photo credit: dcJohnSaving money on school supplies is a must for many families, but easy for very few. Don’t despair, though, savings are much easier than you think; just follow these easy tips for back-to-school supplies savings:

• Start at home: Dig through your closets and supply drawers for reusable and nearly-new items. Company logos are easily covered-up with fancy stickers, and backpacks can easily be used year after year.
• Patronize your neighborhood dollar store: You may not shop here often, but now is certainly the time to do so: many of your kid’s basic school supplies can be found at rock-bottom prices.
• Set a budget for back-to-school clothes: It’s not likely that your kids have grown out of every, single shirt, short and pant, despite their claims. Lay the ground rules for the clothing trip before stepping out of the house, and stick to it. Buy as many neutral pieces as possible to maximize wear and use.
• Easy on the tech: It’s always tempting to buy the latest computer or calculator, but think before you leap. If you really need such an item, you’ll get amazing deals on eBay, Craigslist, and even in your local classifieds.
• Practice prudent backpack shopping: Kids shouldn’t carry more than 20% of their weight, so if your child has the tendency to shove every school book, binder, and supply into his backpack, buy a smaller backpack.

For the complete list, check out MSNBC’s back-to-school savings tips.

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If you knew that coupon cutting could earn you $20 per hour, would you sit down on Sunday afternoons to do it? Many Americans have made this adjustment to their weekend schedules, doing what they can to pinch pennies and save help their families out. It’s official: cutting coupons is in again. (more…)

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If you’re a little bit organized, a good planner and flexible, you can easily save $100 a week on your grocery shopping for a family of four. Laura Rowley’s tips focus on using (and organizing) coupons, following some key websites and doing a reasonable amount of planning ahead. Some of her most interesting tips include: (more…)

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Even when you’re trying to save, there are certain things that you just have to buy. Something breaks, you have to fix it; somethings needed, you have to get it. The good news is that in times of financial strain, retailers will pull out all the stops to attract customers, offering you deals to get you into the store. (more…)

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A friend of mine just told me that she was waiting on a birthday gift from the Something Store and I was pretty intrigued. If you’re looking for an interesting gift for someone that won’t cost you the earth, it might be worth checking out, just for something that’s a bit different. (more…)

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Money isn’t everything. Most of us can grasp this concept, although we might have difficulty applying it in real life, where money seems pretty important to make sure we have a roof over our head, food to eat … and lots of gadgets and gizmos to play with. A recent article at Yahoo Finance reinforces the idea that money doesn’t buy happiness. And there are a few interesting reasons why this is the case: (more…)

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If you’re a seasoned antiques bargain hunter or just looking to score beautiful furniture at a great deal, antique sales are one of the furniture market’s best kept secrets.

Estate sales can be held for any number of reasons, including death, downsizing, or moving, but they always mean great deals. Usually, a liquidation firm purchase the entire estate at a deep discount, and then sells it off piecemeal for more than they paid, but far less than market value of the individual good. (more…)

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The Internet has long been a haven of availability, variety, and tax-free shopping. When purchasing any big-ticket item, many residents across the country choose to shop online because, even after shipping, tax-free items are far less expensive than their local counterparts. However, states are slowly cracking down on tax-free Internet buys. (more…)

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When you’re trying to save money, it’s easy enough to stop going out to dinner or cut back on a vacation - but going to the supermarket is something that you can’t avoid. But here are some tips on keeping your supermarket bills lower:

• Go to the supermarket less. It’s an obvious tip, but we sometimes get caught up in rushing into the supermarket on the way home from work to grab something for dinner. Make a list, plan ahead, and try to get it down to a weekly shop - perhaps with a smaller trip mid-week for fresh fruit, vegetables and bread.
• Stick to your list. Don’t buy anything that’s not on your list, unless they’re staple items at a bargain price. Eating before you go to the supermarket also helps you stick to the list and avoid impulse buys because you’re stomach’s rumbling.
• Don’t be a brand snob - basic brands or supermarket own-brands are always cheaper but not always lower quality. Plenty of studies have shown that nobody can tell the difference. The packaging may not be so pretty, but it’s how it tastes that counts.
• Know the supermarket’s tricks. Remember that they are trying to make you buy more - that’s why they put all the candies and magazines near the checkout, so you’ll see them while you wait. They also put milk, bread and other staple items in far away spots so you’ll have to walk through the whole store. And sometimes the “specials” at the end of the aisles are not specials - check the prices to be sure you’re actually getting a bargain.

Do you even know your credit score? It’s a very important number. If your score is just two points below the most desirable scores of 700 or better, it can cost you thousands of dollars in interest on a home mortgage.

Your credit score is the number one tool that lenders use to determine the interest rates you’ll pay for credit cards, car loans and home mortgages. Consumers with scores below 600 are typically charged high interest rates, and if your credit score is really bad, you may be not be able to borrow at all.

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