Follow-up: On Plane Tickets

A couple months ago I blogged about a new site I found, Yapta. Check out the original post here.

They send you weekly emails to let you know if any of the flights you've registered on their site have dropped in price. The Mr. and I are going to Kauai this fall, and I had registered our flight information and the price we paid on the site.

Last week, I got an email from Yapta saying the price had dropped. I logged on to the site, and it gave me a direct link to Alaska Airlines' website. In two short minutes, I had a $50 credit for my next flight on Alaska Airlines--the amount that the tickets had dropped! It's linked to my frequent flier account, so next time I go to buy a ticket, I'll apply the credit online.

The one caveat is that this process doesn't work on every airline, but I was surprised at how easy it was to get the credit! The best part? The tickets are now back up to the price we paid for them. It pays to be on top of things!

Top 3 things NOT to tell a small business owner

People always ask annoying questions, in general. Remember when you were a senior in high school and everyone would ask what your major was going to be, before you even set foot on a college campus? Or, when you're graduating from college and everyone asks where you're working (as if finding a job post-college is an easy thing to do!). Or, when you're a newlywed and people ask when you're going to start having kids. The list goes on.

However (and maybe this is because I am just grumpy today), as a full-time freelancer/small business owner, I have gotten the three most annoying comments lately. Here goes...

1. "Oh, so you quit your real job?" Yep. I am now working with fake clients, on my fake computer, for fake money. Monopoly money, actually! Thanks for asking.
2. People referring to your company as your "little business". My career is not a baby or a puppy. The cutesy descriptors aren't necessary.
3. "Oh, so you're a stay-at-home wife now!" No, actually, just like everyone else, I work full-time, Monday through Friday. I'm not pretending to work so that I can stay home and let my husband make all the money. In fact, I work longer hours now than I did at my corporate job!

Sigh.

The Spender vs. The Saver

I believe that in every relationship, one person is the saver, one person is the spender. The degree can vary, but I think it's rare that two people have the exact same outlook on the big M (that's money, if you're new to my blog).

In my relationship with the Mr., I'm the saver. Some might even call me cheap, penny-pinching, overly thrifty, whatever. I take that as a compliment, thankyouverymuch! My dear husband is the spender in our relationship. He loves nothing better than to buy "something nice" after payday, bonus time, tax return time, or hell, just because it's a Tuesday night with nothing to do. In my opinion, there are pros and cons to each side:

Saver
Pro: it's good to save money for a rainy day. You never know when you'll have a financial emergency
Pro: Some people (read: me) get a thrill out of transferring money from checking into savings. Victory!
Pro: Most Americans are bad with money. I'm planning for the future.
Con: Money issues really stress me out. Bad.
Con: I have a hard time letting loose and treating myself to something nice once in a while.

Spender
Pro: You worked hard for that money! You deserve to have some fun. The Mr. reminds me of this frequently.
Pro: As long as your bills are paid, what's wrong with going on vacation, buying nice Christmas gifts, or sprucing up your wardrobe. The Mr. is also very generous with gifts for loved ones. This is something I really admire.
Pro: Sometimes higher price does equal higher quality.
Cons: Bankruptcy. (Okay, I'm probably being a little dramatic)
Cons: When the economy is unstable, you never know how long the big and/or steady paychecks will last.

The Mr. and I are trying to reconcile my obsessive love of frugality with his appreciation for the finer things in life.

I've come to the conclusion, though, that when we are going back and forth about buying something we "need", he's right more often than not. (Don't send him this link! I'll never live it down!)

Here's a quick example. I have long hair. We also own a golden retriever. Between the two of us, all the hair broke our vacuum cleaner. Sigh. Of course, the Mr. wants a top-of-the-line Dyson. I want whatever's on clearance at Target. I finally give in and tell him we can get the Dyson, but I WILL find it on sale.

Fast forward one week. Between Macy's summer sale and some extra coupons, I score a Dyson for $200 off. I am pretty proud of this. I get home, assemble it, and I swear to you, I vacuumed up enough hair to make a whole dog. Maybe sometimes paying a little extra for quality is worth it.

I'd love to hear from you in the comments. Does your family have a saver and a spender?

Book Review: Generation Earn

I've come across quite a few personal finance books, and color me generally disappointed. I find a lot of personal finance books to be either inaccessible and over-complicated, or the exact opposite--dumbed down to a point where their best advice is "open a savings account."

