photo credit: San Jose Library

A recent headline in our Sunday paper caught my attention about the current economic trend and how citizens can utilize some great free services at local libraries. I imagine the statistics are not unique for Northern California and can probably be found for cities all over the country. Books, cd’s, dvd’s, and internet usage was up over 40% and a new service was coming to our local library. A group had put together several hiring managers and hosted a seminar on interview preparation and job coaching. Not only can you checkout a New York Times best selling book but you can also receive free job coaching skills.

Some of the many free and frugal items that can be found at a library:

1. Books on cd.
2. Children’s books on cd
3. Dvd’s. Many wonderful movies can be rented for free.
4. Internet. Many libraries offer free internet connections. A wonderful place to write or work on school projects.
5. Free seminars. Tax preparation, job skill training, resume workshops, and career advice.
6. Children’s summer reading programs.
7. Free newspapers and magazines. Why buy when you can read them for free.
8. Discount photo copier service. Some libraries have inexpensive photocopy services.
9. Free research assistance. Need help writing a book or finding resources. Ask a librarian for help.
10. Free music. Many wonderful cd’s have been donated to local libraries. You can rent before you decide to buy.

I stopped by a local library this week and they were hosting a tax adviser that would be available to answer tax questions in the evening. If you do your taxes yourself and haven’t found the answer at IRS.gov, check your local library to see if you have a tax workshop. A local tax professional might just be hosting a workshop in your area.

With all the economic uncertainty and stimulus bailout plans, it’s sometimes nice to think about what our public libraries have to offer. What are some other things you’ve found useful at your public library?

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photo credit: joelogon

I received my Staples reward certificate this week for $8.80 on Canon inkjet toner cartridges purchased last year. Keeping track of all the junk mail we receive can be overwhelming and the Staples certificate almost made it straight to the junk mail pile. Fortunately I decided to open it up and was surprised to see the reward check for $8.80. The certificate has an expiration of 3/31/09, so I only have a little over a month to spend it. Typically I would put reward certificates, coupons, or checks in a special file for future shopping trips. But with this Staples reward I need to use it quickly or I will forfeit the $8.80. Since I don’t need anything at Staples right now, this is going to require me to organize my thoughts and my future office needs. I bet Staples hopes that I immediately drive over to the store and find some must have item for my office.

Create a list to determine future office supply needs:

1. Paper is always needed for computer printer or crafts.
2. Cannon toner cartridges. My newest printer seems to go through them quickly, so I could always use more.
3. Crayons and pens.

My list is brief and I’ve decided to shop online to make sure I don’t fall victim to any impulse purchases. Shopping online is much easier to stay focused as I try and multitask at all times on my computer. Do you find that you make more impulse buys when purchasing at a store? One of the best features of my Staples reward certificate is that it can be redeemed online or in a physical store. I will also look for free shipping or online coupons to stretch my reward certificate even further.

Could I save more money purchasing the Cannon ink on ebay or another retailer? Probably, and I’m going to check out deals on ebay first before making my Staples purchases. If I can save money elsewhere I will only buy paper or look for sale items at Staples.

Other ways to spend your rewards certificates:

1. Donate supplies to a classroom or teacher. I have several teacher friends that are always in need of school supplies like pens, pencils and crayons. Many school districts only provide for a certain amount of funds, if any, and teachers have to make due with the supplies they have.

2. Daycare center or preschool. Your child’s preschool could also benefit from supplies. From crayons to glue sticks, I’m sure they could use them.

3. Local church. Your church could also benefit from office supplies. Call your church office and I’m sure they would be happy to provide a list of needed supplies.

4. Homeless shelter. A local shelter could benefit from office supplies or even items for children to make crafts or draw.

5. Local women’s shelter or non-profit. Check your local phone book for women’s shelters and you probably will find an opportunity to provide some much needed resources.

Do you have any money saving tips that you utilize with your reward certificates? Do you research other stores before making a purchase or do you stick to spending only the amount of the certificate?

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photo credit: timparkinson

I recently visited a Home Depot that is closing in our area and had to use extreme caution and utilize my own money saving tips. We have a local Home Depot that is closing and they are offering discounts starting at 15% and some deals can be found for 40%. Immediately I thought about the various projects I would like to complete around the house over the coming year. New sidewalk bricks, landscaping, paint, flooring, lighting, and more. I decided to start a list and figure out what was my short term necessities and what were my long term projects. Would buying items now on sale save me money on future projects? Here is an example of the Home Depot ad from this week. Cleaning supplies like Windex or Clorox bleach are 15% off. Fasteners like screws and nails are priced at 40% off. Power tools like Dewalt and Makita are priced at 20% off. I then put together a list of items I would normally buy at the store for common household maintenance. These are items I could use right now.

Here was my list:

light bulbs
gardening seeds
9 volt batteries
duct tape
sprinklers
2 stroke oil
water and gas shut-off tool

All of the items above I plan to use in the next 2 months and felt that they would be a good deal to buy now. I did see several items that would be “nice” to have, but aren’t needed for 6 months or more. Does it make sense to carry an inventory of items laying around collecting dust? Does it make sense to purchase a box full of deck screws if I don’t plan on attempting a project for 6 months or more? What happens if the deck screws aren’t even the right size? Setting boundaries when a sale item is found can be very important for your family budget and for your garage space. Buying a box of screws for $4.00 may seem like a bargain now, but not using those screws can end up costing you more. In this simple example, if I were to use a credit card and pay the minimum balance, the $4.00 screws might cost more like $20. By not using cash I would be paying for the $4 screws over the next several months or year.

