also forget to report their unemployment income…it’s taxable.

Any tips on what we should be doing this year to make tax preparation easier next year?
Yes, …seriously read my book. It’s about 12 bucks at Amazon, if you do what I tell you to do, it will save you thousands of dollars.

Some Useful Sites
www.irs.gov/
http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/articleindex

The Budget Smart Girl’s Tip
When it doubt about what form to use, what goes where, or any questions you have about filling or paying your taxes, it’s a smart idea to phone the IRS directly. And here’s a piece of advice that my late father gave me. When you do call an office…and not just the IRS, make a note of the day, time, department, extension number, and ask for the person’s full name. That way if there’s any question as to why you did something etc., you can refer to and prove that you actually spoke to a real person.

Variety is the Spice of Life
I had this article about spices and how to give foods some pizzazz already to post on the site but didn’t get around to it, so here it is-
The Spice Hunter’s www.spicehunter.com food scientist and product developer Daniela Massey offers winning spice combos. With more Americans experimenting with home cooking and refusing to skimp on expanding their palates into next year, she’s provided easy suggestions of spices you can combine with pantry items to kick up the flavor of everyday meals:
Chipotle, Oregano & Raspberry – The raspberry adds a sweet and tart kick when combined with smoky Chipotle and refreshing Oregano, particularly on heavier sauces like Moles, chilis and stews or in fresh salsas and fajitas.
Smoked Paprika, Coffee, Orange – This balanced trio is a satisfying rub on steaks, roasts or shrimp, and also makes a vegetarian dish of winter squash or sweet potato seamlessly savory.
Roasted Garlic, Mustard, Honey – This zesty but sweet fusion makes a tangy dressing for salad, livens up sautéed dark greens, beautifully balances the saltiness of pork, and is wonderful with goat cheese on a flatbread pizza.
Curry, Cinnamon & Green Apple – The spicy curry, warm cinnamon and tart apple complement each other perfectly in a chicken or tuna salad, is delicious in a tofu and vegetable stir fry and makes a savory applesauce to serve with pork or chicken.

And here are some more of Daniela’s tips-
•Toasting Spices – Bring out the flavor in a plethora of spices, not just Ginger and Cumin, by toasting them dry for a few minutes on the stove top.
•Spicing for Health – Turmeric provides heart-healthy antioxidants, as do Cinnamon, Cloves and other spices.
•Salt-free Seasoning – Cut down on sodium intake, not flavor, by cooking regularly with herbs and spices for seasoning instead of salt. Read the labels of blends you buy carefully for hidden sodium loads – The Spice Hunter produces the most extensive line of salt-free blends on the market.
•Fresh Year-Round – Freeze-dried herbs like The Spice Hunter’s Fresh at Hand line offer year-round convenience in your spice cabinet by providing nearly 100 percent of the original colors, aroma and flavor of fresh herbs when they aren’t available or affordable.

Budget Living Is Everywhere
I was reading the local newspaper a couple of weeks ago and saw they were putting together a special edition about ways to save money and were looking for tips so I contacted them to let them know about the Budget Smart Girl Web site. I also gave them the following tips to use-

Ten Tips for Saving Money
1.Use the library for everything from DVDs to museum passes.
2.Don’t be loyal. If your favorite supermarket/store isn’t offering the best prices, shop elsewhere.
3.Do your homework. Research prices etc. online before you buy. Get the facts so you won’t be so easily influenced by a salesman’s pitch to upgrade or buy extended warranties.
4.Buy store label brands over major manufacturer’s brands.
5.Shop the bulk bins, you can buy the amounts you need without waste and for a little bit of effort you save money.
6.Stock up while items are on sale, especially around holidays.
7.Reassess if you really need a service, like additional features on your phone, more channels on your cable subscription.
8.Swap items with neighbors or rent. For example, if you just need a tiller or sander for one job, don’t buy it, rent it or ask a neighbor if you can borrow it.
9.Get a subscription to a magazine like All You that has lots of coupons in it. And make sure you use them on double coupon days at the supermarket.
10.Use consignment stores to both buy and sell. You save money and make money on everything from clothes to household items.

Things of Interest
$1 Light Bulbs
I’ve been seeing this commercial for the energy saving light bulbs on most of the local TV stations and thought I’d check out the Web site www.responsiblebynature.com. You can type in your zip code and see which stores are participating in selling these bulbs for just $1. Seems like it’s for a limited time but the Web site has some other energy saving features too.

How Much Will It Cost?
I love magazines that offer recipes with cost printed beside them. However, not all recipes have that feature but this neat little gadget can help you figure it out. www.sensetosave.com/frugal-tools/recipecostcalc/

Contests
I love entering contests. Check out this one at Kikkoman www.kikkomanusa.com for your chance to win $10,000
And here’s one for man’s best friend at Bissell at www.bissell.com (it’s a pet photo contest).

