Snap a picture of your last three cellphone bills and upload them to Ting.com and they’ll send you a free $5 Starbucks gift card along with an analysis on how much they could save you on your cell phone bill.
I’ve personally not used Ting before, but here’s what one of my readers, Lonni, said about the service:
I work from home doing graphic design, with two young boys (3 and 1). My husband and I weren't necessarily looking to cut our cell phone costs, but we wanted to switch to a plan where I could access email while I was away from home. We looked at the major carriers, but a data plan just simply was not an option on our current budget.
We searched around until we found a great low-cost cell phone carrier called Ting.com. They offer pay-as-you-go, no contract (and no fees to cancel), and "pay for what you use" cell phone plans. They also allow you to create an a la carte plan based on the amount of text, data, minutes you'd like to use.
So far, we've been able to use all the bells and whistles of a smartphone while paying LESS than we paid for a minutes-only plan with our other carrier. It's truly amazing and so nice to know I can cancel my plan at any time if needed without penalty. -Lonni
This offer good now through December 12, 2013, or while supplies last.
If you’re already a Ting customer, you can get a free $10 credit when you take a friend out to coffee and tell them about Ting.
Some of you have commented and said you’ve actually already gotten all of your Christmas shopping/gift-making done this year. If that’s you, I’m impressed and inspired. And the rest of us will try not to envy your organizational skills.
For those of you like me who haven’t finished our Christmas shopping and crafting, today’s the day to make a plan for what you still need to buy/make and when you are going to buy it/make it.
Once you have your list written, step back and evaluate it:
Do you need to be buying all the items listed?
Can you afford to buy all of the items listed?
If not, do you have time to make something for that person?
If so, what are you going to make and how much time do you have to invest?
Pare down your list, if need be, based upon the answers to these questions. This is not because you are not generous or cold-hearted, but because sometimes you just have to face the reality that you can’t do it all.
Remember, like I said yesterday: Streamlining and simplifying your gift list so that you have breathing room and aren’t exhausted, stressed, and overwhelmed all December could be one of the best gifts you could give those closest to you — the gift of your presence!
2. Make a list of everything you’ll be buying/making as gifts for Christmas. Evaluate each item on your list to make sure you have the time and money to pull it off. If not, pare down your plan so that it’s realistic and doable.
3. Come back at around 9 p.m. EST tonight and I’ll have a follow-up post sharing about our Christmas gift list and encouraging you to share about yours, too!
Both my husband and I are originally from an area of the country that is not prone to tornadoes, so when we moved to the Midwest, we had no idea what we were in for.
As tornadoes kept hitting close to where we live, we became more aware of items that we needed to have on hand. Being on a tight budget meant that we couldn’t afford things that could very well save our lives in the event of a tornado.
At the time, I had just started using Swagbucks, I decided to redeem my Swagbucks for Amazon gift cards so that I could “buy” very important emergency supplies. It was easy to earn Swagbucks just by switching my standard search engine to Swagbucks, taking the daily poll, and by inviting my friends to join in, too.
Pretty soon, we were able to make our first big purchase — a NOAA weather radio. Since then, we have also purchased a solar lanter, hand crank radio/flashlight, first aid supplies, and more!
We still have a long way to go when it comes to being prepared; however, I am thankful for Swagbucks helping us to get there! -Nora
Please note that the price of these ebooks is currently $0.00, but that could change at any time. Be sure to verify before checking out that it is still free.
These ebooks are specifically for Kindles, but you can go here to download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
You’ll also be entered in their contest to win $1,000! You can send Mini Concrete Mixers to three friends each day, and each time you do you’ll be entered for another chance at the $1,000 grand prize.
Please note that only certain states are included in this promotion.
If you didn’t do so yesterday, be sure to go get your $5 Off $35 Amazon Purchase Credit when you create a wish list at Amazon.com! You can choose to show the list only to yourself so that it’s now showing up on your friends’ Facebook feed.
