Tip: Starbucks Card Replacement

Starbucks lets you register your Starbucks card and will mail you a replacement if it is lost or stolen. Go to their web site.

Tip: DIY Appliances

Need help with do-ityourself appliance repair? Try Appliance411.com. It’s good for helping with your washer, dryer, refrigerator and other household appliances.

Tip: Christmas Club

Start your own Christmas Club. On July 25th, write a check to yourself and start a Christmas savings account. Just like the Christmas Clubs that many banks used to offer (check to see if your bank has a
Christmas Club), if you start your own account you’ll have five months worth of deposits when December 1 rolls around.

Tip: Try This For Crispy Bacon

Try using your grilling machine (like George Foreman) to cook bacon. The grease drains down so the bacon is not soaked in fat and it comes out less greasy, flat and crispy.

Tip: Wedding Day Survival Kit

Create a wedding day survival kit for the bride-to-be. Include items in a special gift bag or basket that she might need the day of the wedding as she is getting ready. Ideas include a can of Static Guard, travel size sewing kit, large pack of safety pins, bobby pins, breath mints, tissues and a disposable camera.

Tip: Yummy Grilled Cheese Trick

I'll have to try this!

If you are out of butter, substitute mayonnaise. Simply spread a thin layer of mayo on the outside of the sandwich and grill the sandwich as usual. It tastes no different than when cooked in butter. You may need to use a small amount of cooking spray to keep the sandwich from sticking.

Tip: Slicing Strawberries

Making a strawberry dessert? Check out this tip-

Here’s a quick and easy way to slice strawberries: Use an egg slicer. The slicer will make consistent slices.

Tip: Organizing Winter Gear

I have found that hanging shoe organizers with pockets can be very helpful to hold winter hats and gloves. I hang one near my side door and everyone knows where to look for their stuff.

Tip: Removing Sticky Labels

To remove pesky sticky labels or stickers, spray with Shout and soak in a solution using the same product. The label should remove easily, then rinse and wash normally.

Tip: Updating Your Closet

When you change your closets over for a new season, put the hangers on the rod backwards. When you
wear an item, turn the hangers the conventional way. At the end of the season you can easily see
what you haven’t worn and decide if they should be donated.

Tip: Cute Thank You Card Idea

Take a photo of your child with their birthday gift and the child who gave the gift. Instead of writing out thank you cards, have your children write their thanks on the back of the picture.

Tip: Saving on Prescriptions

Need to stock up on prescriptions? Check out this tip:

Costco and Sam’s Club offer deeply discounted prices on prescription drugs. Costco was substantially cheaper, selling one of my prescriptions at 25 percent below CVS. And Sam’s Club has a
policy to meet or beat Costco’s prices.

Tip: Easier Snow Shoveling

This is an odd tip, but it works!

Before you start to shovel snow, spray your shovel with cooking spray like Pam. It will keep snow from sticking and ice from building up

Tip: Sharpening Scissors

If your scissors are getting dull, try using some some aluminum foil and cut through 4 or 5 times. The result is that your scissors will be much sharper.

Tip: Prepaid Gift Cards

Have extra gift cards around? Instead of letting a few dollars go to waste, look up the balance online and apply it toward your current cable bill, or any other bill that you can pay online.

Tip: Saving on Appliances

Big thanks to Jenn for sending in this savings tip!

Household appliance breaking down? Save hundreds on replacing the appliance or calling a repairman, by trying a few simple steps. Call the local parts distributors in your area and ask them for possible solutions to your appliance problem. Many appliance problems can be correctly diagnosed over the phone and fixed with a little common sense. Always have the correct brand and model in hand when you call as each appliance has its own individual solutions and no two brands are alike. Parts and your own labor can save a lot of money.



Tip: Check Those Receipts

When I go shopping, I always hang onto receipts. Not only in case of having to make a return, but many times receipts will have a coupon or discount at the bottom, just for taking a short survey. For example, Old Navy has a survey at the bottom of their receipt for 10% off, when you take a survey.

Tip: Target Markdown Schedule

Want to score the best deals @ Target? Keep this mark-down schedule handy:

Target Mark Down Schedule

MONDAY- kids clothes, electonics
TUESDAY- women's clothes, domestics
WEDNESDAY- men's clothes, toys, health and beauty
THURSDAY- lingerie, shoes, housewares, sporting goods
FRIDAY- cosmetics, hardware, auto, jewelry

=============================================

Target Holiday Clearance:

50% off day after holiday for three days
75% off fourth day after holiday for three days
90% off seventh day after holiday for 1-2 days



Tip: New Products

When companies come out with new products, they will almost always offer a coupon for a free product, a free sample on their web site or a money-back guarantee offer. Companies want consumers to try new products and offering a sample or coupon is an effective way to accomplish this.

It's a win-win for both consumers and companies!