Are You Losing Out on Free Money?

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You’ve probably seen that Groupon now has coupons available but are you losing out on free money because you don’t realize all of the ways to use it?

People love saving money. Even the biggest spendthrift is still excited about finding a great deal. Bottom line: You want to keep as much dough as possible to spend on the fun stuff (or build up your savings if you’re feeling responsible). That’s why most of you already have the Groupon app on your phone. (If you don’t, you totally should.) Now you can save even more without taking up any extra storage space on your phone. You’ve probably seen that Groupon now has coupons available but are you losing out on free money because you don’t realize all of the ways to use it? Stop losing and start saving, especially on travel!

 

You’ve probably seen that Groupon now has coupons available but are you losing out on free money because you don’t realize all of the ways to use it?

 

[bctt tweet=”Stop losing out on free money by utilizing your phone apps! #ad #GrouponCoupon” username=”diyadulation”]

 

You’ve probably seen that Groupon now has coupons available but are you losing out on free money because you don’t realize all of the ways to use it?

Convenience of One Application

Instead of having an app for every store and coupon database, everything is in one place. This saves you valuable space on your phone for the things that matter like those vacation photos. If you already have the app, you already have the coupons. Simply open up Groupon, click on the coupons tab, and search by store or category for what you need.

 

You’ve probably seen that Groupon now has coupons available but are you losing out on free money because you don’t realize all of the ways to use it?

Great for Travel

This is one the big ways you’re losing out. Most people don’t think about using their phone apps when they travel but you should. This isn’t just for saving on hotels and car rentals (although you totally can). Here are some other great ideas for using the Groupon app when travelling:

  • Restaurants – When you travel you tend to eat out more. Save some cash by looking up coupons for your family’s favorite restaurants. Also, if you’re in an unfamiliar area, search for food coupons by zip code to find out what’s available in the area.
  • Automotive Needs – Again, while you can save on rental cars with Groupon, there are other needs that may crop up while traveling. If you have car troubles while out of town, search the app for discounts at places like Advance Auto Parts and service centers!

 

You’ve probably seen that Groupon now has coupons available but are you losing out on free money because you don’t realize all of the ways to use it?

Save on the Everyday

These coupons are not just for clothes and restaurants. They will save you money on tons of necessities too. You can save on:

  • Memberships – Find discounts on memberships to places like Sam’s Club and Amazon Prime.
  • Self-Improvement – Groupon has coupons for items like Rosetta Stone if you’re looking to expand your fluency. You will also find discounts on fitness equipment to get ready for the beach this summer.
  • Finances – Get your finances in order with discounts on Quicken software, Manilla financial organizer, and checks.
  • Insurance – You know that stuff you’re already paying for anyway like pet insurance and car insurance? You can even find coupons to save on these.

You’ve probably seen that Groupon now has coupons available but are you losing out on free money because you don’t realize all of the ways to use it?

If you’re going to have an application taking up space on your phone it is important to make sure you are utilizing it to its full capacity. With the Groupon app you would also be losing out on valuable savings. Now that you know, how will you use Groupon Coupons to save? Do you have extra tips to use them on vacation? I’d love to hear your advice and ideas in the comments!

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Must-Read Tips for Big Travel Savings

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You love exploring new places with your family. There definitely are those favorite places you love to return to over and over again. Unfortunately, money can be a major barrier to traveling as much as you would like. What if there were ways to save money on travel even if you have a big family? You can create big memories on a small budget! These tips for big travel savings will help make more family adventures possible.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

 

You can create big memories on a small budget! These tips for big travel savings will help make more family adventures possible.

Planning

You don’t always have to plan in advance to save money. Hotels often offer last minute deals to fill up unsold rooms. On the flip side of that, the earlier you book your flight the more you are likely to save on it. Also, it can be worth it to drive a little further to an airport with cheaper flights, depending on your options. This all boils down to knowing the best timing for deals before you start planning. In addition to the tips above, don’t forget that going in the off-season for an area will also help save you a bundle. Do some research and find out when the off-season is for your vacation destination.

 

You can create big memories on a small budget! These tips for big travel savings will help make more family adventures possible.