Do you consider your garage or home space when stocking up on sale items? If you have a high turnover rate in your family for canned goods like tuna or chicken, then it would probably make sense to buy a large quantity of meat when it goes on sale. What about a gallon of pink paint for $5.00? I actually saw a gallon of pink Gliddon paint on sale at Home Depot for five bucks. Could I find a project that required pink paint? Maybe, but not in the next few months. It would just end up collecting dust and going bad on a shelf in my garage. Have you ever purchased items because the deal was to good to pass up? Are you able to show restraint, even if the deal is almost free?

What I did to help determine if I “needed” an item was to create a list based on projects and shelf life. If the item was going to be used relatively quickly within a few months and it was something I would normally purchase at Home Depot, then it went in my basket. Light bulbs, 9 volt batteries for smoke detectors, and 2 stroke oil are all examples of items I would normally purchase at Home Depot. Buying a flat of bricks at 25% off appears to be a wonderful “deal”, but I wouldn’t use them for months and I don’t have the project underway.

Do you stay focused while shopping? Do you have your family budget and household goals or projects understood before you shop? A sale on paint, wood, or even a flat of bricks can be tempting, but keeping your project time frame in mind can save you some serious money and cluttered space.

I spent a total of $35 for the above items and could have spent hundreds more if I didn’t prepare a list before visiting Home Depot. What do you consider before shopping for home improvement projects or home maintenance items?

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photo credit: superfem

The economic recession is causing families to become displaced and also has the potential to make up to 1 million dogs and cats homeless too. The ASPCA has researched the economic trends and is forecasting that an alarming 500,000 to 1 million dogs and cats could become homeless and need rescue. It makes you think if pets are going to be one of the silent casualties of this economic slump. What can we do to stop this trend? These dogs and cats were part of someones family and now they are left for a new family to come in and adopt them. This could also be an opportunity for you to help a friend or neighbor before they surrender a pet to an animal shelter. Would you be willing to step in and help for a few weeks? Maybe you are the one losing a home and you don’t know what to do.

Here are some guidelines provided by the ASPCA:

1. Check with friends and family to see if they can watch your pets until you find permanent housing. Can a neighbor take in your pet until you get back on your feet?

2. Be sure to check with your landlord and get documentation that you can have pets in your new building. You wouldn’t want to sign a lease and find out pets are not allowed.

What can you do to help?

1. Adopt a dog or cat from your local shelter.

2. Contact your local animal shelter or animal rescue center and find out if they need any donations. Many would offer to take blankets, dog toys, or even bags of food, and cat litter.

3. Consider becoming a foster parent for a homeless dog or cat. Your local animal shelter might be full and need a good home to temporarily place an animal. Be sure to notify your local shelter if you have existing dogs or cats to insure that the new foster pet would be a good fit.

What should you consider before adopting a dog or cat from an animal shelter?

1. Love. Can you give your new pet a ton of love and affection? Your new pet will be so excited to find a new home that they will want to love on you all day long. Be prepared to give lots of petting and belly rubs.

2. Time. Do you have enough time to dedicate to exercising a dog? Some breads like Labradors or Border Collies require several hours of exercise a week. Can you commit to taking your new dog for a walk and getting plenty of exercise.

3. Space. Will your new pet be living in your home? If not, do you have a secure fenced in yard for your pet? Do you have enough shade in the summer and access to water for the pet?

4. Money. Besides the basics of food and water, do you have the ability to care for a pet that might need medical treatment and vaccinations. Many shelters and clinics offer discounts for adopted pets, so be sure to check before you adopt. Consider putting some money aside for incidentals like dog blankets, toys, and yearly checkups.

5. Vacations. Where will you put your pet if you take a vacation? Will you plan on taking the pet with you or utilize a local dog sitter? Be sure to spend some time and research your options and find a reputable person to watch your new family member.

6. Existing pets. Be sure that you consider your current pets when deciding whether to adopt. Make sure you discuss your current pets with the animal shelter.

7. Family. If you are adopting a pet for your children, make sure they are old enough to care and help with the daily duties of having pet. Don’t assume that your son or daughter will take care of the pet. Communicate with your spouse before making this big decision.

Have you adopted a pet from an animal shelter? Would you offer to help a friend or neighbor that might have a homeless pet?

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photo credit: gbaku

I’ve been reading more and more about people canceling or scaling back on cable services in favor of Hulu. Now if you are a frugal family, you might not even have basic cable but instead rent an occasional movie. What about those that want access to new and old television programs, but don’t want to pay for expensive cable upgrades? If you are using Hulu for your television media I would love to hear your feedback. Currently we pay $50 a month for At&t Uverse cable and am interested in saving even more money.

Here are some ideas I’ve been considering for lowering our At&t cable bill:

1. Cancel cable and go cold turkey for 3 months. One month would be easy, 3 months would be a challenge without cable. Total savings $150

2. Remove HD programming. We received HD programming as part of a trial 1 year package. Total savings $25

3. Switch cable providers. I could change to Comcast, Direct TV or Dish Network. Total savings $5-7

Of the three options, I would like to try #2 utilizing Hulu to offset our HD programming. We have two laptops and could easily watch Hulu anywhere in our house where we have internet access. Since we have wifi this could even be done in the garage. Not that I plan on watching tv there, but it’s possible.

The savings could add up quickly over the course of a year. At $50 a month, we would save $600 a month if we canceled At&t uverse and utilized Hulu exclusively for tv. Have you been able to cancel your cable and utilize an alternative for television broadcasting?

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