You can use this credit on items sold by Amazon only through December 15, 2013.
Here's a long list of freebies that have been available recently that should still be available. Thanks to Kaley from Cha-Ching on a Shoestring for compiling these:
Here’s a great gift idea for your favorite gardener or organic food enthusiast! You can get a one year subscription to Organic Gardening magazine for only $4.99 per year when you use coupon code MONEYSAVING at checkout. You can order up to four years at this price.
About Organic Gardening magazine: Since 1942, Organic Gardening has been delivering well-researched, practical and timely information and useful products and services. As the essential resource for any gardener, it provides current and authoritative information, with a focus on making the process of gardening fun and easy.
This offer expires tonight (12/05/13) at 11:59 PM EST.
Are you looking for other magazine titles? You can use coupon code MONEYSAVING to save 20% off of most titles at DiscountMags!
Here are the best deals at Walmart right now with thanks to Heather from Passion for Savings for her help in compiling them. The prices below are based on Northwest Arkansas region. Please keep in mind that Walmart deals vary by region so the prices listed here will not be valid at all stores.
Crunchmaster Crackers – $1.98 Use $1/1 printable $0.98 after coupon
Goldfish Mac & Cheese Pasta – $0.98 Buy 2and use $0.55/2 printable $0.70 each after coupon
Muller FrutUp Yogurt – $0.88 Buy 3 and use $1/3 printable $0.55 each after coupon
Dovebar Ice Cream – $1.97 Use $1/1 printable $0.97 after coupon
Downy Liquid (10 oz) – $1.97 Buy 2 and use $3/2 coupon from the 12/1 P&G insert Or use $0.50/1 coupon from the 12/1 P&G insert As low as $0.47 each after coupon
Bounty Towels Single Roll – $0.97 Use $0.25/1 printable or coupon from the 12/1 P&G insert $0.72 after coupon
Did you find a great deal at Walmart? Just post about it on your blog and leave your link below. To make it easy for everyone to navigate quickly through the links, your link must link directly to your Walmart deals post. Links going to the homepage of your blog or any other part of your blog besides the direct link to your Walmart deals post will be deleted.
Every week in 2013, I'll be sharing a different way you can save $100 this year. If you do all of these things, you'll be able to save over $5,000 this year alone! Many of these things will likely be things you're already doing, but hopefully all of you will pick up at least a few new ideas or some inspiration from this series.
You see, we lived in Topeka, KS, and it’s home to what I consider to this day to be one of the best libraries in the U.S. It was new, it was large, it was clean, and it was FREE.
We had almost no wiggle room in our budget, we were a few hours away from family, we lived in a town where we knew very few people, and we were newly married. Needless to say, that library was a sanctuary for us. We spent countless hours there. In fact, when we went back to Topeka for a visit not too long ago, we stopped by the library for old time’s sake.
When we moved to Kansas City, we were blessed to find a rental that was within walking distance of the library. Every Friday, I’d load the girls up in the stroller and we’d spend a few hours at the library — checking out books, playing with puzzles and games, and playing with the train set. We didn’t have a second vehicle, so the library became on oasis for us in Kansas City, too.
Yes, I’m a wee bit sentimental about libraries… but they’ve saved us so much money over the years and provided so many hours of inspiration and entertainment that I just can’t help myself.
While the library is a great place to check out books, of course, most libraries also offer many other money-saving programs and resources. Here are a few more ways to save at the library:
1. DVDs & CD’s
Not all libraries offer free DVD rentals, but if your library does, take advantage of it! Our kids especially love checking out old TV series to watch during movie time each day. We also have enjoyed checking out music CD’s from the library, too.
I can’t even begin to fathom the money we’ve saved by checking out DVDs from the library over the years instead of renting or buying them!
2. Kid’s Toys
Many libraries have kid’s play areas — with puzzles or other toys that children can play with. It’s a great place to take your children on cold winter days that doesn’t cost any money (and mom can bring some books home, too!). All for free.
