The Passive Dad » Household Expenses

Unit Pricing: The Real Indicator of Value for your Money

Traci K. — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:00:05 +0000

I was at Wal-mart with my husband last week shopping, and ended up in the laundry detergent and softener aisle. I don’t typically buy my laundry supplies at Wal-mart, but we needed detergent and it would ultimately save gas and time to just get it there. Because I was very unfamiliar with Wal-Mart pricing on these items, I think I spent well over 20 minutes staring at the unit pricing for different brands and sizes. The actual value of any product you buy can be broken down to the unit price of a given object. In the case of my laundry detergents, I saw that the better pricing was actually a major brand at regular price instead of even the sale detergent or the off-brand labels. Not only that, but the smaller packages were a better deal in general also! It’s been awhile since I found that to be true. What seems to be the best deal, isn’t always the best deal. This is when knowing how to determine unit pricing will help you.

If you aren’t familiar with unit pricing, it’s like the price per pound or the price per ounce of any given object. A lot of stores have the unit pricing listed on the shelf label in addition to the total price. Just in case you can’t find it on the shelf tag, finding the price is easy as long as you have a calculator or if you’re really good at doing math in your head.

I was shopping for dryer sheets this weekend, so let’s use that as an example. At drugstore.com, a 80ct. box of Bounce dryer sheets is $5.99. $5.99 divided by 80 (the number of total sheets) is $0.074 or about 7 cents per dryer sheet. 120 ct. box of Bounce dryer sheets is $7.49 or about $0.062 or 6 cents per dryer sheet. The difference is fairly minuscule, but the larger box is slightly cheaper when you look at the cost per dryer sheet. In our case, a box of 80 dryer sheets lasts us 3-5 months so buying more than that seems wasteful and doesn’t validate the $2.40 I would save per year.

Although to be fair, if I did this with everything I buy on a regular basis (just off the top of my head I’m estimating 30-40 things per month we buy regularly from milk, eggs, to meat) the potential savings add up to $100 and more per year. That’s just at a one cent per unit discount on things you’re going to be buying anyway although “savings” could be less or more. While this is an impractical attitude to take towards every purchase, it can have some benefit. If you enjoy math or this type of picky shopping, or you find yourself trying to decide if the smaller package or larger package is a better deal then determining the unit price may be for you.

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5 Alternatives to Cable T.V.

Traci K. — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:00:50 +0000

Cable and satellite T.V. Prices have become astronomical in the last 2-3 years. I think my parents have changed Satellite T.V. providers multiple times during this time span to try and take advantage of special pricing and yet still can’t get their T.V. bill below $75 a month in order to get local channels included. Granted, they are in a very rural area where cable isn’t available and neither is any version of high speed Internet. For most of us in a more urban and suburban environment with DSL and Broadband cable there are a few better alternatives to shelling out for expensive T.V. Services that can reduce our monthly costs to anywhere from free to about $20 a month, depending on your viewing needs.

Purchase a subscription to Netflix (or a similar service): My husband and I have the lowest Netflix at about $8.98 per month. This allows us unlimited streaming of whatever is available to stream, and one DVD out at a time. We stream almost everything, and cycle through the DVD’s at our own pace without worrying about late fees. We hook our T.V. Up to the desktop computer for family viewing, but we also use our computers individually if we want to watch different things.
Switch to using an Antenna with a Digital Converter Box (if needed): If you can get signal with an antenna, you can get your local channels and news, a few basic channels (like ABC and CW) and PBS, plus a few more depending on your locality. I am amazed at how many shows I like are on the free channels, and how much I don’t notice that I don’t have more channels available.
Use online free streaming T.V. : You can stream T.V. shows and some movies through sites like Hulu.com, CBS.com, cwtv.com and more. You can catch up on shows you miss and other shows you don’t get with an antenna. Best of all, it’s sort of like DVR. It doesn’t matter if I miss my regular show, I can stream it whenever I have time to watch! Who needs cable T.V. with the advent of decent (if sometimes stuttering) streaming T.V.? This is a great alternative to cable T.V.. Between Hulu and Netflix I have all the T.V. goodness I can stand.
If you don’t spend much time watching T.V. to begin with or you want to see a New Release, Rent from a Redbox: Redbox can be a great and cheap alternative for the occasional movie urge as long as you return it on time. Although generally Netflix has the same new releases as Redbox available within 1-2 days, with a few exceptions.
Visit your Public Library: Not only are libraries great places to get a book, read a magazine, and surf the web, but many libraries have a collection of DVD’s available also. It may not be the most up to date collection, but it’s free to borrow! It really doesn’t get much better than free.