A few months ago I came across a book called Generation Earn, by Kimberly Palmer. Palmer is a personal finance columnist for US News & World Report and has been on the Today show, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal. Quite the resume. Check out her blog here.

I was initially drawn to the tagline on the cover: "The Young Professional's Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back." Love it!

The author offers a realistic diagnosis of the financial situation of today's young people, including discussing the significant burden of student loans.

The book discusses everything from twentysomethings moving back in with mom and dad, to moving in with a significant other, to saving for children and retirement. She covers a lot in 215 pages.

Some of the best tips I found in this book are:

• Don't forget to keep an eye on your 401k and rebalance your portfolio when the economy swings significantly in either direction. 
• How to be frugal--from date nights in, to affordable cooking at home. She recommends looking at your grandparents for ideas--most of them grew up in the depression era, and are experts at reduce, reuse, recycle (decades before it was trendy!)
• The importance of discussing finances when you are moving in with a partner. Will you keep everything separate or join accounts? What about your thoughts on loaning money to relatives? How similar or different are your spending habits? 
• Before you decide if you are financially ready to have a child, practice living on $1,000 less per month--the average monthly cost for childcare. 

Overall, I'd recommend this book for twenty- and thirtysomethings who want a crash course in personal finance. The author profiles a lot of real couples in different financial situations, and she really lays all the details out on the table. It's an honest, frank discussion about the realities of financial planning. 

My only criticism of this book is that it seems like most of the people she profiles and examples she gives are of people who are making $100,000 or much more per year--a little unrealistic for most young adults, and honestly, a little intimidating. 

Have you read this book? What did you think? 

Guilt

It's just me and the Mr. in our big ol' house. Yet somehow, the house gets disastrously dirty, including more dust than you've ever seen. Between my husband working long hours (sometimes out of town), and me working the last weeks of my 9-to-5er and getting my freelance business up and running before and after work and on the weekends, there is no time to clean the house. 

I finally hired a house cleaner to come and clean our house, and today was her first day. She did an amazing job, and our house is cleaner than it was when it was brand new. For some reason, I felt incredibly guilty about spending our money on getting our house cleaned--it seemed like an upper-crust, spoiled thing to do--not to mention the fact that I am incredibly frugal; why pay someone to do something I could do myself?

But, the thing about it is that now I am more relaxed than I have been in weeks. My house is cleaner than I ever could have gotten it, so I have time focus on more important things--taking my puppy for a long walk, making good dinner, getting ready for friends to come into town, and getting caught up on some freelance projects. I think that makes it all worth it.

Big Life Changes

My dear, sweet blog has been a little neglected lately. Things have been crazy around here, and now I can tell you why!

I have loved to write since I was a little kid--I remember the first story I ever wrote, in second grade, about my dog Goldie. I continued to write through high school, and was my college newspaper editor. After graduating, I wrote on a freelance basis, while waiting tables and looking for a "real job."

I landed the "real job" shortly thereafter, and have worked my way up throughout the last five years. I started as an online editor and now I manage international marketing.

Over the past year or so, I've had a nagging feeling that I wanted to do more creative work, and work with clients directly again. So, I started picking up clients (old and new), and now am confident in the amount of work that I have lined up that I am going full time!

I've been so busy lately holding down the 9-to-5er, while still working with freelance clients on the side. I finally gave my notice at work last Friday, and I am now on my way to realizing my goal of working completely for myself.

I'm up for the challenge, and I'll document how everything is going here on the blog! It's definitely on topic, since it's a big step to give up the comfort of a steady paycheck.

Let the adventure begin! (oh, and check out my website)

On plane tickets

Buying plane tickets is a special kind of hell. It's always a gamble. Should I buy tickets now at the current price? Or wait a few more weeks for a lower price, just to risk the flight I want being full? With gas prices as high as they are, and the summer travel season upon us, plane tickets are just not cheap. Period.
In the last month or so, I've bought three sets of tickets--Kauai, St. Louis, and San Diego. I feel like I got pretty good deals, but I'm never sure. 

Most handy travel websites track prices before you buy, and predict if the prices will go up or down. Only one website I've found tracks prices after you buy. Check out Yapta.com. Did you know that Alaska and Jet Blue offer refunds on ANY price drop after you buy your ticket? I had no idea, and I fly Alaska all the time (they must really not publicize this!). Also, AirTran and Virgin offer refunds for price drops over $75, and Hawaiian airlines offers refunds for drops over $100. A lot of other airlines will offer credits for future trips.

