New year's resolution

Here are some tips to help you if one of your new year's resolution is financial health in 2008!

1. Clip coupons: make a list of the top 10 things you buy and clip just those coupons from the Sunday paper or from http://www.couponsurfer.com/.

2. Online coupons: you can often get free shipping or additional discounts from http://www.couponcabin.com/ and http://www.cheapuncle.com/.

3. Budget: geezeo.com and wesabe.com helps you track your spending and both sites are free!

4. Utility bills: insulating your home can save up to a third on your utility bills. While compact fluorescent bulbs cost more initially, they save you in the long run by lasting longer and using 75% less energy. Don't leave lights on when a room is not in use, be quick with storing or getting food from the fridge and use the microwave in place of the stove for small cooking jobs. Unplug TVs and computers to cut energy costs even more!

5. Online banking: pay your bills online with automatic drafts. This will save you stamps, time and effort with writing checks and no more late payment fees and interest!

6. Bank costs: no need to pay check account fees with many banks offering a no-fee account. Compare how much interest you are receiving to what other banks are offering. Link your checking account to a savings account to avoid insufficient funds fees.

Happy savings!
Thrifty

New year's resolution

Health and fitness may be number 1 one most new year's resolution lists which is great. However, if your financial health is in poor shape, your health will suffer.



Easy ways to start saving on necessary expenses are:



1. Clips coupons: this need not be a time consuming process. Start by clipping coupons for the top 10 things you buys on a weekly or monthly basis. If you shop at BJ's, remember they take coupons as well. For bulk items (with multiple units in a banded pack) you can submit more than one coupon for an item.



2. Make sure to always use the coupon for Linens 'N Things, Bed, bath and beyond, Michaels or AC Moore's in the Sunday paper. Clip this and keep in your purse so you have it handy when needed. Remember thant Linens 'N Things and Bed, bath and beyond accept each other's coupons and are not too fussy about expiry dates. At Michaels you can give your name and address if you have forgotten your coupon at home.



3. Keep track of where your money is going. geezeo.com and wesabe.com are free sites you can use for this purpose.



4. Use fluorescent bulbs, unplug tvs and computers and wrap your hot water heater in a blanket to save on electricity bills. Insulating your home can cut utility bills by a third!



5. Find online coupon codes at http://www.couponcabin.com/ and http://www.cheapuncle.com/ before you make online purchases, for free shipping or additional discounts.



6. Save stamps, time and effort by paying bills online with automatic drafts. This will also avoid late payment fees and interest.

Returns, exchanges/swops

Merry Christmas to you all!

Today is probably the busiest day at stores for returns and exchanges. You may want to wait a day or two before doing this.

Local stores: Don't wait too long though as many stores have special holiday gift return periods that may offer you more flexible return and exchange policies, but only through that time frame, usually through early to mid January. Electronic items may have a restocking fee, so be aware of this. If the item is now on sale, you will be refunded the sale value of the item if you do not have a receipt.

Gift cards: For a $2 fee you can swap a gift card for one that you want - www.swapagift.com
You can also try to do this on www.craigs.list.com with someone local and not have to pay a fee.

E-gifts: The biggest issue with e-gift returns is that you will not be refunded shipping fees and will have to pay shipping fees for the new item, except if you are returning the item due to the retailers fault, for example the wrong item or size or the item arrived broken or damaged. While many online retailers allow 30 days for returns, some extend this period to accommodate the holiday season shoppers. amazon.com gives consumers up to January 31, 2008 for a full refund. (Items sold by Amazon.com and shipped between November 1, 2007 and December 31, 2007 may be returned until January 31, 2008 for a full refund, subject to our other returns restrictions). If an online retailer has a physical location, you may be able to take the item to the local store for a refund or exchange (less shipping fees).

If you find that you have held onto something past the return date, you can try to sell it on amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/gp/seller/sell-your-stuff.html/ref=ret_hp_si You should also try www.craigslist.com for this.

Remember too that if you are in the stores anyway, you could buy some seasonal items on sale for next Christmas! It's never too early to start saving, but rememer your budget.

Happy saving!
Thrifty

In the spirit of the season....

Good morning... today I thought of showing you a link to giving something to the underprivileged kids of the world.

http://laptop.org/en/vision/mission/ (or http://www.9thwonders.com/index.php for the TV show Heroes fans) will show you a truly altruistic idea to provide underpriviledged children with a laptop. 'One laptop per child' gives you the opportunity to pay $200.00 which buys you 2 laptops, one for your own child (or niece, nephew, grandchild) and one for a child in a developing country!

