Food / Groceries

How to Spot Counterfeit Coupons

January 21, 2020 By Trey LaRocca Leave a Comment

Everybody wants to save money when they are out shopping. One way to get this done is the use of coupons, and apps like Honey have made a killing off of it. Honey’s website even boasts that it has saved $1 billion for consumers thus far, so its safe to say coupons are effective. With that said, there are many scams and counterfeit coupons out on the market, and many ask for your information in order to access them. This is where things get dangerous, and we at Savingadvice are here to help. So, to keep you safe on your journey to frugality, here are the best ways to spot counterfeit coupons.

Date of Expiration

This one is pretty easy. Many consumers will try to use or sell coupons they found online or in the mail. Oftentimes, these coupons have already expired. Make sure you double-check the date on the coupon, especially the year. You’ll tend to see a lot of holiday coupons from previous years, so don’t fall for the trap.

The Company Involved

Always check a company site before giving any information (or money) for coupons. If a coupon isn’t verifiable on a company website, it (most likely) isn’t legit. This isn’t always the case, but if the coupon requires anything from you aside from entering a code or scanning at the store, don’t take the risk. Coupons are usually a way for companies to get more customers in the door, and they often run in tandem with marketing campaigns. As counter-intuitive as it may seem, companies are going to want you to know if they are having a killer sale.

The Coupon Information Center

The CIC is a convenient resource, and keeps an updated list of scam online coupons. It isn’t updated so frequently that it is perfect, but it can still be a helpful first check when deciding whether to trust something. This whole process should be multi-step, and start with the CIC during your evaluation.

Use Your Common Sense

Just like anything else, you need to trust your instinct with counterfeit coupons. Crude pictures on google images, for example, aren’t going to be the most reliable resources. Weird stipulations or the lack of a company logo are also some good red flags. The biggest red flag is the word “free”. If a coupon offers something for free without the need to purchase anything else, odds are it isn’t real. If it is, it is usually something everybody knows about, and is being publicized pretty widely. If these boxes aren’t checked, avoid the random “freebies”. This is especially true if you don’t really have a good idea of the source of the coupon.

Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips: Keep You (And Your Wallet) Lean!

January 15, 2020 By Trey LaRocca Leave a Comment

There is a popular myth floating around this country that you cannot eat healthy on a budget. Well, I’m here to bust that myth. Good news for some, bad news for those who needed an excuse to keep buying dry ramen and sugary cereal. Don’t worry, this list isn’t going to take away all flavor from your diet. Quite the contrary, these grocery shopping tips are going to help you make delicious and nutritious food without breaking the bank. For those with alternative diets, things get a little tougher. This guide, though, should fit the bill for the majority of readers.

Hunt for Meat Deals

This one doesn’t apply to a few of you, but for the rest, it is vital. Meat is one of the best and most efficient sources of vitamins and macronutrients, and really helps shape the meals you’re cooking. Wit that said, you aren’t going to be shooting for ribeye and New York strips every trip to Walmart. Chicken is a great starting point, as deals can get as low as $2/lb on chicken breast. With very little inedible tissue, chicken breasts are the cheapest and most versatile cuts in the meat section. With beef, you’ll want to keep your eyes out for cheap-yet-flavorful cuts like top round and tri-tip. If your grocer or butcher has a butcher’s cut or “hanger steak,” that is about the best value you can find. As far as pork goes, it is all pretty cheap.

Rice and Beans, Beans and Rice

Universal staples, rice and beans are always cheap and always a bulk-buy favorite. Snag a 10-pound bag of rice and use it often. Black and red beans are my favorite, and playing with the seasoning can make these two ingredients feel new every time. Make sure you keep that spice cupboard a little varied, and make sure to include some veggies as well. Throw in whatever protein you purchased, and you’ve got a great full meal already!

