Introduction to saving

Last spring I got real interested in finding ways to save money for my family and make what we had go farther. Through this blog, I hope to share with others the methods I've been using. I'm not the greatest at keeping records or figuring every penny I've saved. But I can direct you to some of the best deals and other websites to help you get started.

Clipping coupons was the first way I began to save money. My husband thought I was nuts scouring the Sunday paper for coupons and the ads for the best deals. After several months though, he has seen what a difference it has made. It is somewhat time consuming and I do better some weeks than others, but do what you can every little bit helps. There are many websites that you can print coupons from and get tips from others as to the best deals for the week. Remember though, it's not a deal if you don't need it or can't use it as a gift or give to charity. I was amazed with the number of couponers who save for their families and are able to give to their local charities as well. I learned a lot about using coupons at the website coupon mom dot com.

Getting pay backs through rebates is another way to save money. I've gotten as much as $10 back for a product. I bought an electric pencil sharpener before school started this year. I got it at Staples and it had a $10 rebate. So basically I got it for free! I like free!!! There are also several websites that offer cashback if you do your shopping through their website.

Another place that I got a lot of help was from another website Carrie Koors. http://www.moneysavingmethods.com/ Carrie has information on getting free money, yes, I said free, by doing online offers.The first offer I did was for $500 in Aeropostale gift cards. You have to complete a certain number of offers to collect, but with Carrie's advice, I was able to pull it off. I was able to buy my daughter's school clothes, summer clothes and I've got some left for use at Christmas time. Buying when items are on sale, makes those gift cards go even farther.

Sales shopping gives me a natural high! Have you ever gone shopping and come home with many bags of goodies and you just felt great? Always check the clearance racks or sales sections in stores as well as on websites. If there is a coupon or percent off offered by the store, even better. Check the sales fliers or websites out the night before a shopping trip to see if you can take advantage of any last minute deals. If at all possible, buy an item on sale with a store coupon and a manufacturers coupon. Those are the very best deals!

Sign up for any and all newsletters that you can. Many times they offer coupons or information on sales that may not be made public. Another advantage of these newsletters is that they may offer free samples. This is a good way to try a product without having to pay out cash for it. If you don't like it you're out nothing, if you do, then you can buy it when its on sale and you have a coupon.

There are some websites that offer a list of freebies offered. These are great sources for finding samples. Don't ignore them.

Look at the deal of the day if offered on sites like ebay or amazon. Many times you won't be interested in the deal, but if its something you like, jump on it. These are also great websites for buying or bidding on items.

In the days ahead, I'll try to let you know about the sites and deals that I run across. Here's to happy savings days ahead. Be alert to Black Friday deals lurking on the horizon.