All you have to do is create a free Yapta account, and enter your flight dates, times, and numbers for upcoming trips. Enter how much you paid, and Yapta will automatically email you if the price drops enough for a refund! 

Yapta's website boasts that since May of 2007, they have saved their members over $250 million, and that the average annual savings per Yapta member is $334.16. 

I'm tracking all of my upcoming trips on Yapta, and I'll report back if I'm able to cash in. Currently, my flights now cost more than what I paid for them, which at the very least, makes me feel like I got a good deal!

Fun new coupon website

First, I'd like to say WOW where did the month of April go! Forgive the lack of posts. I'm laying the groundwork for a new life plan of sorts, that I will be able to fill you in on shortly! In the meantime, in my never-ending quest to save money, I have a new tool.

Check out CouponChief.com. There are a lot of coupon sharing websites out there, but I feel like a lot of the coupons don't end up working. Whenever I'm about to check out from an online store, I always do a quick google search for free shipping or discount coupons, but they are usually expired.

Coupon Chief has 50,000+ coupons to 15,000 stores, both brick-and-mortar and online. I've snooped around Coupon Chief's Coupon Codes and they have a ton of coupons for stores I visit, and reported success rates (the whole site is user-generated). They also have coupons tagged for special occasions and interests: check out their Mother's Day store, or Travel store (my fav).

Check out the site and let me know what you think, in the comments!

Women and the Economy

The opening segment of the "Sheconomics" event I went to last night was this video. I think it brings up a lot of interesting points about women's buying/saving/investing power, and how it affects advertisers' priorities (or doesn't!) I'd love your thoughts on this topic. Watch the video, and comment away!

And the winner is...

[Update]: Our first winner never showed up to claim her prize, so Kim and I have decided to pick a new winner, lucky you!]

The big winner of a customized onesie from Eggo in the Oven is Christine Danner! Congratulations! Please email me at happilyeverclever@gmail.com to claim your prize!

Special thanks to Kim from Eggo in the Oven for donating the great prize!

I hope you all enjoyed reading my blog, and will continue to come back and read again! Please email me if you have any ideas of stories/topics you'd like to read about.

Coming up!

I'm super excited that this Thursday I'll be attending a networking event with the ladies from Girl Power Hour. GPH is a women's professional networking group in Seattle that throws super fabulous events every few months.

I'm excited for this month's topic, "Girls Just Wanna Have Funds". It's right up my alley, with speakers about financial priorities, "why we buy", and "money makeovers".

Looking forward to reporting back on the blog on Friday!

Eggo in the Oven: Profile of a Small Business Owner

Kim Wells and her son Colby in her home office.

Kim Wells, a stay-at-home mom from Lake Stevens, Washington, has always been crafty. After her son Colby was born last fall, she started her at-home business, Eggo in the Oven, creating and selling custom baby clothes and accessories. Since her business launched on January 1, she has fulfilled more than 200 orders, and has more than 1,400 followers on her company's Facebook page. 
I chatted with Kim recently about what it takes to make an at-home business work. (And, read to the bottom of this post for a giveaway!)

How did you get the idea for starting Eggo in the Oven?

"I have always loved crafting.  Scrapbooking, photography, sewing, and more.  A few years back when my friends started having babies, I decided to make blankets and burp cloths for them as gifts.  I continued to make more handmade gifts, and started branching out - creating onesies and nursing covers.  People kept telling me that I should look into selling the items that I make.  I shrugged it off.  When I found out I was pregnant with Colby, I joined an online group for women due in September 2010.  We did a few gift exchanges with that group, and again, people kept saying I should sell the items.  So I started to look into it!  Around October 2010, I really got serious.  I applied for my business license, and started working on ideas, products, and my Facebook page.  I was still hesitant to open, but friends, family, and strangers continued to suggest I open a shop.... so I finally did!

The name came about due to a nickname my husband Jimmy came up with for my son when I was pregnant -- Eggo the Embryo (just because of the alliteration, not because of the waffles!)."  

How do you get the word out about your business? How did you get so many facebook followers so quickly?

Onesie and 'L'eggo' (baby legwarmers) set.

"The girls I met online through the group for gals due in September 2010 has provided AMAZING support and have done tons of marketing for me! I have also participated in many giveaways through other businesses on Facebook.  I have found that many of them very helpful - I have networked with other great businesses, and gained a bunch of fans and new customers.  Getting more people to come and take a look at the items I sell eventually turns into more sales!"

