Saving Money

Save Money Easily With The 365 Day Quarter Challenge

August 4, 2021 By Jennifer Clark 13 Comments

If you could save money every single day with little effort, would you? The 365 day quarter challenge could help you do just that.

Here at Saving Advice, we love money challenges because they encourage you to pay yourself first and build an emergency fund. While you shouldn’t rely on a money challenge to build and maintain your cushion, it is a great and easy tool to help develop a positive habit. Challenges also keep saving money at the top of your mind.

As we enter the new year, many people are looking for ways to stick to resolutions and improve their finances. These money challenges have become an increasingly popular way to do so. There are quite a few variations, but a money challenge we find interesting that will save you even more in the new year, is the 365 day quarter challenge.

The 365 Day Quarter Challenge

The 365 day money challenge comes in different forms. There is the penny challenge and the nickel challenge, and, if you’re looking to take your savings to the next level, this is a great way to do it.

If you aren’t familiar with the 365 day money challenges, they’re pretty simple and straightforward. Usually, you’ll have a jar or container where you place money daily, as you do with the 365 day penny challenge. Physically putting money away every day helps with follow-through. However, for the first week of the quarter challenge, you’ll need to make sure you have cash on you.

How this Money Challenge Works

Each day, you’ll add another quarter to the jar. On the first day, you start with $0.25, on day two you’ll deposit $0.50, three quarters on day three, $1.00 on the fourth day, and so on. Within the first 30 days of this challenge, you’ll have $116.25 in your jar. It’s amazing how far a quarter will take you, isn’t it?

Let’s take a look at all 365 days:

How about trying this one for yourself? If matching the amount of quarters to the corresponding day you’re depositing seems overwhelming, you can adjust it to fit your needs. For example, start with 30 days at a time every month. This will still save you $1,395. But, as you can see, if you stick to increasing your deposits by a quarter each day, you will save more than $16,000 in the year.

Download the chart here. Print it out and place it somewhere very visible (like your refrigerator) to help remind you of your goals.

The Real Challenge

The real challenge here is not saving money but rather doing it regularly and maintaining a savings amount. Many people have no idea how much to save and may only put aside money sporadically as they see fit. It might be tempting to veer off your savings plan to spend on something impulsive, but your bank account will thank you in the long run. You will also thank yourself if you end up in a bind and need your emergency funds. And, the cost of feeling secure is truly priceless.

What are your savings plans? Will you be trying the 365 day quarter challenge this year?

The Classic 365 Day Money Challenge – Pennies
Take the 365 Day Nickel Challenge
Alternatives to the 52 Week Money Challenge
Take The 12 Week Money Challenge

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6 Budget Friendly Things To Do This August

August 3, 2021 By Vicky Monroe Leave a Comment

Summer is starting to wind down, which means the beginning of the school year and cold weather are just around the corner. That’s why it’s important to make the most of these last few warm days. Luckily you don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy the final month of summer to the fullest. Here are some of the best budget friendly things to do this August to make memories with your family before summer ends.

Best Budget Friendly Things To Do This August

Visit the Farmer’s Market

Farmer’s markets usually have fresher, cheaper fruits and vegetables than what’s available at the grocery store. In August, you’ll be able to get delicious in-season produce like peaches, eggplants, tomatoes, corn, and more from local farms.

Farmer’s markets also have lots of specialty goods like jams, honey, jewelry, and crafts, which makes them a fun place to window shop on the weekends.

Go Hiking or Biking

August is the perfect time to get outside and hike or mountain bike. The weather is warm and the sun doesn’t set till 8 p.m., which gives you plenty of daylight hours to explore local nature preserves and trails. You can use websites like AllTrails.com to find new places to walk or bike every weekend so you never get bored.

Watch a Movie in the Great Outdoors

Many towns have outdoor movie nights during the summertime that residents can enjoy for free or a nominal fee. But if your city doesn’t show movies, you can easily (and cheaply) get a similar experience in your backyard. All you need to do is hang a white sheet up on your fence and buy or borrow a projector. Then choose your favorite film, set out some blankets and snacks, and wait until it gets dark to start your movie night.