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How to Save Money by Buying in Bulk

Traci K. — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:00:15 +0000

Buying in bulk can help you save money, but if you aren’t smart about what you buy in bulk it might just be wasteful. There are a number of things that shouldn’t generally be bought in bulk such as ice cream, milk, butter, cheese, sour cream and other perishable items. They often expire before you would be able to use the entire amount! However, there are a few general guidelines that will help you decide what items you might be able to save on when you buy in bulk.

Do you have an extra freezer ? If the answer to that is “No,” then you want to limit the amount of perishable foods you purchase in bulk. We only have a normal size freezer, so if I stock up on anything perishable it’s usually meat while it’s on sale. I also limit myself to no more than half of my freezer being bulk items. It can make sense to stock up on the current $2 per pound sale chicken breast but don’t go overboard or you might not have any room for dessert, literally.

Don’t forget to check the per unit cost of anything you’re considering buying in bulk. Whether you’re thinking about stocking up on the on-sale toilet paper at your local grocery store or buying it from Sam’s club, BJ’s, or Costco make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck. You can usually check online or just call and ask the pricing. If it’s not the lowest per unit cost, it’s not going to save money.

How much storage space do you have at home? My husband and I have a very small apartment and not a lot of space to keep bulk items. We stock up on toiletries when they are on sale (because they are relatively small), toilet paper, and certain pantry staples (like types of pasta, canned fruit and vegetables, tomato sauce, and certain spices). We also buy cat food and litter a month at a time: a large pet food container keeps the food fresh and sealed from air for long=term storage. If you don’t have space for what you want to stock up on, buying in bulk can be counterproductive.

Do you have friends or family that use some of the same perishable products you do? A co-op might be a great way to save money by buying in bulk. If there isn’t a local co-op near you, you can always start your own with family and friends. If you have a group of people to split large purchases of perishable items with (like meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, spices, and fresh breads), you can save a tremendous amount. This work great with other items you wouldn’t typically buy in bulk as well, like baby diapers, formula, paper towels, and cleaning supplies.

Buying in bulk is a great way to save money as long as you shop smartly, do your homework, and especially if you can share the savings by splitting the cost with others!

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7 Ways to Save on Groceries

Traci K. — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:00:01 +0000

One of the major expenses of daily life is our monthly grocery bill. Because it is one of our largest expenses, it also offers additional ways to save on groceries. We all struggle with how to cut grocery bills in half: we know we shouldn’t grocery shop while we’re hungry, we ought to clip coupons, check for sales, and buy up on paper good and shelf-stable items when we have money and space. But what else can we do to save? Here are 7 simple tips to help you save on groceries every single week.