What advice do you have for other people who want to start their own business? 

"Be prepared for it to take over your life! Since opening Eggo in the Oven, I've probably worked an average of 10 hours or more a day, 7 days a week.  Keep in mind I have a little one to take care of during the day, too, but I tend to work from when I wake up until when I go to bed! I now spend my "free time" shopping for fabric online and creating new applique designs,

I would recommend looking into the rules and regulations about starting a business in your area.  Many people who sell online choose to do it "under the table".  This works for some, but I went into this with the mindset that I wanted to try my hardest to do it by the books so that if I was successful, I wouldn't have to go back and re-learn how to run my business!  I'm so glad I did that.

Also, I found a few blogs of people who own companies that started out small and have grown immensely.  They had great advice about pricing, marketing, expectations, etc.  I found them to be very helpful, and continue to reference back to them on occasion.

Keep in mind it's not likely going to be cheap to start up your own company.  You'll need to pay for your business license and any other fees, materials, possibly new equipment (I bought a new sewing machine one week after my grand opening!), shipping supplies, and so many more things you aren't even thinking of!  I read one blog that said you likely won't actually start turning a profit or paying yourself a paycheck until about six months in.  I would agree with that.  At this point, I'm seeing a small profit, but I think that Eggo in the Oven has taken off much quicker than many companies do and it's still slow going!

Don't expect instant success - it will likely take a good amount of time, money, energy, and many failures before you hit your stride! 

Be proud of what you do, and decide what is important to you - it may be pricing your items as low as possible to give people a deal or maybe you want to create high-quality items and need to charge more,  or you may want to focus on increasing your customer base.  Whatever it is, develop a plan and stick to it... and don't let others talk you out of it!

Finally.... try it!  Start small, and see what happens.  You'll never know until you try, and it could turn into something HUGE!"

Kim's short term goals include finding a better work-life balance, and selling her products in local craft bazaars. She hopes her business will be successful enough that she can continue to stay home with her son, and eventually, she would like to launch her own website to sell her creations. In the meantime, you can find her on Facebook here. Best of luck, Kim! 

Giveaway from Eggo in the Oven!

Giveaway!! Kim from Eggo in the Oven is giving away one of her great creations! Become a follower of my blog, and comment on this post to enter. We're giving away a custom onesie or toddler tee, with either the ladybug or necktie print, and you get to choose the fabric from anything she has in stock! Enter to win today! These make great gifts too if you don't have any little ones of your own. I'll announce the winner here on the blog on Sunday night! 

Deal alert: What did I say!

Mere hours after I posted about the great deals to be found on denim at my friend Staci's Portland Boutique Mapel, I received her weekly "happy hour" email. Guess what this week's deal is... 20% off all denim, all week! Check out the email here.

A few words on Mapel. Not only do they have great designer denim, they also offer great clothing and jewelry from lesser-known, local Northwest designers (and free shipping ALWAYS!)

Also, as I mentioned back in November, I think it is so important to support small businesses. Check out Mapel today. 

Never buy designer jeans full price...Seriously, don't do it!

Consider this your public service announcement for the day. Don't ever buy full price designer denim. Guys' or girls'. (One possible exception might be if you have to have a new pair to wear tonight--but then again, unless you are a 6-foot-3 Amazonian supermodel you'll probably need them hemmed anyway.)

I have a love of designer denim, and have also recently pulled the Mr. onto my bandwagon, as he is currently rocking his first pair. However, I haven't paid full price for a pair of Sevens, Paiges, Joes, etc. in at least three years.

It takes patience, grasshopper. But the feeling of sweet success when you get a pair of $200 jeans for $67 can't be beat. Check out my favorite places to score denim deals:

• Nordstrom Rack. It may take a few trips to find the perfect pair, but they get shipments in all the time. Sign up for their mailing list and they'll send you postcards letting you know when new shipments are arriving. 
• Amazon.com and EBay. Before ordering online, make sure you've tried on the specific style, color, and size that you're looking for. 
• Mapel. This is a local Portland, Oregon store (at Bridgeport), but they do tons of online selling as well. They have a huge stock of designer denim, and the have amazing deals every few months on their  daily "Happy Hour" (More about them in a separate post in the next few days too.) Oh, and they have free shipping ALL THE TIME! Not to mention that they have lots of other cute stuff at different price points. 
• Subscription sites like Rue La La, Gilt Groupe, and Ideeli. More on them later as well. 