Visit a Museum

If you need a break from the heat, try taking your family to a local museum. Many museums and zoos have free admission days throughout the summer and offer discounted tickets through Groupon, which can help lower the cost of visiting. You’ll learn lots of new things and get to make some memories with your kids before they go back to school.

Start a Garden

Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t too late to start a garden. There are lots of seeds you can sow now that will produce an abundant harvest in the fall. Lettuce, spinach, kale, beans, cucumbers, radishes, and peas all grow well during the month of August.

Because it’s so late in the growing season, you may even be able to find discounted seeds, making this an even more affordable family-friendly activity.

Have a Picnic

Instead of going out to eat, why not head to your local park and have a picnic instead? You’ll get to enjoy the sunshine and save money by packing your own sandwiches and snacks rather than buying takeout.

You can also pack things like frisbees, chalk, jumprope, kites, and badminton rackets so you can play some fun games once you’re done with your meal.

What are your favorite end of summer activities? Let us know in the comments section below.

4 Reasons Why Is August the Best Time for Vacation

What is the Minimum Wage in Maryland?

How To Become a Disney Travel Planner

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.
Check out these helpful tools to help you save more. For investing advice, visit The Motley Fool.

Does Costco Offer a Free Trial Membership?

August 2, 2021 By Susan Paige 29 Comments

A question that often comes up in discussions about Costco by people who have heard about all the positives of the warehouse is, “Does Costco offer a free trial membership?” or “Does Costco offer free trial membership coupons?”

While the technical answer is, “No, Costco doesn’t offer free trial memberships or membership coupons,” the truth is they sort of do if you’re willing to look at it from a different perspective. There’s no official Costco free trial program or even a Costco free one-day pass, but there are ways to get essentially the same thing if you want to give Costco warehouses a try.

Free Costco Membership

The easiest way to get a free Costco trial membership is to actually purchase a membership at Costco. How is the membership free if you have to purchase it? Costco has a customer satisfaction guarantee policy when it comes to its membership. If at any time you aren’t satisfied with your membership, you can just go to customer service, tell them, and they’ll give you a full membership refund.

Yes, you have to pay upfront, but in essence, you are getting a free 364-day free trial because at any point during that time, you can simply ask for your money back. This will give you access to all the benefits of the warehouse including buying top-tier gas from their stations.

Since a free trial should be about figuring out if the warehouse membership price is worth it to you, you should have plenty of time to figure it out. If you like shopping there, you would end up paying to continue to be a member. That means the only difference is you have to pay upfront. While paying upfront may not be ideal, it does have an advantage. Having a full year to decide if a membership is right for your circumstances and needs will actually give you a better perspective than a one-week or one-month free membership trial would.

Go with a Friend

If the goal is to see what the warehouses are like, another option is to visit with a friend who already has a membership. A single Costco card can get an additional two people besides the card holder into the warehouse even if they aren’t members. This will give you a chance to check it out to see if you like it. The only issue will be if you decide to purchase something, you’ll have to pay for it in cash or pay back your friend if she pays with a credit card.

Get a Costco Gift Card

Another option is to get a gift card (called a Costco Cash Card) which will allow you to shop at Costco without a membership. As long as the Cash Card has money on it, you can enter the warehouse as many times as you want. The problem is only members can buy these cards, which would mean you would either have to get a friend with a membership to buy it for you or to buy it on the secondary market like eBay (this also allows you to buy gas at Costco without a membership).

While none of the above options are a true free trial membership at Costco, they ultimately provide the same risk-free ability to check out the warehouse to see if it’s worth the price of the membership. Some people don’t think it is while others see the membership price as a bargain. Either way, you know you can visit the stores knowing you don’t have to pay the membership price in the end if it turns out getting one isn’t right for you.

For more on if a membership is worth it and how to shop without a membership see these great articles.

