Baltimore Sun Coupons for August 27 - 28, 2011

Ah, what a special weekend with the whole Hurricane Irene experience.   I hope wherever you are reading this, you are safe and well prepared for the storm.  Since you are going to be spending some time at home this weekend, you may want to grab a Baltimore Sun weekend edition.  This weekend is an especially nice weekend for coupons.  The Baltimore Sun I picked up this morning has 3 packets of coupons.

Some of the best coupons included in this weekend's Baltimore Sun are:

• $1 off Tropicana
• Several L'Oreal coupons
• $1.50 off Kibbles 'n Bits for your dog
• Nature Valley and Quaker granola bar coupons
• Zyrtec and Claritin coupons
• Numerous Kellogg's coupons
• Tide and All detergent coupons
• Several cleaning supplies coupons
• $1.00 off Colgate
• $2.00 off Energizer batteries
• Duracell battery coupons (2 types)
• Feminine product coupons
• Dunkin Donuts coupons
• Prilosec, Nyquil, and other medication coupons
• And much, much more!

So if you need something to keep you entertained this weekend due to a lack of electricity, take the time to shuffle through all the coupons.  Also, there are CVS, Target, and Kohl's salespapers, to name a few.

Stay safe during the entire Hurricane Irene experience!

Now is the Time to Apply for Seasonal Positions

It is the end of August now and the summer is coming to a close.  The long, happy sunny days are leaving us.  We will now have to deal with the cold of autumn and winter.  This means paying more to heat our homes. Also, using the washer and dryer more since we will all be wearing more layers of clothes.  Plus, we must make plans for holiday shopping.  All of this means we need more money.

On an upnote, this is the perfect time of year to gather job applications for stores.  Many of you are already working full-time, but it is just not bringing in enough money.  Now is the time to work a second job.  I know it is depressing to be forced to do that, but you can work two jobs at once during the holiday season and not go crazy.  It is a good time to fill out the applications, since you can return them in the beginning of September.

Many retailers like to hire at the beginning of September so the staff will be properly trained by the time the Christmas rush comes in.  The down side to this, is yes, you will be working during the Christmas rush.  The plus side is, you will be making extra money and probably getting a really nice discount.  When you work at a store that gives a nice discount, it is perfect for Christmas shopping. 

If you are currently unemployed, this is also a good option for you.  Many retailers will hire you for part-time, seasonal work for the holidays, but if you show a desire to work more hours, they will probably have more to give you as it gets closer to Christmas.  If they really like you, they may keep you on for part-time work after Christmas.  Certainly this can be a difficult time for you if you've never worked in retail before or you are looking for a better job, but keep in mind many employers want to see you are working rather than staying on unemployment.  It might not look perfect on a resume, but working in retail looks better than nothing.

So if you've decided you want (or need) extra money for the winter months, make sure to start gathering your applications at the end of August.  Start returning them in September, but make sure to talk to a manager when you return the applications.  It helps to show up with a smiling face and make a great impression.  Good luck to you!

Save Money with Houseplants You Can't Kill

Everyone likes the look of a nice houseplant or two in their home.  Unfortunately, one cannot always keep them alive.  It is always disappointing when you spend time and money on a plant, only to kill it in less than a few months.  The best thing to do it get hardy houseplants.

For houseplant suggestions, check out: Houseplants You Can't Kill

Of course, you can pretty much kill any houseplant if you are outright trying to do so.  But some plants are just easier to care for than others.  Ask around and see if your friends have cuttings for plants that are hardy plants.  Maybe you can get a pothos plant cutting from them, and start growing your own pothos.  For that matter, since it is such an easy plant to keep, you may be able to start giving or selling (extra cash!) cuttings to others. 

If all else fails and every plant seems to die, see if you can buy some secondhand artificial plants.  You will save yourself a lot of grief.

Just Buy What You Need

For those of you that are big fans of scoping out sales and using coupons, you can save lots of money.  This weekend I bought $80 worth of groceries for $45. This is quite excellent for me, even though some "extreme couponers" would surely frown upon it.  I am sure they would be able to buy $800 worth of groceries for $45.  However, I try not to compare myself to others.  I feel like I achieved a great deal.

What you have to consider when making "extreme couponing" purchases is if you will actually use what you are buying.  Certainly it is a great deal to buy 10 jars of pasta sauce at once if it is on sale and you have coupons, but make sure to check the expiration date and consider how much pasta you actually eat.  If you do not even really like pasta and you might only use 4 jars, you have actually wasted money.  It does not matter if you bought 10 for 50 cents a piece.  If 6 go to waste, you just lost $3.

This sounds like a relatively simple concept until a person becomes obsessed with finding the best bargains.  Suddenly, it is not about what is practical.  It is about getting whatever is the cheapest.  Aside from losing money by looking for bargains, you also need to be realistic about what you like to eat. 

For example, I like to eat junk food.  I am constantly trying to eat healthier.  So say one day there is a great sale on apples.  That is perfect.  Apples are a healthy, wonderful snack.  I can buy a few apples and eat them during the week.  However, if even just one bag of candy goes into the cart, good bye apples.  Chances are, the apples will get tossed to the side and I will eat candy all week.  Now, the apples, even though they were on sale, will go to waste.

When shopping, be realistic about what you will really eat.  If you are trying to be healthy, buy healthy foods that are on sale, but DO NOT buy junk food.  Junk food will lure you away from the healthy food every time.  Right now, I have a bag of what was once delicious broccoli in my fridge.  Now, it looks terrible and must be thrown out.  Lesson learned - buy frozen broccoli even if it is more expensive.  Frozen broccoli lasts much longer.  You lose money when you are constantly throwing stuff out.

Free Trial Memberships

Would you like to join a gym?  Do you need to get some inspiration when it comes to exercising?  Or perhaps your shower has stopped working and you need a place to wash up.   Well, you are in luck.

Many gyms offer a 10 day trial period to give their gym a try.  You can sign up online or go in person.  Even if there is no free trial period, there is usually a discounted rate for a new member.  One of my friends just simply registers at new gyms periodically and gets the 10 day free trial.  Once the 10 days end, she exercises on her own or just moves on to a new gym.  Certainly you may run out of gyms after a while, but at least you can decide on whether you really liked one and if maybe you can afford their price.

If all else fails, at least you have a place to take shower, like say, if your water is now turned off for repairs.  Showering is important and joining a gym is starting to sound appealing right about now.

Food as a Gift

If you are looking for a practical and inexpensive gift for this holiday season or birthdays, I would like to suggest giving a gift basket or gift bag full of food.  I am not talking about the fancy baskets with cheese and wine either.  I am talking about a gift with food that people really need.  If you are broke, chances are, some of the people around you are low on money, too.

Some people may get offended if you try to give them food; however, if it is given as a cute present, a person who really needs it will probably be grateful.  You could even throw in a low-priced gift card or a fun item just for good measure. 

When giving a practical gift basket, make sure to include items that are non-perishable.  You should include cans of soup, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, and you may even want to give items like detergent, shampoo, etc.  In these difficult economic times, many people appreciate the help. 

For more ideas and information click on: It's OK to Give Food as a Gift