The Frugal Free Gal

Some people give their kids an allowance and some don’t. If you’re among the roughly 50 percent of parents to offer a weekly dollar or two – or if you’re considering joining the group – today’s entry is for you. It’s packed with lessons to help you get the most educational bang for your child’s allowance buck.

WHY GIVE (AND HOW MUCH?) – Like I said, not every parent gives an allowance, but most experts agree that an allowance can be a great tool for teaching children about valuable money lessons, including how to save, budget and spend their money wisely. As for how much to give, 50 cents to one dollar for each year of your child’s age is a good rule of thumb.

START AT THE RIGHT AGE – The same experts mentioned above say five years is the earliest age to start an allowance (right around when kids begin to understand what money is and how it should be used). As for the “best” age. Probably around eight or nine, but that’s for the parent to decide based on their child.

WHAT IS THE ALLOWANCE FOR? – Most parents who don’t give allowances do so because they believe kids shouldn’t be paid for doing chores (i.e. things every member of the family is expected to do). That thinking is correct, allowances should not be linked to chores. They should be given as a learning tool only.

DRAFT AN AGREEMENT – Start with a document, much like a contract, that outlines all the important details: How much your child will receive, when they’ll receive it, and what the allowance is expected to be used for. Update the agreement as needed and don’t forget to have both parties sign it!

PAY REGULARLY AND PAY IN CASH – At the beginning of your allowance agreement with your child, determine how often he or she will be paid – weekly or bi-weekly – and make sure you stick to the schedule. Payment should also be made in cash, preferably several small bills or coins.

TEACH, TEACH, TEACH! – As we’ve already established, the allowances is a learning tool designed to teach kids valuable money lessons about saving, budgeting, spending and even donating to charity. Simply giving kids money won’t help them learn, so take time to discuss these lessons on a regular basis.

Image source: iCLIPART.com

How to Make Your Own Household Cleaners

Interested in making your own household cleaners? Check out these great recipes from reader, Nicole!

Laundry Soap

Powder

1 bar of soap (Ivory is the cheapest. I have tried all brands and found no difference.)
1 c. Borax
1 c. Baking Soda

Household Cleaners

10 Driving Tips to Save Money and the Environment

Fuel costs have been rising steadily for a few years and probably won’t be going down any time soon.  At the same time, CO2 emissions have more than doubled in the last twenty years.  We have tried to avoid the issue for years, but we are finally hitting a road block where we need to accept that we have no choice but to change our driving habits. You may or may not agree with Al Gore’s take on global warming, but you can’t deny that pollution causes serious problems for our environment.

Economists usually tell us to drive less, but this isn’t practical advice for many of us.  We live busy lives, but we can at least change our driving habits to reduce our gas bill and protect the environment at the same time.  Here are ten ways you can conserve fuel:

1.  Check your cars air filter.  One in four cars on the road has a problem with its air filter.  If you are one of those cars, you should replace it.  Doing so can save up to 10% on fuel.

2.  Keep the front end your car aligned.  If the front end of your car isn’t properly aligned, your engine and tires will have to work a lot harder.  This causes your car to use up to 10% more on gas.

3.  Get an engine tune up.  Make sure that you get regular tune ups.  Doing so will keep your car running properly and help you save on your gas costs.

4.  Properly inflate your tires. Properly maintaining your tires will help keep your car in alignment and running smoothly.

5.  Check your gas cap.  It is a common mistake for people to forget to tighten the gas cap after filling their tank.  When you leave your cap off, your gas evaporates along with all the money you put into it.

6.  Drive a bit slower.  When you drive faster, your engine has to work harder.  You can save about 7% of your fuel every time you reduce your speed by 5 miles per hour.

7.  Maintain a consistent speed.  Try to drive as smoothly as possible.  Constantly accelerating and reducing your speed can cause you to waste a third of your gas.

8.  Don’t ride the brakes.  Not only is this bad for your brakes, but it can force you to spend 35% more on fuel.

9.  Don’t drive with heavy loads in your vehicle.  Clean out the trunk of your car and don’t drive with more than you need to.  You are putting more stress on your engine and can be using up a lot more fuel than you think.

10.  You don’t always need to warm up your car.  Some of us have been told that we need to warm our car every three minutes to keep it from stalling.  This is true in freezing temperatures, but otherwise you are only wasting more of your gas.

As much as we hate high gas prices, they probably aren’t going down anytime soon.  Practicing better driving skills will save you money on fuel and make your car last longer at the same time.  The environment is going to thank for your efforts as well.