Is the Costco Membership Fee Worth it?
Costco Membership Fees and Plans
How I Shop at Costco without Paying for a Membership

(Photo courtesy of terrykimura)

20+ Cool Adult Piggy Banks That Will Inspire You To Save

July 22, 2021 By Kathryn Vercillo Leave a Comment

Did you have a piggy bank as a child? If so then you might recall the joy of watching it fill up. It’s really a satisfying feeling. You might be surprised to discover that you can still feel that as an adult. Drop your coins or dollars into a fun physical piggy bank and try not to feel good about it. It’s hard. Therefore, getting yourself a fun piggy bank can be a surprisingly easy way to start saving more money. And there are some really cool adult piggy banks out there that make it even more fun.

Cool Adult Piggy Banks on Etsy

Personally, I think Etsy is the best place to look for cool adult piggy banks. After all, you can always find something unique there. Plus, you’re supporting an independent creative maker when you shop on Etsy. Therefore, you can feel good about shopping for an item that’s designed to help you save money.

Pig-Shaped Piggy Banks

The classic pig-shaped piggy bank might be the perfect choice for you. Etsy has a wide variety of these. Personally, I think they have a retro feel that makes them fun. They’re classic. They’re cute. Depending on your home’s decor, they might fit right in. I love that they immediately bring up childhood nostalgia. Plus, you instantly know what that piggy bank is for. Place it on your counter and you’ll always have a reminder to save your money.

Etsy’s Zakkr sells a cute concrete one that’s faceless except for a huge snout where you insert the coins. As of the writing of this post, LaDeesAntiques has a vintage copper pig-shaped bank that’s got a lot of style. Of course, Etsy’s offerings change a lot but you’ll find a lot of cool adult piggy banks there all of the time.

Cool Adult Piggy Banks with Phrases

One of the best things about Etsy is how you can easily personalize things. Therefore, you’ll find a lot of cool adult piggy banks here that you can personalize with your own name or messages. You’ll also find a lot of designs that came with messages printed on them already. These range from funny to practical to inspiring. A few examples I’ve seen just glancing at Etsy today include:

A piggy bank with three slots for “save, spend, give.” This is genius for budgeting your savings.
Etched glass box that reads “From a small dream to a big goal.” That’s the kind of inspiration that can help you stick to savings.
Words that indicate what the specific savings is for such as “wanderlust” or “wedding fund” or “tattoo cash.”
A jar that reads “whatever the fund I want”
Various cool adult piggy banks for women reading things like “girl boss” and “girls just wanna have funds” and “beautiful broke b*tch.”
The piggy bank that reads, “I have good taste but I don’t have the money to prove it.”

Other Cool Adult Piggy Banks on Etsy

First of all, even though we’re talking about adult piggy banks, I have to just say that Etsy also has an amazing array of cute children’s piggy banks. And many of these are cute for adults as well. So don’t limit yourself to those labeled for adults. And consider getting piggy banks for everyone in the family. Savings is a family affair after all. Some of the other cool piggy banks on Etsy right now that I like include:

A wooden one that looks like a wine barrel. Maybe you’re saving for your wine fund.
Ceramic ones in various animal shapes. Personally, I like the bee. But you could get any animal that inspires you.
Wooden letters that you fill up with change. You could get several to spell out an inspiring phrase. I always make a “word of the year” so that would be a great goal to fill up all of the letters of my word before year’s end.
One that looks like a vintage gas station pump. I don’t even know why I think this is so cute but it really caught my eye.
Actual vintage piggy banks which are usually metal, copper, or ceramic. There are so many unique styles and these feel the most grown-up of all to me.
Piggy banks that look like other various vintage items including a retro camera, a VW bus, and an old phone booth.
A ceramic one that looks like a balloon animal dog. This eclectic bright green one caught my eye as a fun decor piece.
There’s one that looks like a toilet. I personally wouldn’t get this one but if you like the humor of “flushing your money down the toilet” then this might be just right for you.
Wooden boxes handpainted with whimsical designs.

There’s really something for everyone here. So, if you’re looking for cool adult piggy banks then Etsy is a great place to start.