Happy giving!
Thrifty

Sports fans

Hello again

With less than a week to Christmas I have two more gift ideas for people who may have everything AND are sports fans!

www.fansedge.com has all the gear for sports fans from NFL to NASCAR! They have good deals on close out items at times. www.amazon.com sells some of their goodies too and you could qualify for free shipping if you're not set on getting it before the big day or for a different occasion!

Locally you can buy Ten which is a sweet red table wine by Duplin winery in honor of the Hurricanes' 10th anniversary. It sells for around $10 and can be found at retailers in the area (Kroger I know for sure!) as well as from www.duplinwinery.com Remember though that you'll pay shipping (which is $10.75 for one bottle and goes up by about $2.00 per bottle after that).

Happy Holidays!
Thrifty

One week to go....

Feeling more like Christmas yet? The weather sure does feel like it! For the final countdown, here are a few stocking stuffer ideas or just to satisfy a sweet tooth!

Ever been to Trader Joe's on Kildaire Farm Road in Cary? If not, this is as good a time as any to go. There is one on E. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill as well.

They have great prices on cookies and chocolates like: Almond snowmen cookies for $4.99 for a 13 oz box, Dark chocolate sea salt caramels for $4.99 for a 6.3 oz box and Dark chocolate grahams for $6.99 for a 12oz box amongst others. There are also bon bons and cherry filled chocolates.

They have good prices on wines, olive oils, balsamic vinegars, cheeses and many more. This is a store that has good prices on a daily basis. No coupons accepted cause they're not needed! There are some items like the cold cuts that cost more, but the quality is great! Most of their products have no trans fats and are made with good ingredients. Also the only store I know of that encourages you to bring your own bags! For more information, go to http://www.traderjoes.com/

Happy saving!
Thrifty

Free shipping

Hello

Get your online shopping done today as free shipping ends either today or tomorrow, depending on the retailer. Go to the website of the retailer you're interested in for details. To help you along, here are two deadlines.

Target has free shipping on select items on purchases of $50 or more until tomorrow, December 18, 2007.

Amazon's Free super saver shipping deadline is today if you want your package delivered by Christmas eve.

Kohl's cardholders can sign up online for emails on sales and specials. By doing this you will be eligible for one online purchase with free shipping!

Happy clicking!
Thrifty

$30 and under

Good morning

It's feeling more like winter today, so you may want to shop online from the comfort of your couch! Here are some gift ideas for everyone from a friend's baby to the hard to buy for guy in your life - for under $30.00.

Guys:
L.L. Bean Weather Station $30 (6 different colors)
Eddie Bauer Ice Scraper $14.50
Zibra open it! package opener $9.99 (walgreens.com)
Restaurant coupons: For example: Outback, Carrabbas $25 (or $50 if you're feeling generous!)

Gals:
Old Navy Sequined Flats, $9.49 oldnavy.com
Squeezable silicone bowls, $3.99 - $24,99 amazon.com
Sonia Kashuk Glitz and Glam Brush Set, $19.99 target.com
Target Faux crocodile satchel $24.99 target.com
Landsend cashmere scarves $29.95 (21 different colors) landsend.com
Shake 'N Take Personal Smoothie Maker, $29.95 sharperimage.com

Babies:
Meyamo customizable onesies, $26,95 honey-bunch.com
Robeez soft sole shoes, $27.95 robeez.com

Friends:
Lumiere Candle Holders, $3.95-5.95 cb2.com
Belvoir Fruit Farms Juice $7.50
Umbra's Photoforest Frame, $13

For anyone:
Brown Lab and Dachshund Soaps, $20 uncommongoods.com
Bluetooth, $19.99 Suncom stores in the Cary area (sale this weekend only)

Happy shopping!
Thrifty

Power saving lights

Good morning from a spring-like Apex. The warmer temperatures will go a long way to saving you on your heating bill this month. This is good considering the extra consumption with Christmas decorations!

Save even more by using Compact Fluorescent light bulbs if possible. They come in different colors now, including green and red for this season. So make a festive change to your outside lights. "If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars." http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls

LED Christmas decorations are the new way to go. http://www.christmaslightsetc.com/led-christmas-lights.htm has information on these lights.

Happy saving on your electricity bills!
Thrifty

Take care of the pennies....

Ok, so the simple life is not for everyone. Your family has been spoilt by receiving gifts, gifts and more gifts!

