Frugal

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.

Buy it Nice, or Buy it Twice: Save Money by not Going Cheap

January 14, 2020 By Trey LaRocca Leave a Comment

Here at Savingadvice, we know that cheaper isn’t always better. This may be a surprise, given most of our subject matter. Regardless, we know that there are some things that deserve a little more attention to quality than price. This balance is summed up by my favorite word: Value. Value is a principal that is built by comparing the quality of something, how useful it is to you, and how much it will cost. If you can snag something great for cheap, awesome; the reality is, though, that there are some items that make this pretty difficult. So in order to get the best value out of your purchases, here are 3 times when you should buy it nice, or buy it twice!

Cars and Trucks

First things first, do not read this as me telling you to go out and buy a new luxury car. New cars are a terrible value proposition, and luxury vehicles can struggle in terms of reliability. What I am saying here is that just because you “don’t mind bumming it” with a beater, doesn’t mean you should grab that $600 Altima with a blown head gasket. Consider paying around $3000 for a real reliable mainstay. As far as new vehicles go, if you just have to have one, don’t buy from brands that are known to break just because they are cheap. I used to work for a car dealer, and across the street was a massive Kia dealership with constant “blowout” sales. Don’t fall for this trap, which is common with brands like Kia, Nissan, and Chrystler. All of these brands have one thing in common: Their cars do not last. If you have to buy a new car, spend a little more for a reputable brand with a good warranty to get the most out of your money.

Furniture

This one is a very circumstantial call. Now, I’m not saying I think cheap brands like Ikea aren’t as bad as everybody says they are. Although, I do think that there is merit in paying a little more if you plan to live in one place for a long time. That is where discretion comes in. If you are putting together a nice looking dorm for a couple years, go ahead and cheap out a little. On the other hand, if you plan to decorate your forever home, buy with quality in mind. Don’t be afraid to look on the used market for good prices,, just avoid anything that won’t last.

Your Home

Whether it be an apartment, a condo, or your first real house, be picky. Low prices aren’t always good prices, and low-end homes can come with high-end issues. Some even come with severe health risks when bugs, mold, or water damage end up in the mix. Do your research, and if you aren’t experienced in doing so, don’t assume you’ll tackle a dirt-cheap fixer-upper. If you can snag a home for way under value, and have enough money to fix all the major issues in the home, go for it. With that said, do not buy too early and skimp out on a home missing major quality-of-life factors like solid HVAC systems or appliances, assuming you’ll “get to it later.”

How to Turn Old Clothes Into Cash

January 7, 2020 By Trey LaRocca 2 Comments

Is your closet getting a little cramped? At a certain point, you just find yourself glancing into the cotton abyss and there are many things you haven’t worn in months. This becomes especially frustrating when you want to buy new clothes, but you just don’t have the space to store them. Even worse, when you have to move and you realize that boxes actually… cost MONEY? No, this just won’t do. So, we find ourselves needing to offload some clothes, and what kind of savers would we be if we didn’t find a few ways to turn old clothes into cash?

OfferUp

One of the best apps for selling anything, OfferUp provides a clean and simple interface to sell your personal belongings. while not specifically geared for clothes, it is one of the most widely used online resources on this list. The best part about OfferUp is that you probably already have the app on your phone. Putting up an ad is easy, quick, and the analytics are very consumable. Definitely the way to go if you are just trying to get rid of one or two higher-priced items.

Poshmark

Now we are into the clothing-focused secondhand apps. Poshmark is a favorite among most of the secondhand sellers I know, as you get to personalize your own online storefront. Not only this, but they make the shipping process super easy. After a purchase is made by a customer, you are sent a prepaid shipping label and you send it off. You can use Poshmark for all varieties of clothing (even menswear) and you’ll get plenty of attention. Poshmark is the perfect upfront fee-less option for somebody who is really trying to empty their closet. One major downside, though, is the 20% cut they take if you do sell something. As a result, it is usually a better idea to post higher-end items here as well.

thredUP

As far as online consignment goes, thredUP is an absolute titan. With thredUP, you can post items for sale, recycling, or even donation. They are the quickest way to get rid of all your clothes, and the process is very simple. You pay your two-dollar fee, receive your bag and prepaid shipping label, and send your clothes off to them. Just like that, you’ve freed up all the closet space you need. After about a month, you will find out exactly how much money thredUP will give you for the ability to resell your clothes. They won’t always be willing to sell everything you send, and you can pay $11 to take back those unwanted items, or just allow them to recycle them for you for free. So, if your primary goal is to get rid of a lot of clothes, and you don’t mind only taking in a bit of cash, thredUP is your play. With that said, keep in mind they only accept menswear as donations.