Don’t Buy Veggies/Fruit Without a Plan

We have all done it. Maybe you had one killer beef and broccoli recipe, and got a little ambitious with how much of that mini-tree you’d actually eat. Maybe you were super determined to start eating more salad, and now you’re staring at a bag of sticky, brown romaine lettuce. The point here is this: If you don’t have a specific meal plan for every bit of veg you buy, don’t buy it. You are on a budget, and you can’t afford to have fresh food going to waste. Choose wisely, and make sure any extras you purchase are things you’d eat alone (and even raw) so you can snack through the excess. Choices like this include carrots, bananas, apples, and other snackables that you can toss into a lunch bag with confidence.

In Summary

This isn’t at all meant to be a complete guide to healthy shopping. Rather, incorporating these tips into a legitimate meal plan will keep your costs down without reaching for the junk. Following these rules exactly will keep you full, but you will want to throw in other ideas to keep it fresh. Know what your needs are, and if you have kids, make some concessions to make sure they eat enough. The main idea here is to give you confidence that your thin budget doesn’t have to harm your health.

Free Turkey: 8 Ways to Get One for Thanksgiving

November 21, 2019 By Tamila McDonald Leave a Comment

When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, a turkey is usually the star of the show. It’s also commonly the most expensive part of the meal. While the average cost for a meal for 10 is just shy of $49, not everyone can afford to spend that much on a single dinner. But, by scoring a free turkey, the total amount you have to spend can decrease dramatically, making Thanksgiving dinner substantially more affordable. If you want to find a free turkey this year, here are a few places to check.

Grocery Stores Free Turkey Promotion

One of the easiest ways to get your hands on a free turkey is through grocery store promotions. Typically, these are made available to loyalty cardholders. Since signing up is free and the cards give you access to more deals, it’s just another good reason to participate.

Usually, to qualify for a free turkey through these promotions, you need to spend a certain amount on groceries. For example, it might require a $100 minimum purchase to be eligible for the free turkey deal.

While the spending requirement can sound high, it usually isn’t unmanageable. If you buy your other Thanksgiving items and regular weekly groceries in one visit, hitting that mark shouldn’t be too challenging. Just understand that certain categories might be excluded when it comes to reaching the needed minimum total. For example, alcohol and gift card purchases might not qualify.

Additionally, you commonly have to buy a specific brand of turkey. Sometimes, you are limited to the store-brand or particular name-brand. When this happens, make sure you are selecting a qualifying turkey if you want to get it for free.

Buy 1, Get 1 Free Turkey Deals

BOGO turkey promotions are another popular deal you’ll find around Thanksgiving. Sometimes, you need to buy a turkey to qualify for a second free one. In some cases, you’ll have to buy another kind of product (like a ham) to be eligible for the free turkey.

These deals can be great if you also generally host a Christmas dinner. You can freeze the ham or other turkey for another holiday meal, allowing you to have the main course handled for both Thanksgiving and Christmas.

If the sale is buy one turkey, get one turkey free, you could split the deal with a friend. After making the purchase, divide the cost in half. Then, you both essentially get a half-price turkey, which is still a solid discount.

Local Sweepstakes and Contests

In some cases, radio stations, television stations, or area retailers hold sweepstakes or contests where the prize is a free turkey. For example, radio call-in contests aren’t uncommon.

The trick with these free turkeys is you can’t count on winning. If the sweepstakes or contest isn’t happening until close to Thanksgiving, you need a backup plan in case you don’t win.

Unique Local Promotions

Once Thanksgiving is on the horizon, a variety of businesses might offer free turkeys to boost their marketing efforts and attract customers. For instance, a car dealership might give out a free turkey with every test drive.

Finding these deals isn’t necessarily difficult. You might hear about them through radio or television commercials. In some cases, they will be advertised in local newspapers or on business websites. If you don’t learn about one through an ad, you could try an internet search. Put in your city’s name and the phrase “free turkey” and see if anything pops up.