With that in mind, the countdown to Christmas is well under way! 17 shopping days left including today. Simple life or not, you can still find ways to save on some shipping here and a discount there. If you're doing all or most of your shopping online, make sure you look for coupon codes for the various online retailers.

http://dealnews.com/coupons/ , http://www.give-aways.com/ and http://www.shopping-bargains.com/stores/ are a few of many sites that have links to discounts and/or coupon codes.

Some sites, like http://www.amazon.com/ give you free shipping for qualifying items and no coupon is needed. Make sure you select "Free super saver shipping" for each qualifying item before submitting your order.

Happy savings!
Thrifty

The simple life....

Good morning to you all from a freezing cold Apex, NC

The best way to save of course is to make it a way of life. Simplying your lifestyle can save you thousands and even tens of thousands of dollars in a year.

Take for example how to save one day's savings on take out food: Coffee $3.00 + Lunch $5.00 + Dinner $8.00 plus tax would add up to roughly $17. Let's say you do this for 200 days out of the year, = $3,400. That is just for one person. Now compare that to making your own coffee at home and having cereal/hot breakfast at home, pack a sandwich or have last night's left overs for lunch and cook dinner at home. If you are a couple, that's a saving of $6,800. That's money towards your retirement savings or to pay down debts AND have that much deserved cruise vacation!

Tips to start you on your way to simplifying can be found on http://freebies.about.com/cs/aboutsites/a/moneysavingtips.htm

Happy simplifying!
Thrifty

Quiet date night

Anybody frazzled yet with all the holiday activities? How about a calmer night?

You can take your spouse to the movies... to save money go to the shows before 6pm (some venues are 5pm) and pay the matinee price. Or, if you're a member of a credit union, check with them about movie tickets. Coastal Federal Credit Union sells tickets to Consolidated Theaters and Carmike Cinemas for $5.50. These tickets can be used for certain night time movies. Usually these are used for movies out for longer than 2 weeks. Some movies don't have restrictions at all and you can use these from opening night. Check with the cinema or online.

Otherwise, pack a picnic basket, make a fire in the fireplace and have a wonderful picnic in the living room!

Enjoy!
Thrifty

More about gifts.....

Good morning again

There is more to gift giving than going to the store and buying a gift, wrapping it and giving it.

Give your time: Offer to take down and pack up decorations, babysit or make dinner for a loved one. Take a friend out for lunch or pick up the tab for theater or movie tickets.

Make an album of candid camera shots or put them in a suitable frame as gifts. This is a great idea for a wedding anniversary gift to a spouse as well.

Make personalised recipe book for someone who loves to cook or a list of the top 100 movies and a gift certificate to a video rental store for a movie lover.

Personalize a store bought item (like a towel) by sewing on initials in a contrasting thread or iron-on lettering. Etch names or patterns onto glass items like vases or wine glasses.

For someone with a sweet tooth, baked items such as cookies, muffins or breads wrapped in a cloth napkin in a pretty basket is a gift with a difference. Baskets can be bought at craft stores on sale for song!

Happy saving!
Thrifty

Gift Saving Tips

Good Monday Morning!

With gift giving time, sometimes it's hard to think of a gift for someone. At http://www.findgift.com/For-Who you can find gift ideas for all ages, male or female. Gifts range from under $10 to $100 or more.

Good deals can be found at bargain hunting sites like www.dealhack.com and www.refundcents.com.

Happy Saving!
Thrifty

Kid restaurant savings

Good Morning everyone!

With gas prices so high, most of us have to save elsewhere to stay within our budgets. Saving on restaurant bills is a good start! Cooking nutritious home cooked meals is the best way, but of course we don’t live in a perfect world with time to cook everyday. Also, sometimes, kids enjoy a treat.

Many restaurants that used to offer free kids meals, no longer do so. To find restaurants in your area where kids eat free, go to www.kidseatfree.com, www.mykidseatfree.com and www.mommysavers.com/money-saving-ideas/kids-eat-free.shtml

Traveling with kids can also be a challenge. Prepack nutritious snacks and sandwiches to prevent the "I am hungry..." complaints when you're in the middle of nowhere.

Tips for meals on the road when kids don't eat free:
- Mexican restaurants often serve a complimentary big basket of tortilla chips with salsa
- don't be shy about asking, nicely, for an extra plate so that two kids can share a meal
- for car trips: pull into a place with a ball room; parents eat their meals while the kids play; share out the kids' food once you're back in the car.