Other Places to Find Cool Adult Piggy Banks

Of course, you don’t have to shop at Etsy if that’s not your favorite online shopping platform. You can find cool adult piggy banks for sale all around the web. And chances are that novelty and gift stores around you will also have some options for local shopping. As far as online goes, you might want to check out:

Amazon’s Piggy Banks

You can obviously find just about everything Amazon and piggy banks are no exception. I like the one by HUSAN that looks like an ATM machine. I love the idea of putting my money into one instead of taking money out. It’s actually advertised for kids but I think it’s great for adults. They also have one that looks like a vintage gumball machine that’s really cute. And a variety that look like stainless steel safes, which is a fun choice for adults.

Target’s Adult Piggy Banks

You’ll find a fun selection online at Target as well. They have a plush blue pig-shaped one that I think is adorable. They have a variety of other animals. Plus they have a rocket ship, which might be a particularly appropriate tool for savings right now when the headlines are all about being able to afford to fly into space! But honestly my favorites here are the super simple distressed wooden boxes. They’d go with any decor.

Other Online Options for Piggy Bank Shopping

A Buzzfeed article that also rounds up lots of cool adult piggy banks includes items sold by:

Overstock
Wayfair
Walmart
Pottery Barn
Anthropologie
Bed, Bath, and Beyond
Urban Outfitters
Jet
FireBox
Uncommon Goods
Saks Fifth Avenue

That’s right, even Saks has piggy banks! Look around; you might be surprised just how many options there are!

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.

Check out these helpful tools to help you save more. For investing advice, visit The Motley Fool.

What is the Costco Return Policy?

July 21, 2021 By Heidi Renee Mason 31 Comments

Besides being able to buy all of your favorite foods and household items in bulk, Costco is known for another amazing thing that impresses its customers — it has an unbeatable return policy. Although most retail stores offer some type of return policy, very few are able to compare to the one offered by Costco.

What’s Costco’s return policy?

Costco offers a “risk-free 100% returns policy”. Costco’s return policy allows customers to return all items purchased at the warehouse (except certain electronics, jewelry and some special order kiosk items) at any time. This has been Costco’s policy for quite some time, and most customers have been pleased. Per costco.com, here are the exact specifics of their return policy.

What’s Costco’s return policy on electronics?

Costco updated its return policy in 2007 to be a bit more specific on certain items to curb abuse. In reference to electronic items, Costco now says these may only be returned within ninety days from the date of purchase. All other non-electronic items, however, are still under the umbrella of Costco’s generous allowance for returns.

What’s Costco’s return policy without a receipt?

To return an item, it doesn’t matter if you no longer have the receipt as long as you have the same membership you had when you made the purchase. This allows Costco customer service to look up under your membership purchase history to confirm you purchased the item you’re returning. If it is there, you can return it even without the receipt. If you shop at Costco without a membership and lose your receipt, you’re out of luck.

What’s Costco’s return policy for online purchases?

Costco offers full refunds on all purchases, either made online or in a store location. You can receive the refund or exchange simply by visiting one of Costco’s warehouse locations. Even if you are not able to physically visit a store for a return, there is no need to worry. Costco has a customer service phone number which you can call and make arrangements for the return to be scheduled via United Parcel Service (UPS). All you need to do is take your merchandise, in its original packing material, to the closest UPS shipment center.

Is the Costco Return Policy Unlimited?

Besides the limit 90-day return limit on electronics, many wonder if the Costco return policy is unlimited. For anything reasonable, the answer is “yes.” In the strict sense, the answer is “no” for those who are trying to abuse the system.

Costco states its return policy aims for a “100% guarantee on all merchandise.” Costco is also quick to clarify the return policy is left up to the individual discretion of each location’s manager. This is necessary, because, like any good thing, it seems there will always be those people out there who decide to take advantage of the generous return policy. There are stories online of customers attempting to return ten-year-old products, just to test whether or not Costco will honor the return policy.

In some cases, people have financial hardship and take advantage of the Costco return policy. From reddit:

While unconfirmed, it may be the case that returns go back to the vendor who sold the product to Costco. So, abusive returns could cause a great deal of financial trouble for both Costco and its vendors. Per this comment on Quora:

costco return policy abuse — https://www.quora.com/Do-people-abuse-Costcos-return-policy, accessed 7/21/2021.