Catalina Coupons and Rewards Points

When you shop at a grocery store, you might receive a Catalina coupon. These are the ones that print out at the register when you make a purchase and could include discounts on specific items or a certain amount of cash off your next purchase. While you might not get a free turkey coupon, you might get enough savings to offset the cost of a turkey, making it effectively free.

Similarly, if you are part of a loyalty program and have rewards points available, you might be able to convert those into the equivalent of a free turkey. For example, Safeway rewards members can turn their points into a range of discounts, including a specific amount of dollars off of your next purchase. If you haven’t used your points recently, see what you have available; it might amount to a free turkey.

Your Area Food Bank For A Free Turkey

If you are a low-income household, you might be able to get a free turkey from your area food bank. Many local grocery stores give their excess food to local food banks, and other organizations and people provide donations as well. While this isn’t a guarantee, if you qualify to use the food bank, it’s worth checking out.

Local Non-Profits and Religious Organizations

Other resources that might provide free turkeys to low-income families are non-profits and religious organizations, such as churches. If they don’t have any available, it’s possible they can connect you with groups that can help instead, ensuring you are able to have an amazing Thanksgiving.

If you are a member of a church, synagogue, or something similar, that’s a great place to start. You could also reach out to your local United Way as they have connections in most communities.

Friends and Family

In most cases, your friends and family want you to be happy. If they know that you are in need, they might be willing to help you get a turkey, or may even cover the cost entirely.

You could also potentially split the cost of Thanksgiving by having dinner together. By making Thanksgiving a group affair, everyone gets to save. Consider seeing if anyone would like to participate in a potluck, then separate out the cooking duties. Otherwise, everyone could contribute to the cost even if one person does the shopping and cooking, making it more affordable.

Do you plan on tracking down a free turkey this Thanksgiving? Do you know of other ways families can get a free turkey for the holiday? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started.

Most Popular Halloween Candy 2019

October 30, 2019 By James Hendrickson 1 Comment

The last thing anyone wants is to spend money on unpopular Halloween candy. If this happens, no one wins. The kids aren’t overjoyed by your generosity and you’ll be stuck with candy no one likes. It may even damage your reputation in the neighborhood if you become known as the house that hands out the cheapest, nastiest Halloween candy. Read our post about cheap Halloween candy if you’d like to read about a few poor candy selections (and a few really awesome cheap options as well). Below you’ll find the most popular Halloween candy (by state):

The Most Popular Halloween Candy by State (Based on Sales):