Free Rewards

Another tip worth taking advantage of is free rewards programs. When you sign up for loyalty programs for free, you can reap the benefits on purchases you already make. Hotels offer perks like free internet and breakfast or even points towards a free stay! Another rewards program type to look into is gas station rewards programs. You can earn discounts on fuel, free coffees, and more through these rewards. Again, they are totally free for you to sign up for and they are an excellent way to save even more on trips!

 

You can create big memories on a small budget! These tips for big travel savings will help make more family adventures possible.

Save on Flights

If it is an option at an airport near you, fly with an airline that has no bag fees. Unfortunately this isn’t available in all areas. That doesn’t mean you can’t still save some dough. Here are other tips that will help you save:

  • Pack Efficiently – If you can fit everything in a carry-on you will pay a lot less on baggage fees. As a bonus, you won’t have to worry about the airline losing your luggage.
  • Purses – Purses and similar sized bags always fly free. Get more free luggage on by having every member of your family bring a bag on board.
  • Be Flexible – Book your flight first and be flexible in your dates. Once you find flight dates in your price range, book the rest of your trip around them.

Save with Lodging

When booking a place to stay, don’t only focus on saving on lodging. You also want to keep in mind how your lodging can save you on your vacation. Food is a major expense when you travel so try to book lodging with a kitchen. If you are staying 5+ days it is worth it to look at condo rentals. If it will be a shorter trip, try to find a hotel room with a refrigerator and microwave at the very least. This will allow you to visit a grocery store and eat some meals in your hotel room. Another way to save is to share one room with your kids (especially when they are younger). Not only will you save money, you will get some quality bonding time in such close quarters.

 

[bctt tweet=”These tips for big travel savings will help make more family adventures possible. #travel #savings” username=”diyadulation”]

 

Drive

You can save hundreds or more if you drive instead of fly, even if you rent a car. Yes, the trip might take longer but it also makes the trip a fun family adventure. The journey can be just as exciting as the destination. Here’s how you can save even more on vacation by driving:

 

You can create big memories on a small budget! These tips for big travel savings will help make more family adventures possible.

Get Your Money Back

When you book your vacation, save even more by earning cash back for free (and no, I’m not talking about a credit card). You are booking all of your travel online anyway so use Ebates and earn cash back on all of it. You will be able to earn cash back on your arrangements whether you book through the direct sites or not. Simply make sure that you have the web browser plugin installed and it will alert you whenever cash back is available for the site you’re on. If you want to save even more, book your entire trip through a site like Hotwire. This will find great deals for you and it earns you cash back through Ebates. Perfect way to get the most bang for your buck.

 

You can create big memories on a small budget! These tips for big travel savings will help make more family adventures possible.

When you use these tips it’s not a question of if you will save but how much more will you save on travel. You will even save on last minute travel arrangements. Plus, the more you use these tips the quicker they will become second-nature for you helping you save all of the time. When you use Ebates every time you book, you can just sit back and watch the cash back stack up. You’ll be the go-to travel guru in the family! Where will your family go this year? I’d love to hear about your adventure plans in the comments!

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Tips for Organizing Finances

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Organizing finances is important to your financial health. If you aren’t organizing them, chances are that you are nowhere near a prepared for a financial emergency as you would like, if you’re prepared at all. The task of organizing finances can be daunting for many people, especially if you have never even made a budget before. Sometimes the fear of seeing where you sit financially keeps you from tackling it. Other times you simply are too busy to find the time. No matter what you reason is, taking the time and initiative to organize your finances will get you on the path to financial fitness and a huge stressor in your life.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

Organizing finances is imperative to your financial fitness. Here are some tips and a free Monthly Budget spreadsheet to help make it easier!

 

[bctt tweet=”Organizing finances is imperative to your financial fitness. This can help! #atozchallenge #personalfinance” username=”diyadulation”]

 

Organizing finances is imperative to your financial fitness. Here are some tips and a free Monthly Budget spreadsheet to help make it easier!

