F Valpak.com Shopper & Coupon Blog: May 2006

Valpak.com Shopper & Coupon Blog

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

California and Florida Residents - Save Money on Gas


GM is starting a marketing program in California and Florida that caps gasoline prices at $1.99 a gallon when a consumer buys a certain GM vehicle. The plan is called GM Fuel Price Protection Program and starts May 25. A consumer who buys or leases a certain GM vehicle between May 25 and July 5 will get a guaranteed gasoline rate of $1.99 a gallon for 12 months. GM will pay the difference between $1.99 and the average price of premium gasoline as calculated by AAA. Buyers can drive an unlimited number of miles, which are tracked by OnStar.
Go to http://www.fuelprotection.com and enter your zipcode on the right side of the page to access all the details.

posted by Vicki at 10:38 AM | 0 comments

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Simple Solutions to Cutting Your Budget without Feeling It

Whether you’re trying to save for a vacation, your kids’ college tuition, home repairs, or just to have some extra money to play with it can be difficult to know where to cut the spending. Here, find some easy ideas to save a few dollars without noticing.

  • Auto Repairs – Before handing over hundreds to your local car dealer, look through the junkyard or ask a parts store (ex. NAPA and AutoZone) about re-built parts. Pre-owned parts are cheaper and work well!
  • Kid’s Clothing – Kids outgrow their clothing rather quickly. Get together with other parents and swap your kids’ clothing. You end up with new items completely free and its fun!
  • Internet Auctions – Why pay full price for anything when you can almost always find it cheaper on Ebay? Other auction sites include UBid and Bidz.
  • Matinees – Can’t wait to see Mission Impossible 3 or The Da Vinci Code? Do it during the day. Matinee movies are always a few dollars cheaper than evening movies.
  • Pack A Lunch – Eating out can cost you $5-$15 per day. Bringing your lunch can save you money and you’ll probably eat healthier as well!

posted by Cara at 7:57 AM | 0 comments

Monday, May 22, 2006

Dollars and sense: 10 tips to save money

It's been my experience that even people who say they can't save money usually can save something. Using what you already have is the main objective in saving money. You can always start by putting your loose change into a container each week,that really adds up quick. If you enjoy sodas at work, think about buying a 12 pack, keeping it at your desk,in the long run, what you spend on the 12 pack of soda will save you money. For example: You can buy a 12 pack of soda for $3.99 or less at some places, now figure most vending machines charge 50¢ a soda, therefore if we do a little math by 50¢ x 12 pack = that is $6.00, we have saved $2.00 by buying the 12 pack. Savings like this are possible when you take time to think about what can really be saved.


The 10 tips include:

  • Identify key expenses

  • Think about short- and long-term goals

  • Stop shopping for recreation or if feeling lonely or bored

  • Shop with a list and spend as little time as possible in the store

  • Leave credit cards at home and carry a small amount of cash

  • Pay down balances

  • Choose direct deposit

  • Make saving a habit

  • Set aside money for an emergency fund

  • Make a birthday and holiday gift list


    • To read more, visit Dollars and sense: 10 tips to save money

    posted by Anna at 1:46 PM | 0 comments

    Friday, May 19, 2006

    Savings on the Net®

    Travel sites are ramping up for Memorial Day Weekend. Check out these last minute offers to save money:

    http://www.orbitz.com/ has last minute deals to Vegas, Cancun, Miami, San Francisco and Los Cabos.

    http://www.site59.com (recently bought by travelocity.com) has package deals throughout the US...
    Boston Vicinity, MA: Wicked Smaahrt! Look back on days of frivolous collegiate fun around Baahston. Includes: Flight, Hotel, Taxes & Fees
    $189 per person

    http://www.priceline.com/ has these deals listed for Memorial Day:
    Flights from $119 round trip
    Hotels from $50/night
    Rental Cars from $15/day

    posted by Vicki at 5:37 AM | 0 comments

    Tuesday, May 16, 2006

    Travel on a Budget

    The kids are out of school (or close to it) and the weather is warming up. It's vacation season! Here are some simple ideas to cut down on the cost of travel:
    1. Get frequent flyer miles anyway you can and cash them in.
    2. Travel just before or after peak days (such as Memorial Day and 4th of July).
    3. Carry snacks such as granola bars and trail mix to cut down on food cost.
    4. Check for local coupons in your vacation destination.
    5. Bring extra clothes just in case. Having to buy new clothes can be pricey, especially in tourist areas.
    6. Be sure to see Budget Travel Online for more tips and ideas.

    posted by Cara at 12:21 PM | 0 comments

    Wednesday, May 10, 2006

    Caramel Apple Dessert Squares

    Sliced apples bake into the top of this rich, tempting cake. It's easy and fun because the caramel sauce forms while it bakes.

    1 1/2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
    2/3 cup granulated sugar
    1/2 cup milk
    2 medium cooking apples, peeled and sliced (2 cups)
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    3/4 cup packed brown sugar
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1 cup boiling water
    Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream, if desired
    To see the rest of the recipe visit Carmel Apple Dessert Squares

    Visit BettyCrocker.com for coupons to help prepare the recipe.

    posted by Anna at 1:55 PM | 1 comments

    Monday, May 08, 2006

    7 Radical Ways To Save Money

    Want to really save? Take a look at how you spend and change it. Quit smoking, take in a roommate, park the car -- and you'll save as much as $12,000 a year.

    How much you save has little to do with your income, it has more to do with whether you want to save and are willing to adjust to boost your saving.

    To help curb the consumer in you, here are a few of admittedly drastic savings strategies, along with some ballpark figures of their savings potential.

  • Hold the mother of all garage sales
  • Quit smoking
  • Tame your driving addiction
  • Buy used
  • Become a homebody
  • Cut your housing expenses
  • Cut up your credit cards


    • If you're really ambitious and follow all the above tips, you could be looking at savings of nearly $12,000 a year.

    To read more visit 7 Radical Ways To Save Money.

    posted by Anna at 1:37 PM | 1 comments

    Audit Your Home Office for Energy Savings

    Working from home is becoming increasingly popular, but office equipment can run up the electricity bills. Look for ENERGY STAR computers, copiers, printers, and fax machines when purchasing new equipment. ENERGY STAR products use about half the electricity of standard equipment. Turn off machines when not in use and make sure power management features are activated. Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers.
    Check out http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/home_office.html for more tips.

    posted by Vicki at 1:11 PM | 0 comments