Alabama – Hershey’s Mini Bars

Alaska – Twix

Arizona – Hot Tamales

Arkansas – Skittles

California – Skittles

Colorado – Twix

Connecticut – Milky Way

Delaware – Skittles

District of Columbia – Tootsie Pops

Florida – Skittles

Georgia – Jolly Ranchers

Hawaii – Skittles

Idaho – Candy Corn

Illinois – Kit Kat

Indiana – Hot Tamales

Iowa – Candy Corn

Kansas – Reese’s Cups

Kentucky – Swedish Fish

Louisiana – Lemonheads

Maine – Sour Patch Kids

Maryland – Reese’s Cups

Massachusetts – Butterfinger

Michigan – Starburst

Minnesota – Skittles

Mississippi – Snickers

Missouri – Milky Way

Montana – Dubble Bubble Gum

Nebraska – Salt Water Taffy

Nevada – Candy Corn

New Hampshire – Starburst

New Jersey – Tootsie Pops

New Mexico – Candy Corn

New York – Hot Tamales

North Carolina – Reese’s Cups

North Dakota – Candy Corn

Ohio – M&Ms

Oklahoma – Dubble Bubble Gum

Oregon – Reese’s Cups

Pennsylvania – Hershey’s Mini Bars

Rhode Island – Twix

South Carolina – Skittles

South Dakota – Starburst

Tennessee – Tootsie Pops

Texas – Reese’s Cups

Utah – Jolly Ranchers

Vermont – M&Ms

Virginia – Hot Tamales

Washington – Salt Water Taffy

West Virginia – Blow Pops

Wisconsin – Starburst

Wyoming – Salt Water Taffy

Holiday Spending

It is predicted that Americans will spend $8.8 billion on celebrating Halloween in 2019. According to the National Retail Federation, around $2.6 billion of that estimate is attributed to candy sales. Americans plan to spend between $76.92 (women) and $96.13 (men) on costumes, attributing another $3.2 billion to Halloween spending and $2.7 billion on decor. This is near record-breaking spending in the United States for the holidays. In fact, many retailers are optimistic looking at these numbers entering the holiday season. However, consumers are concerned about the state of the economy and how it would impact their plans.

How to Save Money on Candy

Nevertheless, buying candy and celebrating Halloween doesn’t have to break the bank though. It is important to note that buying candy in bulk can provide a significant discount. However, this can be difficult if you or a friend doesn’t have a membership to a wholesale retailer such as Sam’s Club (you can get a free pass), Costco, or BJ’s membership isn’t in your wallet, traditional stores have coupons that work quite well.

Additionally, you can cut costs on Halloween candy significantly by shopping at discount stores, such as Ollie’s, for your candy stash. Also, keep an eye out for last-minute candy sales (wait until the day of Halloween to buy your candy). Generally, many people also save money on candy by only handing out one piece to each child that comes to the door (every little bit helps, right?). If you’re really strapped, you may consider turning off your porch light and not hand out any candy this Halloween.

What kind of candy will you be buying this year? Does it match the most popular candy in your state?

Don’t Buy These 5 Items from Walmart

September 18, 2019 By Susan Paige Leave a Comment

For many households, Walmart is the ideal one-stop shopping destination. Nearly every category is covered in this retail giant’s stores, making it a convenient option for those who don’t want to travel to several stores to get what they need. Plus, Walmart is known for its competitive prices. One study even found that Walmart is about 33.6 percent cheaper than Amazon on average for home goods. However, that doesn’t mean that Walmart is a great deal across the board. In fact, there are certain items that you typically shouldn’t buy from Walmart. Here are five of them.

1. Wrapping Paper

While the quality of Walmart’s wrapping paper options is fine, you aren’t necessarily getting a bargain by shopping there. Even though the rolls tend to be smaller, wrapping paper is one item that should be bought at dollar stores if you want to score a real deal.

At stores like Dollar Tree, the quality of wrapping paper, gift bags, and tissue paper is generally similar to everywhere else. While rolls of wrapping paper might have less on them, you are still usually coming out ahead.

2. Furniture

Walmart looks like it has great deals on furniture. However, the low prices do come at a cost. Often, you are sacrificing quality in exchange for the affordable price tag.

In some cases, the quality difference is negligible or inconsequential. For example, if you are getting some basic cube-style shelves or a television stand, they’ll hold up fine as long as you respect the weight limits.

The issue comes in with heavier use items. Sofas, chairs, futon mattresses, and similar pieces of furniture might fall apart faster than you’d expect. Even the wood furniture isn’t as high quality as you might assume, so keep that in mind before you buy.

3. High-End Electronics

While Walmart has an electronics section, it isn’t known as a great destination for high-end electronics. The selection tends to be low, for one. For another, Walmart doesn’t always have the best prices.

Since Walmart is considered to be a value-oriented retailer, they don’t get as many high-end electronics sales. As a result, the store’s inventory is usually pretty limited. Plus, since it doesn’t have a reputation for being an excellent destination for higher-cost electronics, many people don’t consider heading to Walmart for those items, so the retailer doesn’t have much of an incentive to offer sales in that area to attract shoppers.

Usually, a low price on a higher cost electronic item – like a computer or television – reflects the fact that the product itself is lower quality. It might not feature the cutting-edge technology you can find elsewhere or isn’t as high performance of a product.