Always Shop with a List: When you go grocery shopping, always have a list made and bring it with you. Sticking to your list will help you avoid unplanned expenses, help you stay in budget, and make your grocery trip faster. Shopping by yourself helps you stick to your list as well, which will save you more money and time.
Plan your Menu each Week: Plan what everyone will eat for every meal for the week, including snacks. It may sound tedious, but after a week or two it will take no more than 20 minutes and the benefits you will reap far outweigh the time spent planning. With a menu planned, you can plan to have leftovers, plan to eat out, and even plan convenience meals like frozen dinner night. Your menu is what you will create your shopping list from, so don’t forget to check your pantry so you you use what you have first.
Use your coupons especially when the items are on sale: We all know we should clip coupons, but what you might not know is that most stores will honor manufacturer coupons in conjunction with sales and store specific coupons, and many stores even offer double or triple coupon days where you can increase the value of the coupons you do have. You save the most on smaller items, so buying bigger isn’t always more. If you forget the Sunday paper try getting free grocery store coupons online from places like coupons.com , valpak.com, or coolsavings.com.
Stretch your meats: Meat is one of the most expensive grocery items you can buy. A great way to save on groceries is to add one vegetarian meal (or more) per week. If you just can’t live without your meat, then watch your portion sizes! A single healthy serving of meat is about 4 ounces, or about the size of your palm or ¼ of your plated meal. Beef up your meal with a large dose of veggies, fruit and/or a bowl of soup to still feel full and save!
Pack Lunches and drinks: If you normally buy your lunch at work or your children buy their lunch at school every day, try packing lunches and drinks instead. If you are going on a road trip, going grocery shopping, or any other type of trip try packing drinks to prevent buying more expensive single serving drinks. Reusable water bottles are great for everything from water, Kool-aid, or portioning out soda from a 2 liter bottle.
Make it Yourself instead of buying it prepackaged: You can really cut grocery bill significantly by switching to making things like sauces, potato dishes, and even bread yourself from staples instead of buying it prepackaged. I can make a very large pot of homemade chicken noodle soup for about $7.38 with all store brand items. It makes about 8 large servings, which is about $0.93 a bowl. It takes me 20 minutes to make, and sounds (and tastes) much better than the $1-$2 per can of condensed and oily soup. Bonus: It’s often healthier and you get a bigger serving for less!
Watch for scanner errors: As much as we’d like to think scanner errors never happen, they do happen from time to time. Some stores will offer additional discounts if you are overcharged, and some stores have been known to offer the item free! I write down the amount of every item according to the shelf tag as I grocery shop so I can keep track of how much I’m spending and also compare prices to other stores. If I get overcharged, I take my notebook and receipt to customer service to have it corrected.

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2009 Bill Proposed For New Car Tax Deduction Up To $7,500

Scott — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:14:57 +0000

U.S. Representative Mike Rogers has proposed a bill to stimulate new cars sales by allowing for consumers to deduct $7,500 from federal taxes on the purchase of a new card. The bill would allow for $7,500 for the first three months, $5,000, and $2,500 for the next three months. Is this what will jump start the car industry again, or will this just add to more consumer debt? If GM, Ford, and Chrysler continue to give out incentives the actual price of a 2009 model car could drop significantly with this new tax break. Would you be tempted to buy a new car if this bill passed? More can be found on the AP article here.

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Looking to Remodel Your Home? What’s The Best ROI?

Scott — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:00:07 +0000

photo credit: Chad Crowell

Are you considering a move, but your current home value has made that impossible? What home improvements can you do to your current home that will freshen up the look and give you some additional living space? A U.S. News and World Report article compares several options and what would be a better investment for your families castle. You might want an extra bathroom, but would that be the best investment for your home? Even if you lost 50% of your cost of a bathroom remodel, you might argue that it could save your marriage or get those kids out of your throne room.

So what is a better ROI? A bathroom addition, family room, or a deck? Turns out the deck is a better return on investment, with a 85% return rate when you go to sell the home. A deck might now sound as glamorous as a new bathroom, but it will increase your outdoor living space and make your home seem larger. Decks are great for entertaining and can provide space for an outdoor bbq and patio furniture. Also, if maintained properly, decks can last for years.

