Money-Saving Finds at an Estate Sale

My mom came to visit this week (yea!) and we went to an estate sale. She loves going to estate sales and finds a lot of great deals on a lot of great things. But this day in particular, we found some fantastic deals!
We took a stroll around the entire house first to scope out items we were interested in. It helped that they had posted a lot of pictures on their listing on EstateSales.net.
Then we started taking our time really looking at things. I love kitchen stuff, so I was drawn to the kitchen to check out what they had there. I saw some cute dishes and a roasting pan, but then I went and looked in the corner and there was a FoodSaver - GameSaver Turbo with an unopened box of bags and tons of accessories still in the packaging! Now, here's the funny thing. I had just been looking at a FoodSaver in the Kohl's ad right before we left for the estate sale! It was a small one on sale for $79.99 (org. $119), so I had not really considered going to get it. But this FoodSaver I was looking at on the kitchen counter had a sticker that said $25 and included all the accessories! Wow! I was so excited! Honestly, I have been thinking about getting one of these for years... literally years and years. And it usually pops back into my mind when I'm throwing away food that went bad in my refrigerator. That is one of the most sickening things to me, when I have to throw away food! What a waste...
So anyway, now I will not be throwing away rotten lettuce, moldy cheese, or freezer-burned meat... I will be packaging it all up in a vacuum-sealed package using my FoodSaver! Yippy! I love a great deal that helps me to save even more! :-) I already used it tonight to re-seal our bag of chips after dinner. lol

We also found a huge George Foreman Grill for only $12, so I'm very excited about that find as well!

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How to Save Money when Dining Out

Mother's Day is quickly approaching. If you're planning to take Mom out for lunch, there are ways you can treat her to a special meal without breaking the bank. Here are my top 10 ways to save when dining out.

(Originally posted on Simply Cy-Fair)

Set a budget before you go – Know what you can spend before you go and stick to it. I always scan the menu for all of the options available under a certain price, then shop from those.

Share a meal or save half for a second meal – Not only is this a good choice for your wallet, but also for your waistline. You’re saving half right off the top! Restaurant portions are often 2-3 times the amount of a healthy portion. Share a meal with your dining companion or box up the other half for a yummy lunch at the office the following day.

Order adult meal for kids to share – You will often get more food for much less. Now that children’s meals are running around $5. Sharing a $10 adult meal, I can typically feed my three little ones, and they get more than enough to eat.

Order water – Drinks can significantly increase your dining bill with soda/tea running upwards of $3.

Kids Eat Free – Many restaurants offer one day when kids can eat free with the purchase of an adult meal. This can save a family a lot when dining out.

Home mailers – Magazines, coupon mailers, and flyers can be a great source for coupons and special offers to local restaurants.

Online - Check the restaurant’s website for special offers before you go.

Email - Sign up for your favorite restaurants’ email lists. You will often receive coupons, free birthday meals, and special offers.

Facebook – Local and national restaurants have jumped on the social media wagon to offer special fan-only deals when you follow them

Restaurant.com – You can buy $25 gift certificates for $10 or less, giving you a significant discount on your dining experience. Don't forget all $25 certificates are only $2 right now, plus you can get a $15 ProFlowers.com promo code! Go here for more details!

Tips to Save on Electricity this Summer

As we approach the hot summer months here in Houston, it strikes panic in my heart and wallet because I know the higher electricity bills are coming!

It’s time to get ready. Now, don’t go running and screaming or burying your head in the sand! There are things you can do to lower your electricity bill!

Here are 10 tips to help you save this summer:

1.  Get an energy audit. This is a great idea because it will point out your biggest energy wasters. You should then have a plan of attack to correct any energy wasters in your home and still have time to get them corrected before the dead heat of summer gets here.

2. Seal leaks. Your precious conditioned air could be seeping out of places you don’t even know of, like your chimney flue, around doors and windows, and even your electrical outlets.

3. Install programmable thermostats. These allow you to set thermostat higher while you’re away and program to cool when you’ll be home.

4.  Turn on the ceiling fan before you turn down the A/C. Fans use a while lot less energy and can make you feel a few degrees cooler almost instantly! Just remember to turn the fan off when you leave the room. While it makes you feel cooler, it doesn’t actually cool the room.

5. Keep the sun out.  Keep your blinds closed when the sunlight is coming in directly, use insulated window treatments that are now available, or put UV sunscreens or window film on your windows to block the heat.

6. Equip your attic. Believe it or not, in the sixth grade, my science fair project was called “Attics: Keep ‘em Cool”. There are definitely significant energy reductions to be had when proper insulation, radiant barrier and ridge vents are installed in your attic. Also, if you’re having a new roof installed, try to choose the lightest color shingle for your home. It helps!

7.  Shop electricity providers. Here in Texas we have options when it comes to electricity providers. Use sites like electricitytexas.com and shop for the best rate and program for you.

8.  Do chores during cooler times of the day. Running appliances (washer/dryer, vacuum, etc) produces heat. Do your chores first thing in the morning or later in the evening when you’re a/C unit doesn’t have to compensate for the extra heat.

9. Keep filters clean. Keep fresh filters in your a/c units so they’re not working overtime to cool your home.

10. Cook outside when possible.  Keep the heat outside so you’re not paying to cool the inside. You don’t have to eat outside, but it could make for some great family picnics!