Pet owners can spend hundreds of dollars a year in vet costs. Depending upon the age and health of your pet, some of you might pay much more than that. But even though that expert assistance is well worth it, it is possible to save a few bucks (or a lot of bucks!) when it comes to health care for your pooch or kitty.

1. Shop Around for Pet Insurance – Pet insurance can cost anywhere from $25 to $50 a month, but it can be a lifesaver for your pocketbook when it comes to expensive operations and procedures. Since pet insurance doesn’t cover pre-existing conditions, the best time to insure your pet is when they’re younger.

2. Shop Amazon for Pet Supplies – Amazon has a variety of pet products to purchase for your pet at a great price. Recently, instead of taking my cat to the vet due to constipation and spending a lot of money on an enema, etc., I used this product to help relieve her of her pain and discomfort. The tube was under $8 when I purchased it and it worked shortly after she had her first dose. My vet approved this, so make sure you call your vet to ask about using any products first to make sure the product is right for your pet. You can also find products like flea treatments, specialty pet food, and more.

3. Trim Your Pet’s Nails Yourself – Costs can add up if you get your pet’s nails trimmed professionally. Use a quality pair of pet nail clippers and trim your pet’s nails yourself. I have a temperamental calico cat and I trim her nails on a regular basis. She can be kind of squirmy so I wrap her up in a towel first and promise her favorite treats when we are finished. I have friends who recommend Soft Claws. I did try these once but I do prefer to clip my cat’s nails.

4. Spend Time Playing With Your Pet – Keep your pets healthy and active by playing (or walking) with your pet on a regular basis. You can find affordable pet toys to keep your pet entertained.

5. Feed Your Pet Quality Food – I once switched over to a cheap cat food for my cat, Candie (pictured below) because I wanted to save money. Big mistake. It ended up causing a lot of issues including constipation and vomiting. I had to take her to the vet and she had to stay for a day while getting treated for this. I highly recommend finding a quality pet food and sticking to it. Ask your vet for recommendations on the best food to feed your pet. We went back to a quality cat food after our vet trip from switching over to cheap food.

6. Get a Written Estimate – Imagine being told your car repairs will cost $300 and then being charged $700. The same can happen with vet bills. A written estimate can help you avoid “surprise” costs and make sure both you and the vet are on the same page when it comes to your pet’s care.

7. Get Regular Check Ups – Can you save money by going to the vet more often? You bet! Regular check ups for your pet are like yearly tune-ups for your car – they’ll help diagnose smaller problems before they become expensive bigger problems.

>>> FREE Office Visit at Banfield Pet Hospitals <<< - Located in PetsMart. We currently use this service for our cat, Candie.

9. Take Care of Your Pet’s Teeth – Just like humans, your pet’s teeth also have to be taken care of. There’s a variety of dental care products to use to take care of your dog or cat’s teeth including chew sticks, tarter remover sticks, water additives, oral sprays, finger toothbrushes, and more.

10. Use a Collar with a Name Tag – If your pet gets lost and isn’t chipped, he or she can get into some serious trouble and may get hurt. Invest in a personalized pet tag. That way, if someone finds your pet, they can contact you right away before your pet runs off again. This could help avoid injury and costly emergency vet visits.

11. Take Advantage of Discounts – There are all sorts of vet care discounts available to pet owners. Those cost-cutters include senior and veteran discounts, but can also be used to save money if you’re a multi-pet owner or the owner of a stray or rescued animal. Not all vets offer discounts, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to ask!

12. Score Discounts with Pet Assure – If insurance is outside your price range, you might consider a more affordable option like Pet Assure. The plan offers a variety of pet plans based on your needs.

Here’s how to get started with Pet Assure:

1. Sign up for a plan.
2. Take your Pet Assure card to any network veterinarian.
3. Receive an instant 25% discount on all in-house medical services – at every appointment!

All in-house medical services and procedures, including:

How do you save on veterinary costs?

Related: 6 Tips for Saving Big on Pet Expenses

Related: 6 Ways to Save on Cat Expenses 

Related: 7 Ways to Save on Dog Expenses

Have you ever noticed how expensive it can be to get pretty? Cosmetics are getting so pricey these days, as retailers cash in on women’s desire to look their best. A simple mascara or lipstick can cost you as much as $15 at a local drugstore, while department store cosmetic prices continue to soar into the hundreds of dollars. So what is the solution if you want to look your best for less? Below, you will find out exactly how to get pretty for pennies and how to save on cosmetics. Whether you love drugstore varieties or the department store brands, follow these tips and get a lovely look for less.

How to Save Money on Beauty Products:

1. Stack your savings.
When you shop at stores like Target and Walgreens, you can stack your manufacturer coupons (go to “Categories: Personal Care” to find beauty product coupons) with store coupons. When you do this, you are really stacking your savings. Use your coupons on top of a sale price, and you can often grab items like lip gloss and nail polish for less than a few bucks or even FREE!