A bathroom remodel will bring you back 78% of your costs when you sell, but an updated bathroom can be priceless. We just remodeled our guest bathroom and I can tell you that it has brought tremendous value back to our home. The bathroom was used more than our master bathroom, and everyone comments how clean and fresh it makes our home look. The total cost was under $3,000, and I personally think we would get back 100% of the cost.

The current downturn in the real estate market can be an opportunity for homeowners to negotiate construction costs with builders. If you received a quote a year ago, or even a few months ago, you might want to call the company back and try and negotiate. I was buying many of my supplies from Home Depot and then decided one day to stop in a small shop that sold molding. The molding company not only carried the exact same base molding and crown molding I was using, but they offered a weekend discount. On Saturday they give customers a 15% discount, and Sunday’s 20%. I asked the owner why the 5% difference between Saturday and Sunday, and was told football. Guys watch football on Sunday, and they need an incentive to get out and buy molding. I just laughed and enjoyed the 20% discount.

Do you have any home projects planned for 2009?

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$1500 Reduction In Property Tax. Help Your Friends And Neighbors Save Money

Scott — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:00:23 +0000

Want to make your neighbor think you deserve the citizen of the year award? I just received a letter from our County Tax Board and they are going to lower my tax assessment for the 2008-2009 period by $1,500. I don’t plan on keeping this news to myself and have already started calling friends that live nearby. I live in California and the sluggish real estate market has caused housing prices to fall between 20-35% is some areas. The letter I received from the county tax collector stated that the property values are reassessed in January of each year. The sad, but realistic outlook is my property tax bill may decline again next January due to housing values. Housing continues to struggle with two foreclosures around the corner from my house.

What can you do if you think your property value has decreased? Call your county tax board and tell them your property value has decreased from the previous year. You will be asked to document your home value and provide a letter to the county tax board.

I utilize Zillow.com as they have an easy interface that will allow you to search for homes sold within 1-2 miles of your home. Find several homes that sold within the last year and attach them to your letter.

Doesn’t everyone in your county receive a property tax decrease letter automatically? I found that two friends had received a letter, but three did not know what I was talking about. I wouldn’t assume that you would be receiving a tax break this year and you should be proactive and contact your local property tax agency.

Will the special county assessments be decreased as well? I reviewed my 2008-2009 property tax bill and noted that the special assessments for emergency services, city lighting, storm drains, mello roos, county trails, and 911 remained the same. I would call you county tax office and find out if your special assessments would be impacted by your decreased real estate value.

I don’t like my neighbor so why should I tell him about the decreased property tax letter? Well, if you’re like me, you might need a new fence soon. A common fence shared with your neighbor can easily cost a few thousand dollars to replace. Maybe your neighbor needs new landscaping and always complains that he doesn’t have enough money. Here’s your chance to help him out and tell him about the property tax adjustment.

What to do with your new money? Hopefully you have already budgeted for your 2008-2009 property tax bill so you will be able to put the money in other investments.

1. Apply the tax reduction towards your mortgage. Apply the savings to your principal and decrease the amount owed on your home.

2. Establish an emergency savings account. Dave Ramsey recommends at least $1,000 in an emergency account. You might be more comfortable with more for your families needs.

3. Payoff a car loan or credit card balance.

4. Rainy day fund. Put the money in an ING Orange account or high interest savings account. Do you have a Christmas fund or birthday fund you like to utilize?

5. Start a 529 college plan for your children. You can start with $50 or $100 and start to seed your child’s college fund.

Sending a letter to your county tax board could save you a few hundred dollars and be easier than finding an emergency money source. Have you written a letter to your county tax office? I’m interested to hear what you heard back and if you neighbors are doing the same.

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10 Ways To Make Your Stuff Feel New Again

Scott — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:00:56 +0000

photo credit: ILoveButter

I would like to thank everyone who has left a comment on this post, as your ideas are fantastic! It would be wonderful to see the list grow to 25. If you have a unique idea to make your stuff feel new again, just leave a comment.