Know Your Net

Before you do anything else you need to know what you net (bring home) each month. This is what you will actually have to spend after taxes, health insurance, and any savings such as a pre-tax retirement fund or health savings account. There is a section to do this on the editable Monthly Budget I created that will do the math for you by simply plugging in your numbers. However, here is the math if you would like to figure it up for yourself on paper:

  1. Hourly Wage X 40 = Gross
  2. Gross – (Insurance + 401K + HSA) = Taxable Income
  3. Taxable Income X .23 = Taxes
  4. Taxable Income – Taxes = Weekly Net
  5. Weekly Net X 4 = Monthly Net

 

Organizing finances is imperative to your financial fitness. Here are some tips and a free Monthly Budget spreadsheet to help make it easier!

Know Your Expenses

Once you know your monthly net, it is time to figure out your monthly expenses. All of your expenses will be categorized into 3 groups:

  1. Essential – These are the expenses that you absolutely have to have. These include expenses such as you rent/mortgage and your car insurance. Essential expenses are the most important ones and need to be you priority each and every month, no exception.
  2. Non-Essential – These are the expenses that are nice to have or that make your life easier but that are not necessary for you to take care of yourself and your family. Cable television and eating out would fall into this category. This is the first category to make cuts from if you are spending more than you make.
  3. Debt – This is a category you want to try to eliminate altogether. Any student loans or personal loans as well as any credit cards you own will fall into this category.

You want to list out what all of your monthly expenses are along with what the monthly payments on them are. Again, there is a place for this on the Monthly Budget spreadsheet that will total your categories for you as well as give you some basic ideas of what falls under each category.

 

Organizing finances is imperative to your financial fitness. Here are some tips and a free Monthly Budget spreadsheet to help make it easier!

Find Discrepancies

If you have never made an actual budget before, the numbers may surprise you. You may find that your monthly income is greater than you expected. In contrast, you may be shocked as how much money is going out each month. If you are still finding yourself broke each month, no matter which of these scenarios you fall into, there are steps you can take to get your budget and spending on track.

Income is Greater

  • If your income is greater than your expenses but you are still running out of money each month then you need to find the leaks. The best way to do this is to track your spending. A wallet register is great for this. It’s small enough to fit in a debit card sleeve so you can carry it in your wallet. It is so convenient that even if you use cash, write down every purchase for a week or two. Then take a hard look at where all of your money is going. Are you eating lunch out every day? Do you get a Diet Coke from the vending machine in the breakroom before work? Once you are aware of the leaks, start trying to plug them by tempering your spending. You can start small by packing your lunch once a week or by purchasing a 6 pack of Diet Coke from the store to take into work each day instead of buying from the vending machine.

Expenses are Greater

  • If you monthly expenses are greater than your income then it is time to start making some major cuts. Your non-essential expenses are the first place to look at when making cuts. These include cutting cable, not eating out, and skipping your morning Starbucks. All of these are luxuries not necessities. If you want to get financially fit, you have to buckle down and make some sacrifices. Some other ideas for cutting back could be finding a coworker to carpool with or take a look at your cell phone plan and see if you are paying for features you don’t use. These are pain-free ways to curb your expenses.

Bill Pay Days

Once you have your budget organized, the last step to organizing your finances is creating a pill pay schedule. Figure out when all of your bills are due and schedule “bill pay days” on your calendar. Be sure that you are paying all of the bills that are due before your next scheduled bill pay day. Pay day is the best day to schedule your “bill pay days” because you will have a clear picture of what you actually have to spend after paying all of your bills. Also, this keeps you from spending the money you need for bills because it is already gone.

 

Organizing finances is imperative to your financial fitness. Here are some tips and a free Monthly Budget spreadsheet to help make it easier!

These steps for organizing finances will have you on the right path to becoming financially fit. Once you have plugged money leaks and trimmed some expenses, you can begin setting financial goals for yourself. Set up a strategy to pay off debt. Start building your savings. Make your money work for you instead of your working for your money. Don’t forget to grab your free Monthly Budget spreadsheet before you go. It will make creating your budget a breeze! After you’re done, start organizing the rest of your stuff with A to Z Organizing.

See where I’m linking up!