2. Look for tied on freebies.
Many times when a company has a new product out, they will offer a full size sample along side one of their best sellers. For example, when Revlon had a new mascara out, they attached a full size sample to the packaging of their foundation. Look for attached freebies such as this and give a new product a try for free.

3. Visit the companies website.
Visit the website of your favorite cosmetic companies and print whatever online coupons they may have available. Don’t see any? Email them! Tell them how much you adore their products and see what savings they may have available for you. They could very well send you samples, savings, and who knows what else!

4. “Like” your favorite cosmetic brands.
When you “like” your favorite cosmetic company on Facebook, you will be the first to know about special sales, contests, coupons, sample offerings and more. Be sure to “like” all of your favorite companies and see what sort of savings you can score.

5. Take advantage of department store perks.
Peruse your local department store cosmetics counter for generous sized samples of some of your favorite (and more expensive) products. You can also keep your eyes peeled for free mini makeovers that include sample giveaways at the conclusion. Also, look for free with purchase sales, where you can score a make up bag full of goodies for free when you buy $20 worth of products.

6. Scour for coupons high and low.
Check out the Sunday paper as well as in store fliers for cosmetic coupons. Check out packaging for peel off coupons that may be available as well. You may have some luck finding blinkie coupons in your grocery store, or even coupons from company reps as they stock the shelves. Don’t be afraid to ask for them! Keep your coupons on you at all times, that way when you find a clearance bin of cosmetics, you have your coupons to score an even sweeter deal! You can even find coupons for beauty products online at Amazon!

When you give these tips a try, you will be able to get pretty for pennies and really save. If you are tired of paying full price for all of your favorites, give these tips on how to save on cosmetics a try and get more of what you love for less.

HOW to WRITE TO COMPANIES for COUPONS!

Do you want to receive FREE coupons in your mailbox? Did you know that groceries are one of the biggest expenses in most households today? Coupons are a great way to save money on groceries. You can find printable coupons online, digital coupons, and even Amazon coupons!

Get $10 at Ibotta when you sign up through my referral link!

You can also request coupons from companies and ask companies to send you coupons in the mail!

Keep reading below to see how YOU can request coupons from companies!

I have been writing to companies online asking them to send money saving coupons and/or free samples of my favorite products to me in the mail. So far, 6 out of 7 have sent me coupons. I received 4 letters in the mail from companies and 2 emails back with coupons. Only 1 company did not send coupons. I have written to several other companies as well and plan to continue doing this so that I can save money this year!

While you are here, see how you can get freebies in your mailbox, too!

The results:

• Luna Clif Bars: 2 coupons/Free Luna Bars, 2 coupons/50 cents off
• Haagan Dazs: 1/$1.00 off coupon, 2/50 cents off coupons
• Meow Mix: Buy 2 get 1 free wet cat food, $1.00 off dry cat food
• Lindsay Olives: 1/50 cents off coupon
• Drano: coupon offer through their newsletter
• Hain Celestial Group: 3/55 cents off coupons
• Nabisco 100 Cal Packs: Nothing

Go here to see how many other coupons I scored from companies!

How to write your favorite companies for coupons:

1. Go here to find a HUGE list of companies and stores to contact. Click on your favorite companies and find the box on the right side. At the bottom of the box, you’ll find the company website. Click to go to the website.

2. Find the “Contact Us” link on the homepage.
3. Fill out your information. In the comment section, tell them about the product you like and why you like it.
4. In that section, ask them if they could send money saving coupons and/or free samples for you and your friends. Submit.
5. Repeat this process for the other companies.
6. Check your mail box or email in the next few days and weeks to see what the company will send you.
7. Leave a comment here if you have any luck!

GET COUPONS NOW!

Don’t want to wait for coupons? Print coupons now!

Related: Best Places to Find Online Printable Coupons

Does this take a lot of time?

Not at all! It is easy and well worth the time. Start slowly, writing to about 2-3 a day. Then add more once you get used to it. It can be fun to because you never know what they will send you. Sometimes you will get free items–Luna sent coupons for 2 free bars!

What companies do you plan to write to for money saving coupons?

COUPONS and FREEBIES GALORE!

Another great way to save money this year is through the use of coupons. You can print coupons, take advantage of digital coupons, find coupons in your local newspapers, and most of the freebies that arrive in my mailbox include high value coupons. Check out all of my past mailbox freebies. If you are interested in receiving freebies with coupons, then read this article on how YOU can sign up and receive freebies, too!