Things That Interested Me
And finally, here are some articles and products that got my attention on the Web this month-

Does It Need To Be Tossed?
Check out this article about those expiration dates on foods www.slate.com/id/2244249

Doing the Laundry
I know buying laundry detergent won’t break the bank but this product claims it washes clothes for just 3 cents a load. I haven’t tried it but if anyone has I’d love to hear your thoughts.
www.giveagreenbag.com/clean_green.html

Coupon Lovers
Be sure not to miss this one listing all the sites for coupon lovers like us- http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108732/best-sites-for-coupon-lovers

Gadgets that Save You Money
This is a list of products that supposedly help us save us money. I have the Soda Stream machine and also a foodsaver machine, both of which I love. And we’re thinking about getting a MagicJack. www.tinyurl.com/ygutdsx

Have a good month.

Don’t Make A Budget February 24, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in Budget Smart Girl's Guide.
Tags: America Saves, Don't Make a Budget, financial Advisor, Ken Robinson
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Last year’s annual gift guide not only brought new products to my attention but a bunch of experts who have written books on money related topics. Last week you got to hear BJ Gallagher’s tips and this week it’s Ken Robinson who is a financial adviser and author of Don’t Make a Budget.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Why do most of us have difficulty sticking with a budget?
Ken Robinson (KR)-When we make a traditional budget, we list all our expenses, and how much we spend on each category. Since most people who make budgets are trying to save money, the question that naturally follows is, “Where can I cut back?” This is just another way of asking, “What can I give up? What can I do without?” It creates feelings of deprivation and want, and since most of us feel we could use some additional spending money to begin with, our emotions are constantly fighting our savings goal.

BSG-What are some of the pitfalls of attempting to stay on a budget?
KR-Once you’ve got spending limits set up, life takes over. You may need to spend something extra on clothing this month, or you may not have budgeted enough for car repair. So budgets involve constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul. The “limits” you’ve set for spending in each category start to feel pretty fictitious when you have to make constant adjustments month after month. And then it’s easy to say, “Well, I know I’m spending more eating out this month than we budgeted, but I’ll find some place to make it up.” And some months, that’s not possible.

BSG-I liked the acknowledgement in your book about your father teaching you that we’re not what we buy. It made me smile because my own dad told me the same thing. We’re both lucky to have these great role models, but what about people who’ve grown up with parents obsessed with ‘keeping up with the joneses’. Can you change your ways and adopt your own philosophy about finances and money?
KR-Yes, but it’s tough. Our upbringing is responsible for a lot about how we feel about money. It helps to expand your awareness and realize that there is another way to be happy with your spending, by spending less. If you see lots of other people doing what you wish you could do, they can become your new role models. Since it’s so tough to change habits, we often need some help. I once met a guy who had long wanted to change his name, but knew everyone would just keep calling him Fred. He waited until he’d had weight-loss surgery before asking people to start calling him George, and it worked. When they saw a different body, his friends were willing to call him by a different name. So our minds might find it easier to adopt different spending habits if you change how you interact with money and go about spending. If your parents kept up with the Joneses with the help of credit cards, maybe you need to use cash, checks, and on-line bill-pay, so you experience something different when you spend. Or switch to a new computer program to balance your checkbook. Anything to mark the day when the old you stopped spending and the new you took over.

BSG-I know your book tells us we shouldn’t stick to a budget but what are some easy tips you can offer readers for keeping their finances under control?
KR-First, let’s be clear about what I mean when I say you shouldn’t make a budget. I’m not saying you should spend whatever you want. I’m saying that budgets are usually a tough way for most people to successfully save money. I do want you to save money, and the best way to do that is to pay yourself first. Just make a decision about how much you’re going to save. Then plug the possible leaks in your spending—most importantly, we should set aside our credit cards, because most of us spend more with credit cards than we do with cash, even when we’re trying not to. Try spending with cash, checks, and on-line bill pay for a month or two. You’ll probably find that it’s harder to spend $30 in cash than to spend $50 on a credit card. This makes us think more consciously about our spending, so we’re less prone to impulse buys.

BSG-Do you think there’s a silver lining to the current economic downturn?
KR-Well, the national savings rate has risen at a dramatic rate. It’s still not as high as it should be, but it’s higher than it’s been for years. I think this is our generation’s wake-up call, the way the Great Depression was for our grandparents and great-grandparents. We’re still not saving as much as we should, or as much as people in many other industrialized countries do. But the financial crisis that exploded on all of us in 2008 has people realizing that some downturns are big, and may last a long time. So they’re getting better prepared for it.

BSG-As well as offering seminars and writing books, you’re also a financial advisor?
KR-Yes, I call myself a holistic financial advisor.

BSG-First of all, what are the most common problems clients are dealing with right now?
KR-Most of the distress is about limited cash flow, and lost investment value. I hear lots of people complaining that their CDs aren’t earning anything right now. But I tell them that’s OK—their CDs are meant to be safe, not to grow. The most common question I’m getting from new clients is, “How do we keep our money safe and get it to grow?” The answer is that you can’t. Any one dollar can be safe, in an FDIC-insured CD, for example. And any one dollar can be poised for growth by, say, investing it in a mutual fund that owns stocks. But no one dollar can do both at the same time. There are financial products that claim to give growth-and-safety-in-one, but they’re very expensive, and I don’t usually recommend them.