Head to the comments section and let me know if you have any other great places to score great deals! 

Weddings: Everyone has a budget

There are lot of expenses that young adults face, and for a lot of people, a wedding is one of them.

Shameless plug: This blog is a re-post from my company's blog--I own a marketing & events company with a business partner and we help a lot of brides and grooms navigate the world of weddings. Check it out. 

I thought it was a pertinent topic here, as well.

Reading wedding magazines or watching shows like "Say Yes to the Dress" may make you think that you're the only one on a budget, and that every other bride (or groom) in the world can spend, spend, spend on an over-the-top wedding.

In real life, however, everyone has a price point. Every couple we've worked with has a limit, regardless of who is paying for the wedding. It's important to keep a little perspective as you're planning.

Here are our top five wedding budgeting tips that we always tell all of our clients.

1. Spreadsheet, spreadsheet, spreadsheet. The very first thing you should do (after calling all of your family and friends, of course) is talk about your budget. No, it's not glamorous, but you must do it. Knowing how much you are willing to spend from the start will help you navigate all of the options in front of you, and be realistic about what you can afford.

2. Stop comparing yourself to other couples. So what if you went to a wedding last weekend where you drank from a Cristal champagne fountain, the bride wore a custom-made Vera Wang gown, and U2 was the live entertainment. Who cares. Your wedding will be special, because it's yours. The rest is just details.

3. Decide what is most important to you. Maybe you love photography so you want to book the city's most famous wedding photographer. Perhaps you love the look of letterpress and calligraphy invitations. Whatever it is, every couple has one or two must-haves on their list. That's great--fit them into your budget if at all possible, but something's got to give. Decide which wedding details aren't that important to you. Maybe you have a friend who can do the flowers. Perhaps you don't even like wedding cake and can settle for cookies from a local bakery. Sit down and make a list, from most important to least important, and go from there.

4. Always ask for discounts. Anytime you are in conversation with a vendor, ask if they have any specials. Many photographers will throw in a free session of engagement pictures. Your venue may give you a better deal if you get married in low season, or on a Friday or Sunday. Ask your florist if they can substitute in-season flowers for exotic ones that have to be flown in. Worst case, they say no, but at least you've tried!

5. Pay for a day-of wedding coordinator. We're not just saying that because we want your business (which we do). You've spent months planning your big day, counting your pennies, and scrutinizing your guest list. Don't let all of your hard work go to waste. Save enough money in your budget to hire someone to handle all the details on your big day. You want to enjoy the time with your new husband/wife, hang out with your wedding party and family, and really ENJOY! You only get to do this once, after all!  And a bonus: We provide unlimited phone and email contact to all of our day-of clients. We can help you find great vendors, give advice on budgeting, and more.

On Sharing Money

It's a well-known fact that I'm a huge fan of Slate. I love it for its fresh take on news, its advice columns, and its interesting blogs and bloggers.

There is a regular column called "Home Economics" about personal finances, and recently there was a 5 part series about a couple deciding how to manage their money together (or separate).

She broke couples up into three types: Common Potters, who have one joint account for everything; Sometimes Sharers; and Independent Operators, who maintain their separate accounts throughout life.

The Mr. and I are Common Potters--we joined our accounts when we bought our house, before we were married, and never looked back. However, the data calculator says that, in our demographic, 50% of people are Sometimes Sharers, 40% are Common Potters, and 10% keep separate accounts entirely.

Check this out:

• Common Potters have, on average, been together 11 years (we're at a whopping two).
• Percentage who are married: 94.1% (got it).
• Average age: 34.5 (our average age is 29.5...close enough).
• Percentage with children: 45.8% (not yet!)

Read the rest of the article here. It's a little different for everyone. What works for you? Let me know in the comments below!

Navigating the home buying process

I have a few friends who are currently shopping for their first homes. I've had a few people ask for my feedback on the first-time home buying process recently, so here are some thoughts. Buying a house is a big deal. Without a doubt, it is the biggest purchase you will ever make (or have ever made in your life so far). For example, my husband and I bought a house in April, 2010. We now have 29 years and 2 months left to go. That's a big commitment. Here are my top five pieces of advice:

1. Figure out why you are interested in buying a home. Do you want to put down roots? Have a stable home in which to raise a family? For investment purposes? Tax benefits? Make sure you find a home that fits your goals, and think critically about how long you are willing to stay in the home. As we've seen in the past two years, it's not always easy or profitable to sell your home when you want to.