4. Organic Produce

Organic produce isn’t a department where Walmart shines. The selection tends to be limited, and the prices aren’t always the best in town. It’s isn’t uncommon for Aldi and Trader Joe’s to offer better prices than Walmart on organic produce.

In some cases, Amazon Prime members qualify for discounts at Whole Foods too. When this happens, even Whole Foods can represent a better deal, and the selection is substantially better.

It’s also important to note that Walmart’s regular produce prices aren’t always great deals either. Aldi regularly beats Walmart in this category as well.

Plus, when it comes to quality, Walmart’s is questionable. A report by Consumer Reports actually ranked Walmart as 67^th out of 68 stores when it comes to the quality of the fresh food options, including produce, meats, baked goods, and store prepared items. So, not only might you not get the best price, you might end up with subpar produce too.

5. Straight Talk Wireless

Prepaid cell phone plans can be a boon, but Walmart’s Straight Talk Wireless isn’t a great option. In a review of nine phone carriers, Straight Talk had the slowest LTE speeds and came in last for customer support. Plus, while the price is competitive in many cases, it isn’t the cheapest option available. That means you are sacrificing a lot of quality without scoring the best price, something that makes Straight Talk even less appealing.

Ultimately, Walmart can be a great deal, but it isn’t always the cheapest or best option around. Just make sure that you focus on the right departments. Plus, keep in mind that sometimes a low price means the product is lower quality. That way, you can make purchasing decisions that are right for your household.

Is there anything that you would never buy at Walmart? Tell us what and why in the comments below.

If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started.

Meal Planning for Family on a Budget

September 12, 2019 By Tamila McDonald 2 Comments

If you want to save money on food, meal planning can make a world of difference. Not only does this allow you to estimate your costs, ensuring you remain within budget, but it can also help you avoid extraneous spending. By having a list, you know exactly what you need. Plus, you’ll always have an answer to the “what’s for dinner” questions. Here’s a look at meal planning for a family on a budget.

Take Stock of What You Have

Before you do any planning, it’s a good idea to check what you already have. Go through your cabinet, fridge, and freezer to see if you have items that could work in an upcoming meal. Also, look for various cooking staple ingredients, like salt, flour, oil, and butter. This lets you know if you have the basics on-hand or if you need to add them to a shopping list.

Look at Sale Flyers

When you need to keep your food costs low, sale flyers can help. Look for great deals on various staples that you know you’ll eat and make a note of the price. Focus on flexible foods, like chicken breasts, rice, beans, or anything that you eat regularly and can prepare in a variety of ways. You can also look for matching coupons online or in newspapers if you want to bring the costs down further.

Find Out What’s in Season

Produce that is in season is always cheaper than options that aren’t. By focusing on in-season fruits and vegetables, you’ll save more. Plus, since these options are readily available, it isn’t uncommon for them to go on sale.

Consider Meatless Meals

If you want to keep your costs down even more, consider going meatless one to three times a week. Legumes, eggs, and other sources of protein can be very satisfying and are typically cheaper than chicken, beef, or pork.

Embrace the Power of Leftovers

Stretching your food budget can be easier if you come up with a plan for leftovers. For example, if you cook a whole chicken, plan to use remaining meat for sandwiches the next day. You can also use the bones to make stock, allowing you to create a flavorful chicken broth or soup.

You can also intentionally make more than you need for a dinner, allowing the leftovers to be lunch the following day. Not only does this help you cut down on the amount of time you spend cooking, but it can also be very economical.

Make a Menu

Now that you know what you have and what’s on sale, you can create a menu based on that. Decide what recipes work best with the items, then fill out a menu for the week (or month).

As you plan, estimate your total costs. That way, you can make sure your menu works with your budget and won’t encounter any surprises at the checkout.

Do you have any tips that can help with meal planning for a family on a budget? Share them in the comments below.

If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started.