That way, you can share out (cheaper) giant-sized portions. Handy to have: tupperware containers, for saving food for later; plastic cups for sharing out drinks.

Happy Savings!
Thrifty

Feeling blue?

It's that time of year again with sniffles, sneezes and sore throats. Remember there's the Minute Clinic at CVS pharmacies which charge a lesser rate than doctors. Locations can be found at http://www.minuteclinic.com/en/USA/Clinics.aspx.

If you are doing online shopping, many online retailers have free shipping if your purchase is greater than a certain amount. Amazon is $25 for qualifying items, JC Penny is $49.

Kohl's is having 50% - 55% discounts up to tomorrow (Thursday) on clothes, and accessories, 50% on toys and 20% off sterling silver jewellry that's already 55% off.

Apparently the best day to fill up on gas is a Wednesday as gas prices tend to go up on Mondays and Thursdays. Also avoid gas stations right next to a highway.

For some gas saving tips go to http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml, http://cars.about.com/od/helpforcarbuyers/tp/ag_top_fuelsave.htm and http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html

Happy Savings!
Thrifty

A little bit here and a little bit there....

Good morning.... Today I’ll be giving you a few random tips to get you thinking about ways you can trim your unnecessary spending. This can get you started on a few new year's resolutions!

Coffee lovers remember that the Starbucks brew of the day costs under $2. This changes on a weekly basis. Of course, if you cut the habit completely, you’ll save even more! J Get yourself a coffee cup and make your brew at home!

Linens & Things and Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons are interchangeable. Don’t worry too much if the coupon has expired, they take it any way. Remember too that you can use more than one coupon at a time as well.

Chic-fil-A restaurants also are not sticky with expired coupons. Call ahead and make sure that the location you have a coupon for is ok with this. I have not had any problems with this in the past.

Fees: Look at your bank statement and add up your monthly fees. If necessary, switch to an account (or different bank) which has no unnecessary fees. If you are paying any accounts late, stop getting slammed by late fees by using automatic bank drafts or setting yourself a reminder on you cell phone to make timely payments.

Pay up your credit card balance on a monthly basis. This will force you to buy only what you can afford to pay at the end of that month. Remember to cash in on any credit card rewards you earn for using the card. If you have to make monthly payments, make the payments before the due date. If the due date is before pay day, get the due date changed. This may take a month or two to kick in, but would be worth saving on those late payment fees.

Interest: Paying an extra $100 a month toward the principal on a $150,000, 30-year mortgage with a fixed interest rate of 6.5%, will save you more than $51,000 in interest and be able to retire your mortgage about seven years early. An extra monthly payment of even $20 or $25 can make a surprising difference. Now you would benefit more if you invest the extra money in an interest-bearing account offering a guaranteed higher rate of return than your mortgage rate. Paying off your mortgage early means you will not have the tax benefits of home ownership for the same number of years. However, spending less interest and knowing you own the home is a plus!

Happy saving!
Thrifty

Cyber Monday

Good Monday Morning to you all!

After Black Friday comes… Cyber Monday! According to wikipedia.com, the term Cyber Monday refers to the Monday immediately following Black Friday, the ceremonial kick-off of the holiday online shopping season in the United States between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. Whereas Black Friday is associated with traditional brick-and-mortar stores, "Cyber Monday" symbolizes a busy day for online retailers.

You can find some interesting info on where to go today at http://chris.pirillo.com/2007/11/24/cyber-monday- sales/ and
http://shopping.yahoo.com/articles/yshoppingarticles/63/stylish-cyber-monday-steals. The official Cyber Monday site is shop.org where more than 500 retailers offer discounts for the 2007 holiday season.

overstock.com, cybermondaydeals.com, cybermonday.com are more sites to visit today. Of course, 72% of retailers will offer specials today, so remember to check your favorites for specials which include free shipping or discounts.

Remember that you only save when you buy items that you would have bought anyway. Saving 50% on an unnecessary item is not really a saving. You’d save 100% if you did not get it at all!!

Happy saving!
Thrifty

The day after...

Good Morning! I hope you all had a good shopping day yesterday with lots of savings. I got my best savings at Kohl's where I bought 1/8 diamond 14kt gold earrings for $19.99. The original price was $99.99. That's a great saving, but shows how huge the mark up is on jewelry. It was my first time shopping on Black Friday and a very positive experience. I managed to find all the items I was hoping for except for two. Not bad for a day when everyone seems to go crazy and buy up everything. Also, I hit my first store at 7am and it had opened at 4am.