Our house as it was being built

2. Make a list of the must-haves for the home you're looking for. Without solid criteria, you are likely to get caught up in the wow factor of a home that might not really be right for you. When we were looking for our house, here were some must-haves on our list: within 20 minutes of the city center, a backyard, enough space for us to stay long enough to have a family, and we weren't interested in a fixer-upper. We wanted a place that was move-in ready, but could be upgraded later.

3. Find a great real estate agent and mortgage broker and ask them lots of questions. We found our broker and agent through referrals from friends. Ask around and find someone who is trustworthy and informed. Everything about buying a home is confusing when you've never done it before. From the offer process, to the inspection and closing, make sure you know exactly what you're signing. A good agent, title company, and mortgage broker should answer as many questions as you can think of. In fact, I still email our broker occasionally for clarifications.

4. Be extremely realistic about your budget. You'll get approved for more money than you should probably spend on your mortgage payment each month. Keep in mind that when your broker quotes you your mortgage payment amount per month, it doesn't include property taxes, homeowners' association fees (if applicable), maintenence, insurance, or utilities. Ask for an estimated total cost.

Also keep in mind that you will undoubtedly come across last minute expenses at closing. Your closing costs are just an estimate until the day before you close. Don't put all of your liquid assets into your down payment. Ask your broker for an estimate of how much cushion is appropriate.  Then, add on any personal costs you'll accrue. For example, we didn't factor in that our brand-new home wouldn't have any window coverings. $1,100 later, we had blinds installed. Also, you may have to break a lease where you are currently living. And, don't forget about moving expenses and deposits on new utility accounts.

5. Be patient. This is the hardest one. You'll get attached to a home and excited about the possibility of moving in. Try not to get emotionally invested to a house until you sign on the dotted line. (I said try. I'm not sure if it's possible for most people!) Consider this doubly important if you are putting an offer in on a foreclosure or short sale. Closing on one of these properties can take months.

All this being said, don't let this scare you away! Although it can be a stressful process, owning a home can be very rewarding. We take a lot of pride in our house, love the sense of permanence, and enjoy the fact that each month, we own a little more of our home.

What home buying advice have you received, or have you given?

Extreme Couponing: Is it for you?

A few weeks ago I came across a show on TLC called "Extreme Couponing". It's about people who are extremely dedicated to collecting coupons and saving money at the grocery store. In some cases, they even end up getting things for free, by combining store and manufacturers' coupons. Check out a clip from the TLC show here. It is truly amazing. Although impressive (and I love that he gave some of his purchases to charity), I was a little skeptical of "extreme couponing", based on the amount of time it would take out of my week to score these kinds of coupon victories.

Tracy with her kids

I was recently put in contact with Tracy Vinson, a mother of two kids in Dallas. She is a big coupon fan, and has saved her family lots of money over the last few years. I asked her a few questions about her coupon quest.

How did you get started clipping coupons and thinking about ways to save your family money?

I tried couponing a few years ago and found it was too frustrating, so I quit and kept paying full price for all my groceries and pharmacy items. About a year ago I started receiving the Sunday newspaper through a special promotion. I saw the coupon inserts and thought I would give it another try. I researched online and through couponing blogs to find out the best method to use my coupons. I slowly started gathering coupons every week and printing them from online websites. It took a few months to get the hang of things and learn my store’s coupon policies, and since I have started I have saved at least 50%-75% on all my grocery & pharmacy purchases.

How much time do you spend per week working on money saving projects?

I clip most of my coupons on Sunday when I have gathered all of my newspaper inserts. Sundays are the days most of the coupon websites refresh their coupons, so I will log on and print out all the coupons I think I will use. I probably spend about 2 hours clipping and organizing on Sunday, then maybe another hour or so during the work week finding other deals that have come out.

How do you stay motivated? Many people want to try and save on things, but they get too lazy to actually clip coupons, or take the time to plan out their shopping trip. 

I stay motivated by thinking back to my previous shopping trips and remembering how much I have saved. I think of it as a challenge each week. It is such an uplifting feeling looking at the receipt and seeing what I spent and what I saved.

What is your advice to people looking to save money while shopping?

