Worth Reading: Olympic Athletes and Financial Success

We’ve been watching the Olympics in our house – have you? I found Crystal’s post on the parallels between Olympic athletes and success in money-saving to be very interesting! I think you will, too:

Olympic Athletes and Financial Success
by Crystal at Money Saving Mom

As always, I LOVE to hear your thoughts! :)

Worth Reading: What to Do with Expired Coupons

Many of you have asked about donating expired coupons to military families serving overseas.

Deal Seeking Mom has a guest post here with great details:
What to Do with Expired Coupons

You might want to group your friends or coworkers together, gather your expired manufacturer’s coupons and split shipping costs. It’s a wonderful thing when your cast-offs can be used to benefit other families!

Have you donated coupons to the military before?

Worth Reading: How to Create a Budget

With 2010 now well underway - and a year's worth of spending ahead, now is a great time to determine a budget for the year. Since I struggle with doing this, I love this article from Organizing Your Way:

31 Days of Organizing for a Better 2010: Create a Budget

Mandi Ehman creates a very practical, straightforward guide in making a budget happen.

Do YOU have a working budget? Have you re-adjusted for your needs in 2010?

Worth Reading: Holiday Gift Ideas for Teachers

You'll want to read this article!
Holiday Gift Ideas for Teachers
by Jo-Lynne at Musings of a Housewife

As a teacher, I often get asked about teacher gift ideas from friends. I can wholeheartedly second Jo-Lynne's advice (in addition, I happen to like the author's name)! While ornaments, candles and teacher mugs are nice, there's not a single teacher that doesn't have boxes full of them. It's always nice to get a thoughtful gift that can be used!

MY absolute favorite?

A gift card. Even if it's for a single DVD rental, one cup of coffee, or just enough to cover a Panera bagel, it won't add clutter or collect dust! Teachers often live on a tight budget (most of us don't enter the career for the money!) and dining out is not always an option.

Other honorable mentions:

~ Bath & Body Works items, especially the antibacterial soaps!

~ Personalized notepads or sticky notes from Vistaprint
You can even order a photo notepad, personalized with a class picture!

~ A charitable donation in your teacher's name
One teacher I know encourages her students to take their intended teacher gift money and use it to buy items for the church's food pantry! Laura has more ideas for charitable gifts here!

~ A heartfelt note of thanks
It costs nothing, but compliments are rarely shared with teachers (and the encouragement goes a long way).

Do you have a good teacher gift idea? Please share!

Worth Reading: CVS 101 - An In-Depth Guide for Shopping at CVS

This is one AMAZING guide. If you've ever shopped CVS, ever wondered about how to shop at CVS, ever wanted to shop at CVS - and save money while doing it - then read this post from Saving Your Cents first!

When Lissa says this is an in-depth guide, she's not kidding! She has not left out a single detail. It's well-written and full of helpful information!

Saving Your Cents Presents CVS 101: An In-Depth Guide For Shopping At CVS

Give it a read, then let us know what new information you've learned!

P.S. If you're interested in printing this 14-page document for reference, she's made it available for easy printing without pictures! See the end of her article for the Google Document link.

Worth Reading: Restaurant Bonus Gift Card Offers

It's that time of year! Since everyone is thinking about gifts, many restaurants have introduced gift card offers - buy a card (or more), get a bonus!

Corrie at Centsable Momma has compiled a great list of Restaurant Bonus Gift Card Offers. You'll want to check them out if you plan on purchasing gift cards as gifts (or if you know you'll be spending money at these establishments over the course of the next year)! Gift cards are also a creative way to keep your entertainment budget in check.

For example, I'm a Panera Bread groupie (there are few things better than a fresh Cinnamon Crunch bagel!). Since we know we'll be spending money there anyway, we like to purchase 2 $25 gift cards (in separate transactions) at this time of year. They come with a bonus You-pick-two meal certificate, which we'll use for a free lunch date!

Worth Reading: Top 10 Christmas Shopping Mistakes

Christmas shopping season is here. And if you're not one of the lucky people who already have their shopping done, you could really benefit from this information from Dave Ramsey:

Top 10 Christmas Shopping Mistakes

It'll help keep you (and your budget) in perspective!

Worth Reading: Shepherd's Pie Recipe Tutorial

Laura at Sharpen Your Scissors took the Faux Shepherd's Pie recommended here on Macomb Money Savers by Lisa (as a Money-Saving Kroger Recipe) and turned it into her Tutorial Tuesday post, complete with great pictures and tips! I thought you might want to take a peek!

Keep this recipe in mind when you've got post-Thanksgiving leftover mashed potatoes. There's no rule that says you have to used ground beef in the recipe, either. I think it would be just as delicious with cooked, chopped turkey pieces!

Read Laura's detailed recipe tutorial here: Faux Shepherd's Pie

You might also want to check Sharpen Your Scissors tomorrow for a delicious and easy Cranberry Relish Recipe Tutorial!