Unclaimed Airport Luggage Auction: How Does it Work?

December 20, 2019 By Trey LaRocca Leave a Comment

There are plenty of ways to snag cheap goods in bulk online, and the best spots tend to be the lesser known ones. One of the rare gems I have come across recently is the unclaimed airport luggage auction. As is probably obvious, these auctions involve airline luggage that has been left for too long and is subject to sale to make sure the airports no longer have to deal with holding it. Due to the pretty niche nature of these auctions, you can usually find better deals than in more general auctions. So, let’s dive into exactly how unclaimed airport luggage auctions work.

How do they choose luggage to auction?

I’m sure you’ve already gathered what the primary criteria for these auctions are: time. As far as how long it takes, timeframes change depending on the airline. Most often, the average sits around 21 days (three weeks) from the point at which it was left. Not much else goes into the consideration for unclaimed airport luggage auctions, as the quality/quantity of items is pretty random. Obviously, illegal items are not in consideration, nor are weapons due to the lack of licensed FFA dealers at airports. Other restrictions like tobacco products or knives vary by location.

How much money would I need?

As I said before, luggage auctions are relatively unknown. as a result, the prices don’t tend to get all that high. Barring unusual circumstances or obviously valuable pieces, prices tend to hang from $25-120 US. This is great news for bargain clothing shoppers, as the high end of that budget would probably land you a pair of jeans and a nice shirt or two from a discount store. Obviously, you’re saving money due to the gamble, but you never know what bonus treasures you will find. With financial risk being so low, it’s a reasonably worthy proposition.

How do I buy from these auctions?

Aside from pretty general auction sites like Public Surplus, auctioned luggage is primarily available in person. Using helpful sites like this one, you can track unclaimed airport luggage auctions and try your hand. You are typically going to the airport in question on a slower travel day, heading to a meeting place especially set up for the auction, and the rest is fairly simple. As with a typical auction, all sales are final and you usually want to have actual cash in hand for anything you want to purchase.

All in all, if you’re looking for something fun to do on a Sunday that involves a little bargain shopping, go for it! The risk here is low, the “lottery effect” is fun, and it gives you a good reason to get out of the house. Plus, most airports are near city centers, so go get yourself a bite to eat and have some fun at a low-cost unclaimed airport luggage auction!

3 Fun Games About Saving Money

December 18, 2019 By Trey LaRocca Leave a Comment

When it comes to personal finance, saving can be the most daunting challenges one can take on. Not only is it a discipline that few come by naturally, throwing 10-20% of your money straight into a lock-box is arguably the most boring wealth building tool available. Unfortunately, though, it must be done. That being said, I have found a helpful tool in getting people started on their journey is recommending some easy games that educate users on saving their money.

Here are the three games I have found most helpful (and fun) to get the ball rolling:

Financial Football

A game that defies the usual platform of your average “finance” game, this Madden-esque sport simulator offers elements of traditional gaming tied in with money-saving education. Visa partnered with the NFL to bring you the most gamer-friendly learning tool out there, and I find it very engaging. The game switches between football plays and multiple-choice questions, and keeps a great balance between the two. If you enjoy football and want to learn a thing or two about saving money, this is the game for you.

Pros: Exciting gameplay, broad questions, and available on mobile.

Cons: Some football knowledge required.

Money Metropolis

This computer-only game is a great tool for teens. The player starts with a goal for which they want to save. This could be getting a new pet, going on a trip, or even a shopping spree. After this, the player can adventure around the town and find ways to make money and keep up on their budget until they eventually reach it. One of the best parts about this game is the map, allowing you to choose where to go and how to get your income. As a result, your child’s creativity can keep this game new and interesting for them.

Pros: Easy, open, and great for early-teenagers.

Cons: Basic and computer-only.

https://www.practicalmoneyskills.com/play/money_metropolis

Peter Pig’s Money Counter

Got to have something for the little ones. Peter Pig will teach your 5-8 year old fun facts about money and how to count and save smaller amounts. Step-by-step your child will learn the value of different coins, how to count change, and how to save it to dress up their pig! I have seen quite a few kids love this one, and it is a terrific starting point (and distraction) for any youngin’.

Pros: Kid-friendly, easy, and one cute piggy.

Cons: Only for kids, and has a very narrow scope.

There aren’t many great games about saving money, but these gems are sure to get folks of any age ready to get started! I hope you love them as much as my family has, and pay it forward by sharing this article.