Start out slow. Couponing can get very overwhelming and you will find yourself losing motivation. Just give it some time. Also, stay organized; find a coupon organization method that works best for you.

Do you have an estimate for how much money you have saved in the last year?

I am in the process of making a spreadsheet so I can keep track in the future. I usually save anywhere from 50%-75% my grocery bill each week.

What is your biggest money saving/coupon victory?

I have been couponing for just about a year and have had many successful shopping trips, but the one that stands out the most to me is a Walgreens trip I did about 1 month ago. I purchased several items including some food items, cosmetics, shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste. After all sales & all coupons, I didn’t pay anything and I received about $10-$15 in register rewards to use on my next shopping trip. So you could say they paid me $15!


Do you have the dedication to be a extreme couponer?

...and you thought YOUR apartment was small!

We'd all love to have a sprawling, gorgeous, brand-new home, right? Maybe something out of the pages of Architectural Digest? Or the HGTV Dream Home?

But, especially with the housing market as it is, most people are staying put, and thinking of what they can do to spruce up their existing space, instead of moving in to a new apartment or house.

How's this for inspiration: A man in Hong Kong (where space is seriously at a premium!) has taken his 344 square foot apartment, and renovated it with sliding walls, so that he can transform the space in 24 different combinations, creating usable space, storage, and comfort. Planet Green did a video tour of the home recently, and it is truly unbelievable. Watch the video now.

How can you improve your current living space?

Rolling over your 401k

File this one under "lessons learned the hard way."

By the time you've been working for 5-10 years, you've probably changed jobs, been laid off, or moved to a different city and left your old job behind, Did you remember to roll over your 401k?

Back in April 2010, the Mr. left his old job behind, and his employer sent him information for how to roll over his 401k into a personal IRA. We filled out all the necessary paperwork, sent everything in, and assumed it was taken care of.

Fast-forward to December 2010, and he wants to check and see how his account is doing and set up online access. After a few looooong phone calls with the financial institution his IRA was with (who will remain nameless--lucky for them!) he discovered that when he enrolled, they never gave him any enrollment options.  We assumed that his money would roll over into the same or similar portfolio options as when he was at his employer. But no. His money had been sitting in a savings account for the last 8 months, instead of earning any money in stocks or mutual funds.

Basically, the stock market was going up, up, up for the last 8 months, and we made a whopping $1.47.

This commercial that I saw a couple nights ago totally sums up what happened to us:



(Please note that Charles Schwab is not the company I'm talking about in this post. This commercial just summed it up nicely. And I kind of like these half-animated people.)

We've since taken steps to move the money to another investment company, hopefully with better customer service.

Here are some tips to keep this from happening to you:

• Do your research. Find consumer reviews for investment companies. Try Bankrate. They have a lot of great information.
• Do your research, part two. This particular financial institution was in the middle of a merger, and that made it a nightmare to get answers to our questions. We got tossed around back and forth between the two companies just trying to talk to the right people.
• Make sure your new company is keeping you up to date about your investments, We never got a single statement during the 8 months we were with them.
• Figure out your options for changing to another investment company. Once you are at your new job, can you roll this money back into your new 401k? What if you are just disappointed with the service? Can you move it elsewhere? 

Bottom Line: It's your money, no matter how much it is. Make sure the company you choose is going to be your partner in growing your retirement nest egg! 

Discounts on lift tickets!

Skiing and snowboarding are expensive hobbies. A daily lift ticket can cost $60-$80, depending on the resort. Let's say you want to go 12 times/season, and you've quickly spent close to $1,000. However, there are a few discounts to be found. For example, buy 10 gallons of gas at any Shell station and receive a coupon for one free full-price lift ticket with the purchase of another. You can only use one at a time, but you can use the offer as many times as you want. The offer is available at ski resorts along the West Coast including Whistler Blackcomb, Summit at Snoqualmie, Crystal Mountain, Mt. Bachelor, and more.

The only downside is that most of the resorts limit which day of the week, or certain parts of the season it can be used, but it's easy to work around. I love taking the occasional day off from work to snowboard when the slopes aren't so busy--especially since I am still learning.

Bottom Line: Assuming you needed to buy gas anyway, you'll save $60-$80 when you and a friend head to the mountain. The Mr. and I are headed up to snowboard next week. Check out the website for details about the restrictions at various resorts here. Don't forget to have the gas station attendant stamp your receipt. Enjoy the snow!