Many stores are continuing their sales today and a handful go on until tomorrow. Happy shopping and I'll be back on Monday with more savings.

Have a good one....
Thrifty

After Thanksgiving Sales

Hope you're having a super Thanksgiving, with lots of family, friends and food! Thanksgiving day is followed by.... shopping!

"Black Friday" is the day after American Thanksgiving and also the unofficial start of the traditional Christmas shopping season in the U.S. This day is also one of the BUSIEST shopping days of the year.

According to wikipedia.org, "Black Friday" was originally so named because of the heavy traffic on that day, although most contemporary uses of the term refer instead to it as the beginning of the period in which retailers are in the black (i.e., turning a profit).

Some of the stores in the CARD area having door busting/early bird specials are:

Belk: 5am - 1pm; $25 off $75; close 10pm
Big Lots: 7am - 11am; $10 off $50; 3 day sale; close 7pm
Burlington Coat Factory: 7am; close 10pm; Sat 8am - 10pm
Game Stop: 7am - 11am
HHGreg: 5am - 11am
JC Penny: 4am - 1pm; Extra 10% off; 3pm - 11pm $10 off $50 or $15 off $75; close 11pm
KB Toys: 5am - noon
Kmart: 6am - 11am
Kohl's: 4am - 1pm; close midnight; Sat 6am - midnight
Linens & Things: 5am 2 day doorbusters
Macy's:6am- 1pm, $10 off $25; 150 morning specials; close 11pm
Michael's: 6am - 9am; 25% off; 9am - 10pm $5 off $25, $10 off $40, $30 off $100
Sears: 5am - noon $10 off $50
Staples: 6am - 10am
Target: 6am; 2 day sale; close 11pm; Sat 8am - 11pm;
Toys R Us: 5am - noon;
Walmart: 5am - 11am

The times stated are for the early bird specials or door busters. Closing times are stated separately.

Happy Shopping!
Thrifty

Last minutes Thanksgiving info

Happy Thanksgiving! If you have not planned and/or purchased your dinner yet, here are some last minute tips to help. So for those who want to cook from scratch, buy take out or dine out, you will find helpful information here.

Harris Teeter has fresh whole turkeys or Butterball turkeys for .99c per pound, frozen Tom Turkey at .69c per pound, frozen Hen turkey @ .79c per pound and fresh natural turkey @ $2.29 per pound.
Kroger has the ready to heat and serve Private Selection Spiral Sliced Ham Dinner- Or - The Traditional Private Selection Turkey Dinner Ready for $43.99. Serves 8-10 In select Kroger stores you can also buy a Chef prepared Rosemary Turkey Breast for $8.99 per pound or the uncooked turkey breast for $2.19 per pound. Sweet jumbo yams are only .33c per pound!

Remember to sign up for your Harris Teeter Vic and Kroger loyalty cards to get these special prices. Harris Teeter also doubles all coupons up to .99c while Kroger doubles all coupons up to .50c every day. Find coupons in the Sunday paper.

Restaurants open on Thanksgiving are listed below. Please let me know if you know of any more.