3. Audiobooks
Check your library to see what their audiobook collection is like. Many have a pretty extensive collection — and some even offer audiobooks you can download for a time period.
4. Ebooks
Have you checked to see if your library offers ebooks you can “check out”? Here’s a tip from Hannah:
Many people don't realize that most public libraries have eBooks available for checkout through their websites. All you have to do is log into your local library's site using your library card, then follow the links for eBooks (often, there are also digital audio books available).
In just a couple of minutes, you should be able to search through the available titles, download your selection, and begin reading on your device! No late fees for failing to "bring the book back," because it will simply expire after 2-3 weeks. This is a great, free way to read some of the newest and most popular books without paying a cent — or leaving your home! -Hannah
5. Local Attraction Memberships
Some libraries offer memberships to local attractions (zoos, museums, etc.) that you can “check out”. If your library offers this, it’s a great way to visit local attractions and have some family fun — without spending a dime!
I recently learned that my public library has an online foreign language program that I can access for free. There are dozens of foreign languages available that I can learn!
I thought your readers might enjoy this program especially those who homeschool. My son and I just discovered it last week, and we've been having a lot of fun with it! -Michele from Saving Money In Real Life
7. Summer Reading Programs
We started doing our library’s summer reading program in the past few years and we’ve been incredibly impressed with it. Not only does it provide huge motivation for our children to get in a lot of reading during the summer, but the rewards are amazing!
The above picture is what our kids earned from last year’s library reading program. Not only did each child get to choose a free book to take home, they also got a bag stuffed with great coupons and offers from local businesses — things like free Kid's meals, free miniature golf, a free smoothie at McDonald's, free baseball game tickets, free ice skating passes, and more.
Note: If you have a relatively small library that doesn't have a great selection, check and see if they offer Inter-Library loan. Most libraries do, and this offers a much, much broader selection. You have to request the book and then wait for it to come in, but it's free–which usually makes it worth a bit of a wait!
Online Classes – My library offers free online classes through Universal Class. There are hundreds of classes to choose from out of there 42 areas of study. Some of those areas include: office skills, performing arts, parenting, homeschooling, do it yourself, gardening, cooking, computers, accounting and web development.
Kindles – I was shocked to find out that my library just started loaning out Kindles! They come pre-loaded with 15-20 titles. My library has 13 Kindles, each with a different theme. The themes include New York Times Fiction & Non-Fiction Bestsellers, Romance, Mystery, Science Fiction, Classics, Popular Fiction, Biography and more! This is a great way to test out a Kindle before you buy one.
How do you save money by using the library? What other ways do you use the library? I’d love to have you add to my list!
Today’s project was to read Chapter 2 of Celebrating & Savoring a Simple Christmas (Did you sign up for your free copy yet? If not, click here and fill out the form to be emailed a copy.) and to figure out your Christmas gift list.
Our Christmas Gift List
As I mentioned, we pared down our list this year. Here’s my list:
Immediate family: gifts + stocking stuffers
Extended family: Names we drew + a few family gifts
Our team members
White Elephant gifts for upcoming Christmas parties
Service workers: mail people, library staff, etc.
Kids’ friends
And I think that’s it. If I get inspired to do more, I might. But I’m giving myself grace this year to not have to do a bunch of gifts for a bunch of different people. And it feels good.
Did you figure out your Christmas gift list? Share it with us in the comments. And if you’re blogging about this challenge, I’d love it if you left a link to your blog post, too. Let’s encourage each other to simplify and savor this season more.
to download a free application that enables you to read Kindle ebooks on your PC.
Here are the best deals at Walmart right now with thanks to 
Did you find a great deal at Walmart? Just post about it on your blog and leave your link below. To make it easy for everyone to navigate quickly through the links, your link must link directly to your Walmart deals post. Links going to the homepage of your blog or any other part of your blog besides the direct link to your Walmart deals post will be deleted.
No comments:
Post a Comment