BSG-And what’s your advice about how to weather this economic storm?
KR-First, don’t panic. If things get better, the panic won’t be necessary, and if they get worse, it won’t help. Secondly, realize that most of us will still have what we truly need: food, clothing, shelter, and health care (even if it’s at a free clinic or the emergency room). Thirdly, if you still have a job—and the huge majority of us do—it’s time to make yourself indispensible at work. Be the person who’s always willing to get in a little early, and leave a little late, to learn something new so you can be more valuable to your employer. What if your boss doesn’t know what you really do? Write up a weekly summary of how you spent your time at work, and give it to your boss to demonstrate your value.

BSG- My site is all about saving money while living the good life. Some people don’t believe the two can coexist. Any tips for keeping a positive outlook, even when you have to watch your pennies?
KR-Part of the good life is about knowing you have, and will have, what you need. But the line between what we need and what we want gets pretty blurry because we’re wired up to compare ourselves to others. And who do we see that we’re comparing ourselves to? Our culture shows us the rich and famous on television, and people who are trying to win a million dollars on a quiz show or by performing some stunt like bouncing a ball off their heads 200 times in a row. Closer to home, we see others coming to work in nicer cars, with nicer clothes, and it’s natural to be envious. It depends on who we compare ourselves to. There’s an old saying, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” It explains why we were so psyched about the Palm III we got years ago, but why we can’t stand the thing when we put it next to a smart phone. So who should we be comparing ourselves to? The “fortunate” few who live their lives in the lightning flash of the paparazzi? Or the immense majority of human beings that make up, well, the rest of us? There are still millions of people on earth who’ve never used a telephone. There are more people in slavery today than ever before in human history. We can see hopeless poverty for those who don’t have enough money even for food and shelter even if we look just a few miles from our homes, let alone elsewhere around the world. We’re living with greater luxury, comfort, and convenience than the majority of kings and queens that have ever lived, and more than vast numbers of people who are living now. Maybe most importantly, we should remember that who we’ll be tomorrow doesn’t have to be defined by what someone said we were yesterday. Author and speaker Les Brown describes an influential teacher in his life who helped him understand that someone else’s opinion of you doesn’t have to become your reality. What’s the point? When we feel deprived, we’re often comparing ourselves to the wrong people. Looking at the rich is likely to make us jealous. Looking at those worse off than ourselves can help us see how lucky (some would say blessed) we really are. If we have enough food, clothing, and shelter, if we have access to health care, if we have more than just a couple changes of clothes, we’ve got enough to make most of our ancestors very jealous. For most of the 200,000 years human beings have existed, we’ve had to worry about dying from lack of food. Now we Americans often have to worry about dying from excess food. This is the right kind of problem to have. When we don’t have to worry about whether our children or our neighbors’ children are going to die of starvation today, that’s a good day. I know not everyone agrees with me. But when you think about it, how can you feel sorry for someone who complains that they don’t have any money just after they used a credit card to buy a $1,000 wide-screen TV?

BSG-Any books, besides your own, or any Web sites you can recommend we check out?
KR-A great book on the fundamentals of money is The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton. Also, see The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason. These are two of the more interesting books on finance because they’re written like stories, not like how-to books. Two good books by colleagues of mine: Jill Gianola of Columbus, Ohio wrote The Young Couple’s Guide to Growing Rich Together. And Michgan’s Bert Whitehead is the author of Why Smart People Do Stupid Things with Money. For websites, see www.AmericaSaves.org a national effort to help people save money and build wealth. People interested in investor education can check out www.Morningstar.com.And for some short video on how to save money, and on the financial crisis, see the video section of my website www.FinancialSelfConfidence.com.

BSG-Any tips or anything else you’d like to share?
KR-The most important thing you can do is to save money out of every paycheck. Start small, right now, with $5. Or even $1. Don’t be a victim of commercialism. Save just a little cash, and build up your savings slowly over time. Keeping some of what you earn is the key to so much about financial security. This will help you build up some real savings. And that’s money smart.

The Blog-Dinner for Two for 37 cents plus tip February 22, 2010

Posted by budgetsmartgirl in The Blog.
Tags: rewards, Saving
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Don’t know how many decades you’d have to travel back for two people to dine for just 37 cents. However, my husband and I did just that on Saturday night. Okay, we weren’t that clever, we hadn’t been saving coupons for years. At Christmas we’d been given a $25 gift card for a local Italian restaurant that we hadn’t used yet. And I had a coupon for a free desert at the same restaurant (by signing up for their newsletter). We had two drinks, basket of bread, two entrees and shared a desert that was enough for four people. The total 37 cents plus tip.

And lots of people have been asking me about my post on Twitter the other week. I said I’d filled the gas tank in my car for just $6.60. Everyone wants to know how I did it and to share my tips. No big secret, just shop where you can earn rewards. One of the local supermarkets gives you 10 cents off per gallon of gas for every $50 you spend with them. I’d been very loyal to this store by doing all my grocery shopping there and was rewarded with $2 off per gallon.

This week on Budget Smart Girl. Author and financial advisor, Ken Robinson will share his tips on why sticking to a budget isn’t always the best route to saving money. And it’s time for the February newsletter. Yeah, where did the month go?