By the way, has anyone tried the Faux Shepherd's Pie recipe yet?

Worth Reading: How to Handle Coupon Rejection

Heather from Freebies 4 Mom has a great post on what to do when you're confronted at the register. If you're a couponer, this WILL happen to you at some point in your shopping journey. Being prepared with a response can help you keep your cool.

How to Handle Coupon Rejection

Just out of curiosity, what do YOU do or say when your coupon is refused?

Worth Reading: When Couponers and Non-Couponers Collide!

Need a dose of humor today? Do you ever wonder what you can say to the person waiting in line behind you - the one who's looking a little less patient with every coupon the cashier is scanning? Mindi has a great post, just to remind you that you should never be ashamed to save with coupons:

When Couponers and Non-Couponers Collide!

from Mindi at Moms Need to Know

Worth Reading: Shopping Strategy

If you've ever found yourself wondering...

• When is the best time to spend my coupon? Do I wait for a better sale or deal?
• Should I run to ALL of the stores this week for the best deals?
• What is the best way to approach shopping each week?

Read what Laura (the Sharp Scissors Lady) has written in her detailed post about Shopping Strategy. It will help shed some light on the way you shop for your family!

Worth Reading: Fighting the Flu the Frugal Way

It's time to arm yourself for the germs circulating this season! Kingdom First Mom has a great post including tips for Fighting the Flu: The Frugal Way, based on her experience battling H1N1 in her own home this month.

If you're feeling especially frugal and would like to try making your own hand sanitizer (similar to Purell), you can thanks to this recipe from Frugality in the Making.

And thanks to Smockity Frocks, you could also try your hand at homemade Clorox sanitizing spray with her easy, 2-ingredient recipe!

Stay tuned for news on how you can turn an old coat into a flu shot (Oct. 31 from 10-2 in Royal Oak)...

Worth Reading: Rekindling Your Romance with Coupons

Every couponer eventually burns out. And what then? Give up coupons entirely? Or maybe you just need to find a way to get back to that excitement you found when you first began bargain shopping...

Rekindling Your Romance with Coupons by Angela Russell

Has it happened to you before? And how did you handle it?

Worth Reading: How to Stop Buying Clothes You Never Wear

If you have a closet full of clothes but "nothing to wear"...or if you're looking for ways to streamline both your closet and your clothing budget, read on! You'll find 7 great guidelines to keep in mind the next time you're out shopping

"These tips are applicable to women and men, whether you’re a high-power attorney or a stay-at-home parent."

How to Stop Buying Clothes You Never Wear by April Dykman

How do YOU pursue fashion on a budget?

Worth Reading: Coupon Afterlife

We'll be enjoying our Saturday celebrating a family wedding, so I won't be online today. However, I have scheduled a few posts to keep you occupied! And I'd highly recommend that you take a look at this interesting coupon information posted at The Sharp Scissors Lady. Part of being a good coupon-user is being an educated shopper, so you might like to know and understand the life-cycle of a coupon:

Coupon After Life at The Sharp Scissors Lady
Thanks, Laura!

Worth Reading: Ten Ways to Minimize the Cost of Raising Young Children

If you're not already aware of the fact, raising kids is an expensive responsibility. Wouldn't you like to spend less money raising your children without having to cut back on what really matters? Take a look at the following post at Frugal Dad - I think you'll benefit from this sound advice:

Ten Ways to Minimize the Cost of Raising Young Children by Craig Ford

Worth Reading: Plan Purchases a Year Early to Get Bargains

"Timing is everything in bargain-shopping."
Kathryn Canavan, USA Today

Thinking ahead and knowing when to buy at the lowest possible prices are important tools to playing a smart shopping game. Did you know that September is the best time to purchase new cars, landscaping plants, trees, appliances or holiday airfare?

Take a look at this article from USA Today, which includes a helpful side chart on WHEN the BARGAINS ARE throughout the year: Plan Purchases A Year Early to Get Bargains

Worth Reading: CVS Future Moneymaker!

Laura of The Sharp Scissors Lady has the latest insider scoop from her CVS manager on the environmentally-friendly moneymaking offer being unveiled beginning in October!

Read her post Wah-hoo for GREEN Shoppers for more details!

Worth Reading: Spending Personalities

Photo credit: Christianity Today

Making finances work with your spouse + finding your money personality

In "Up Close & Personal with The Money Couple," Scott and Bethany Palmer describe the five different money personalities: spender, saver, flyer, risk-taker and security-seeker. The Palmers say, "Once people discover their money personalities, their spending habits (or lack-of-spending habits), their fears about money and their fights about money all start to make sense."

Mary Darr, editor of MomSense Magazine

Worth Reading: 7 Creative Uses for School Supplies

NOW is the time of year to get the best deals on school and office supplies. Think ahead and purchase what you think you (and your family) will use for the year. Then read FishMama's great post for more inspiration!

Life as Mom: 7 Creative Uses for School Supplies