My 2002 Toyota Prius is starting to look worn and tired inside and out and it’s only 6 years old. The carpets are dirty with several coffee stains from sudden turns, the paint is a little faded and several french fries are still lodged between the seats. I’ll be honest, the temptation to take it to the Toyota dealership and trade it in for a new 2009 Prius does exist. Does it make financial sense to trade-in a perfectly good 2002 Toyota Prius with low miles and HOV stickers for carpool lane for a brand spanking new $25,000 2009 Prius? Nope.

My front lawn never looked lush and green this summer as it never recovered from my daughters 4th birthday party bouncy house. Back in February we rented a princess jumpy house with our neighbors and celebrated two birthday parties on our front lawn. It was rainy and wet and the weight of the bouncy house was too much for my front lawn to handle. It’s a small lawn and I wondered if now is the time to rip it out and put in new sod? It would only cost $400 to have new sod put down. Did I do it? No way!

It’s tempting to buy new cars or replace items around the house, but how can you make your older car or house shine like new again. For some items on this list it will take a few dollars to make your stuff shine like new. In the end I think it might be worth it and save you from new sticker shock or buyers remorse.

1. Professional car detail. This is not a frugal option, but still thousands cheaper from buying a new car. Check craigslist or your local yellow pages for a professional car detail center or private individual that has a mobile car detail business. Prices can range from $100-$300+ Sounds like a lot of money, but your car will look and smell new. All those french fries will be removed from between the seats and your carpets will look new again.

2. New diamond ring for your wife. I’m not talking about a new diamond from Harry Winston or Tiffany, but a newer shinny diamond ring. If you’ve been married a few years, your wife’s diamond ring may have some soap scum or scratches in the setting. Make an appointment and take your wife’s ring to your local jewelry store. They will clean and even replace smaller diamonds for very little money. My wife has a very small diamond ring with two small baggetts on the side. For under $100, I had the ring cleaned and one missing baggett replaced. My wife was thrilled to have her ring look new again.

3. 1 hour massage. Want to feel relaxed and energized? My wife and I bough each other a 1 hour massage several years ago, and it was amazing. I’d never had a massage and it was more relaxing than 1 week in Hawaii and a lot cheaper. $50-$100 and you’ll feel like a new person. Extra bonus points if you buy one for your spouse and surprise her/him.

Money Grubbing Lawyer tip: Check your health plan to see if your massage is covered under insurance policy. He also suggests signing up for a couples massage class and learn how to give a massage. Great idea!

4. Paint your front door and trim. Tired of looking at your same house and want a cheap way to make it look new again. Our friends bought one can of Benjamin Moore mocha paint ($45) and painted door and front trim around windows. They left the existing house color the same, but now the house looks like it belongs in another zip code.

5. Curb appeal. Another way to make your house look newer, pressure wash your driveway and front entry. My neighbors replaced the driveway and walkway and spent $10,000. Sure, it looks nice but for $50-100 I bought a pressure washer and made my cement look new again.

6. New dining room table. Replace table chair seats and change the look of your dining room with new fabric. Visit your local fabric store and buy a few yards of cloth, remove the old and use a staple gun to fasten the new fabric. Total cost $40-$100.

You can do the same for an older couch. Buy a slip cover and change the look of your outdated or old stained couch. If you have kids, you know the look I’m talking about. A new slip cover can range from $50-$150 depending on brands.

7. Paint a wall. Want to make some brownie points with your wife and update the look inside? Have your wife pick out a color and paint one wall with this new color. She may just love the new accent wall color and you don’t have to paint the entire room. Maybe she likes red or mocha, whatever it is will change the look of the room and make it look new. Cost $25-50

8. New toys for your kids. This one is easy, fun, and it works. If your child has several favorite toys and they are younger, put one of them away in storage for a few weeks or months. You can introduce the toy back to them and they will get just as excited as the day they opened it. We have done this with a train set for my son. He received another smaller set and we put a bigger one up in storage. One day we brought the train set down and he jumped up and down and ran around the house in excitement.