Apparently, even Costco has limits, and that’s why managers are given the discretion to decide on an individual basis whether or not to accept a return. Costco can and does cancel memberships based on unreasonable return behavior. This is increasingly the case as larger retailers are increasingly using third-party vendors to monitor customers who make unreasonable returns (per Business Insider).

Like most retail establishments today, Costco is aware that customers demand satisfaction, and it goes out of its way to please its customers with a highly-regarded return policy. As long as you aren’t trying to abuse the system, you should be able to return any product you aren’t satisfied with without any issues at all.

For more on Costco and what you should and shouldn’t get there check out these articles.

Does Costco Accept Manufacturer Coupons?
A Review of Costco Cakes
Costco Comparison: How Does It Rank Among Competitors?
Does Costco Offer A Free Trial Membership?

(Photo courtesy of Jeepers Media)

The 26 Bi-Weekly Money Challenge: The Easy Way to Save $1378

July 19, 2021 By Jeffrey Strain 8 Comments

I have received several requests from readers asking if there is a better way to do the 52 week money challenge if you are paid on a bi-weekly basis. They mentioned that it tends to be easier to save the money for the week when they get paid, but more difficult to do it the second week when no income is coming in. Those who are paid bi-weekly may want to follow this bi-weekly chart.

26 Bi-Weekly Money Challenge (click on image to print)

printable bi weekly money challenge — Printable Bi Weekly Money Challenge Chart

The concept is the same as the 52-week money challenge, where you’re adding a single dollar for each week of the year. The only difference is that instead of making the payment each week, you combine two weekly payments into one, and make it every other week. There is no difference in the amount of money you save.

At the end of the year, you’ll still have saved $1378. The only difference is, you’ll be making 26 payments during the year, corresponding to your paychecks, which should make the challenge easier to accomplish.

With the standard 26 week version, you would make a payment of $3 ($1 for week one and $2 for week two) for the first bi-weekly payment, $7 ($3 for week three and $4 for week four) for the second bi-weekly payment, and $11 ($5 for week five and $6 for week six) for the third bi-weekly payment, until you reach the 26th payment which would be $103 ($51 for week fifty-one and $52 for week fifty-two). While straightforward and simple, there is a major drawback. As with the standard 52-week version, this can make it difficult to save money toward the end of the year with the high payments during the holiday season. This is why we created an alternate version of the money challenge.

Alternate Version (click on image to print)

26 week bi weekly money chart alternative

The alternative version gives you more flexibility while still sticking with the 26 bi-weekly option. With this version, you still make the same payments throughout the year, but you get to choose which one you make for each bi-weekly payment. The goal is to pay the highest amount from the options at the bottom of the chart, then cross out that number. That allows you to pay off the higher amounts when it makes the most sense as the year progresses, rather than at the end of the year when money might be the tightest. This version takes into account that a steady increase in payments over the year doesn’t always correspond with the reality of life. For that reason, it’s nice to have some flexibility in the amount when making the payment.

As with most things that pertain to finances, it’s important to find the best savings method for you. The 26 week bi-weekly money challenge is simply another variation that might make it a little easier to save than the standard 52 week money challenge. It’s certainly an option worth considering if you are paid on a bi-weekly basis, and you know you’ll find yourself short on funds when it’s time for the next paycheck to arrive. As with all savings plans, they tend to be much more effective if you pay yourself first rather than at the end when there often isn’t any money left to save.

Go With Passive Savings Apps

If all this seems like too much effort, consider a passive way to save money. The last couple of years have seen rapid growth in apps that help people passively build their savings. One great piece of software is digit.co. Digit is clever. It analyzes your checking account balances and then automatically makes small deductions which are swept into a savings account for you. It’s super easy to install. Once you have it configured you pretty much need to make no effort to save – Digit does all the heavy lifting for you. Check it out at digit.co here.

Finally, if you’re still looking for the right money challenge to fit your personality, here are other variations of money challenges that might be worth taking a look at:

Earn More with the 52 Week Make Money Challenge
52 Week Kids Money Challenge
Printable Monthly Money Chart
365 Day Money Challenge

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