Enjoy stuffing the Turkey and then stuffing your face!
Thrifty

Restaurants open on Thanksgiving
Acme Food & Beverage Co.110 E. Main St., Carrboro929-2263 www.acmecarrboro.com
Angus Barn9401 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh787-3505 http://angusbarn.com
Brasa8551 Brier Creek Pkwy. In Brier Creek Commons, Raleigh544-3344 www.brasasteakhouse.com
C & H Cafeteria1720-70 Guess Rd., in Northgate Mall, Durham286-7303
The Capital Room1520 Blue Ridge Rd., in the Ramada Inn, Raleigh832-4100 http://blueridge.pmcproperties.com
Carolina Crossroads211 Pittsboro St., in the Carolina Inn, Chapel Hill918-2777 www.carolinainn.com
Carvers Creek2711 Capital Blvd., Raleigh872-2300www.carverscreek.com
Chops Steakhouse10920 Cleveland School Rd., Garner550-8100www.chopsteakhouse.com
Fairview3001 Cameron Blvd., in the Washington Duke Inn, Durham490-0999 www.washingtondukeinn.com
Fearrington House2000 Fearrington Village Center (8 miles south of Chapel Hill on Hwy. 15-501), Pittsboro542-2121 www.fearringtonhouse.com
Four Square2701 Chapel Hill Rd., Durham401-9877 www.foursquarerestaurant.com
Gallery GrillOne Europa Dr., in the Sheraton Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill969-2144 www.sheratonchapelhill.com
George’s Garage737 Ninth St., Durham286-4131 www.ghgrestaurants.com/garage/garage.html
Golden Corral, 5707 Dillard Drive, 27511, Cary (919) 816-0352 from 10am - 7pm. Buffet $9.99
Herons100 Woodland Pond, in The Umstead Hotel and Spa, Cary447-4200 www.heronsrestaurant.com
Il PalioThe Siena Hotel, 1505 E. Franklin St., Chapel Hill918-2545 www.ilpalio.com
Irregardless Café901 W. Morgan St., Raleigh833-8898 www.irregardless.com
K & S Cafeteria3620 Bastion Ln., in Tower Shopping Center, Raleigh; 9420 Forum Dr., in Six Forks Station, Raleigh; in South Hills Mall, Cary231-8040 (Tower); 676-7781 (Six Forks); 462-8404 (Cary)
Margaux’sBrennan Station, 8111-111 Creedmoor Rd., Raleigh846-9846 www.margauxsrestaurant.com
Midtown4421-115 Six Forks Rd., in North Hills Plaza, Raleigh787-8963 www.115midtowne.com
The Old Granary2000 Fearrington Center, in Fearrington Village, Pittsboro 542-2121 www.fearrington.com/village/granary.asp
The Old Place289 Elmore Moore Rd., Bear Creek837-5131 www.old-place.com
ParizadeFirst Union Plaza (in Erwin Square), 2200 W. Main St., Durham 286-9712 (restaurant); 265-9985 (reservations) www.ghgrestaurants.com/parizade/parizademaster.html
Note: vegan Thanksgiving buffet sponsored by Triangle Vegetarian Society
Rio Churrascaria9650-145 Strickland Rd., in Harvest Plaza, Raleigh846-6560 (Raleigh)www.riosteakhouse.comnNote: Only the Raleigh location will be open on Thanksgiving Day
Spice StreetUniversity Mall, 201 S. Estes Dr., Chapel Hill 928-8200 www.ghgrestaurants.com/spice/spicestreet.html
Ted’s Montana Grill3701-150 Sumner Blvd., in Triangle Town Center, Raleigh; 6911-102 Fayetteville Rd., in Renaissance Center, Durham 792-2022 (Raleigh); 572-1210 (Durham)www.tedsmontanagrill.com
Top of the Tower320 Hillsborough St., Clarion State Capital Hotel, Raleigh832-0501 (ext. 3) www.raleighclarion.com
Ye Olde Country Kitchen327 Drama Rd., Snow Camp 336-376-6991

For more open restaurants, take out turkey, catering options and gourmet stores, go to:
http://triangle.citysearch.com/roundup/38070/

How do you do with AAA!!

Good morning! My intention with this blog is to tell you about my money saving adventures and to point you in the direction of a few to use yourself. I will have tips that can be used nationally as well as those focused on NC and more especially the Cary, Apex, Raleigh, Durham(to be referred to as the CARD in future) area.

Feel free to email me your money savings tips and/or sales and specials you are aware of.

Today I will be reminding you of savings you already should be aware of! AAA members often forget about the deals associated with this card. Aside from the hotel accommodation discounts which we usually remember to use, there are several others. Trying going to www.aaa.com/target for a 10% saving on online purchases from Target or www.aaa.com/dell website or 866-609-1139 for a 6% discount on products and services. Best Buy offers a 20% off car electronics installation services with a downloadable coupon. Circuit City gives 10% savings on purchases* of $199 or more with coupon for online and in-store purchases!

At Carolina Premium Outlets in Smithfield, NC (), members can find remarkable savings at 80 different stores. AAA members receive a free VIP coupon book at the information center.
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=48)

Seniors, here are some tips for you to use.
Anyone 55 and older, remember that Kroger offers a 5% discounts on Tuesdays;
Kerr Drug offers a 10% discount on most items to Tuesday shoppers, 60 years of age and up. Mail-in Rebates on adult diapers, canes and bed rails range from $1 to $20;
Ongoing savings can be found at Southewest Airlines;
Remember to ask for discounts for banking services and auto insurance;
For more senior discounts, go to seniorliving.about.com, seniordiscounts.com and seniorjournal.com/Discounts.htm today.

Remember... a penny saved is a penny earned!

Happy savings today!
Thrifty