9. Fertilize your lawn. Don’t buy new sod or seed, try a good fertilizer first. You can buy name brand like Scott’s turf builder or you can buy generic ammonium nitrate for $10. Follow instructions and you will have a front lawn that rivals those on Sunset magazine.

10. Hire a gourmet chef. My wife received a gift certificate for 10 meals to a company called Sous kitchen where you prepare fresh family meals. They were recipes that we would never cook ourselves including some meats we have never even tried. I recall having a shepherds pie that was amazing. These can range in price considerably $50-$200, but are cheaper than eating out and will also help inspire your next grocery store list. You can freeze the meals and break one out when you have nothing else to eat, or you crave going out to eat.

11. Free From Broke tip: This one is free and only requires some elbow grease. Spend the weekend removing clutter from garage, office, and house. This would be a great spring cleaning project that would make your house feel larger.

12. Anthony’s tip: Have your old leather shoes polished and make them shine like new again. Great idea! I used to go to Nordstrom and have them shined for a couple dollars.

13. Miranda’s tip: Another way to relax. Get a pedicure. This is probably a cheaper alternative to a massage. I’ve never had a pedicure or a manicure. Has your husband?

14. Tyler @ Building Camelot suggested: Hiring a maid service to help clean your house. A cheaper alternative would be to have a maid service come every few months to do a spring cleaning special. It would be a nice treat to have someone give some extra shine to the floors and cabinets.

15. Asithi’s tip: This is another free idea. Wash curtains, tennis shoes, bath mats and make them shine like new. I used to wash my tennis shoes, but since I play a lot of tennis I usually wear out the soles first. This would be a great idea for shoes that still have lots of life left in them.

16. Mrs. Micah suggests polishing items in your house. If you have collectibles or even a coffee table lamp. A good dusting and polishing can make them look new again.

17. Laurel Plum’s tip: Take a workshop or seminar to acquire new trade skills. Base and crown molding come to mind and this can really make a room look fresh and new. Once you learn the basic miter angles, you’re all set and can replicate most cuts in a standard size room.

18. Virilitas has a great tip that will be a sure way to give you the extra jolt you need to clean your house or finish a project. Exercise.

19. LoriAngel suggested working with your existing clothes to create a new look. Lori recommends tailoring your favorite skirt, layer shirts for a different look, and work with existing accessories like belts and scarves. This sounds like a very creative way to stretch your wardrobe budget and give your clothes a fresh new look.

20. Prime Time Money suggests cleaning out your wallet or purse and organize your receipts. I’m guilty of keeping receipts and even expired insurance cards in my wallet. I also found a home depot card worth $50 that I forgot I had.

21. Laurel Plum had another great idea to move furniture around and trade small accessory items to change your color scheme. You might be able to trade smaller items at a consignment store and it would introduce a new item to your room.

22. RetiredAt47 suggests buying a slip cover for your older couch. Refresh the look of your living room or family room couch. Also, another idea to repaint to freshen a room.

23. Sasha at Debt Free Saver has a very frugal and cheap idea to buy new dish towels for your kitchen or bathroom. The new color will make your room look fresh and clean.

Do you have a tip you’d like to share that has given new life to your old stuff?

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Costco Hot Dog Cost Me $61.99

Scott — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:00:05 +0000

photo credit: The Passive Dad
Today I was fortunate to have the grandparents come along for my Costco trip and assist with the kids while I did some shopping. I had my list, but also enjoyed having some guy time with grandpa and drooling over the new blue-ray dvd players. Prices are coming down and Costco had a Samsung, Sony, and Phillips blue-ray all for around $380. Still no reason to purchase one as the expense is not in the blue ray, but in the discs. I can imagine all of a sudden having the desire to watch Disney movies in blue ray. Not a real good use of savings right now.
I bought the usual boring items like milk, cereal, bread, and some batteries. My son loves the Costco hot dogs, so we decided to order some pizza and hot dogs and have lunch inside with grandma and grandpa. Since I’m usually knee deep in ketchup trying to catch falling hot dogs and wiping messy faces, I had some time to look around for a change. This must be what Costco wants to happen. In fact, they should offer to have employees feed your kids because I’m sure this would increase sales. I actually had time to look around and see what people had bought. Some guys had the boxes ripped open for some new cell phone or itouch and was reading the manual. Another lady was looking at her brand new purse that she just bought. When I looked at the purse, I also caught a glimpse of her watch. My light bulb went off and I remembered that my wife wanted a new watch as her last one was broken. The a-ha moment!
Since the kids were content with ketchup drenched hot dogs, I had time to go over to the jewelry case. Typically this case is never seen by myself or my wife as we are headed quickly to the back of the store. Today, I could look at all the ladies watches and find one that would fit her style and price range. Unbelievable how many gorgeous watches they have at Costco. I mean, my typical purchase is dog food and milk. Now I’m looking at Tag Heuer, a Bulova, and a Movado that range from $500 to $3,000. Wow! Further down they had some everyday practical watches that you wouldn’t feel bad about banging or having the dog scratch the glass. I settled on a pink Kenneth Cole watch that looked like something she would wear. If not, she can take it back and buy 30 hot dogs. Next time your eating your hot dog at Costco, be sure to just stare straight ahead and don’t look into another persons shopping basket. It could cost you $61.99 or more. Has this happened to you? I guess eating lunch or dinner in a mall could be just as dangerous.

Fortunately, the watch was a planned expense as my wife has been looking several weeks for a replacement and $61.99 was in our budget. This would have made a great Christmas present, but since she probably needs a watch before then she might get a nice surprise tonight. Do you have a category for watches or other personal items on your family budget?

The $61.99 hot dog could have cost a lot more if I had used a credit card with a balance. I would have broken my first rule of debt elimination if I had a card with any balance. In fact you could argue that I shouldn’t have had a hot dog in the first place if I had any type of CC balance.

Has the $1.50 Costco hot dog cost you $61.99 or more? I’d love to hear your story.

Also, check out these other great blog posts I found interesting about saving money at Costco and Costco discounts:

Money Saving Tip: Excellent Presents from Costco
I Figured Out A Way To Use ANY Credit Card At Costco (As They Only Accept AMEX Now)!
Shopping at Costco the Frugal Way
Buy Costco Gas Without Costco Membership
Wanna Save Money at Costco?
Another Way to Save Money At Costco
Is Costco Executive Membership Worth It?
Costco: Good Value for the Money, but Not Frugal
Does Your Costco Card Really Save You Money?
Retraction: Costco Doesn’t Save Me Money

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ING Orange Savings Account $25 Referral Codes

Scott — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 06:17:21 +0000

I have several ING Orange Savings $25 referral codes available for new customers. ING is current paying 3.0% interest and is free to open a new account. You will need to make an initial deposit of at least $250 when opening your new Orange savings account to qualify for the $25 bonus. Just to be clear, using the codes below, I will receive a $10 referral bonus from ING. This money is not taken out of your account, but is a referral fee paid by ING for referring a new customer. If the link below is dead or doesn’t work, please try another link and let me know that the link no longer works. Please be sure to read all disclosure policies and ask any questions before signing up with your new ING account. The ING accounts can also be a great source of passive income or alternative income.

Highlights from the ING Website:

The Orange Savings Account

* Great rate – no minimum balance required. Everyone earns the same high yield.
* No fees – your money goes to work for you.
* No changing banks – the Orange Savings Account is linked to your checking account.
* 24-hour access to your account – you’re always ready for opportunities.
* FDIC-insured – your money is safe and secure.

$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus
$25 ING Referral Bonus

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The Passive Dad » Household Expenses

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