For Smokers Only: Save a ton of cash with e-cigarettes

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you about e-cigarettes, and how much cash you will save if you switch. I wanted to post sooner, but I feared my enthusiasm was simply brought about by the newness of my stylish e-cigarette. Now that I have some time under my belt, I think it's fair to say that I no longer smoke cigarettes. The statistics shown in my screenshot are for my husband and I combined. As you can see, we have saved well over $2000.00, not to mention the time added to our lives. There are others ways that switching to e-cigarettes can save you money, and perhaps you hadn't thought of these. First, how many times have you run out of cigarettes and had to make a special trip to the store to get them? Gas is certainly not cheap, and all those little jaunts to feed your addiction will add up. Second, burn holes. Holes in your car upholstery, your blanket, your clothes. The saving there are obvious. Third, cleaning expenses go way down once you make the switch to e-cigarettes. No more tar coating your walls, furniture, curtains, etc. I could not believe what a filthy habit I had given up; it took me a month of cleaning to get everything clean again, but now it stays pretty clean. Household cleaners are pretty expensive, and you will use less once you switch. Fourth, insurance premiums will go down after you have quit for one year, because your medical expenses will likely go down as well. We spent around $80.00 for our initial e-cigarette kits, still cheaper than a carton of cigarettes. We are spending an average of $25.00 a month for liquid nicotine. I sometimes spent that much in a DAY for regular cigarettes. We did some research and decided on Halo brand rechargeable, refillable e-cigarettes. I am not necessarily endorsing the brand, but one of the reasons we chose them is because their nicotine is made in the United States, so I feel more confident about the ingredients. Disposable e-cigarettes can end up being costly, but we have really hit our cash-saving groove with the rechargeable ones. Now that we have our hardware, we order bottles of nicotine to keep them filled. Bottom line, if you just can't give up the nicotine, e-cigarettes are the way to go. The cash savings is indisputable, and like me, you may find that you can take it or leave it after a few months. Do your research, and give it a try.

Free Ebooks

Okay, I know eReaders are expensive, but if you have been living the frugal lifestyle, you know you can get one from eBay on the cheap. If you are still thinking they are an unnecessary expense, allow me to enlighten you. If you are an avid reader, you already know how expensive books are. If you are lucky enough to have a friend who reads the same genre that you do, maybe you can trade. You still have to have books to trade, so there is still an expense involved. You can buy them at thrift stores, cheaper than new books but still sapping your hard-earned cash. Now you're thinking, "What about the library?" If you've noticed the price of gas lately, the library costs you money even though the books are free. Not to mention late fees if you forget, or the hassle of having to hurry up and finish a book before the due date. For all the options ranging from brand new books to the library, your cash is still involved. Enter the eReader, a one time expense. I know you're thinking that eBooks cost money, right? Wrong! I purchased a three month old android tablet/eReader from eBay that still had the original receipt and extended warranty with it, and I got it for $85. Since then, I have done my homework and found many sites to get free eBooks. If you are on FaceBook (you know you are), my favorite page is "Free Nook Books etc". While you're on FaceBook, do a search for the page and then "like" it. The wonderful page owner, Tina, posts many free NookBooks every day. These are ePub files and will work on almost any eReader, laptop, or tablet. I was a bit suspect of anything free, but I have read some truly awesome books that were completely free. My other suggestion is your library. Almost all libraries have a digital section now, and you can download to your hearts' content. You do have to worry about the due date, but you never have to worry about late fees because the books just expire on the due date. If there is anyway you can manage snagging a cheap eReader, do it! You will never have to pay for a book again.

A New Look At Coupons

I am NOT a Coupon Queen. I am lousy at keeping them organized. I don't get the newspaper and I am lousy at remembering to print them from MyPoints. I have, however, discovered another place to get coupons that I seem to actually be able to manage. I have settled into a routine and it seems to actually be fairly easy. The first thing I do is make a written grocery list. Then I go down the list and think of all the manufacturers for each item. For example, spaghetti sauce would yield Ragu, Prego, Hunts, etc. Then I go to the manufacturers website and look for coupons and offers. I also look at my local grocery store website to see what they have on sale. Last week, they had Smith's milk for $2.99 a gallon. The Smith Diary website had .40 coupons for milk. I got my milk for $2.59 a gallon. I generally shop for a two week supply. My last shopping trip netted me $9.75 in savings. The take-away lesson here is to bookmark all the manufacturers of items you normally buy and check them before you shop. If you really are a Coupon Queen, you can couple your already considerable skills with this little tip and save a ton of grocery money.

Frugal living resource

I found this great eBook about frugal living and I thought I would share it with you. If you are like me, every penny counts in these hard economic times, and this book is a goldmine of frugal living tips. If you want to save money, this is your resource! Just click on the post title...

And Making Some More Cash

Hi all! I've been gone for awhile, but I hope to be around more often now. My dear hubby donated his kidney to a friend and we've had a long road to recovery. I am happy to report that both hubby and his friend are now both doing very well. Hence, I can get back to my loyal followers...lol. While I was sidelined at home, I did continue to work on ideas in my head. I also tried various Internet tasks that pay for your time and I have had ample time to see who is legit and who is a complete waste of time. Here are the results of my research:

One of my favorites is Vinefire. This is a brand new site that promises to pay by January 2010, and if it does, it will be worth the wait. It is not time consuming, although it's easy to lose track of time while you're there. You can earn up to $50 per day, although I am averaging about $30 per day, which is still nothing to sneeze at. Check it out at:
http://www.vinefire.com/?ref=rib89@hotmail.com

My other new favorite is YouData. They don't promise big bucks, but they do pay out every Friday to your PayPal account. All you have to do is look at some ads and make your money. Check them out at:
http://www.youdata.com/join/firemom31

Want truly free ringtones, wallpaper, etc., for your cell phone? www.myxer.com is the best I've found. I use them regularly and I get no spam, just great stuff for my phone. How can you not love free stuff?

How about free education? In these horrid economic times, education can help you get or keep that coveted job. I found a website sponsored by reputable educators Prentiss and McGraw-Hill that will allow you to take an entire degree program for free. Now, the catch is that they do not offer any degrees or diplomas, but they say they are working on it. In the meantime, why not improve your skills for free?
Check them out at:
http://www.free-ed.net/free-ed/

Well, enough writing for my first day back. Have an awesome day and see you soon!

How about those gas prices?

Today's hot topic everywhere: gas prices rising again, like they weren't high enough already. I've been reading articles about it all day. I am sick to death of hearing about how people need to sell their big vehicles if they are so concerned about gas prices. I'm sick of hearing about how people should move, get better jobs, etc., if they can't afford gas. People who are hard working, yet live on a tight budget, are in serious trouble here. Not only is gas going up, groceries are going up, clothing is going up, everything is going up because everything is affected by the price of gas. If you were on a budget that met your basic needs a year ago, you are going into the red this year. No one wants to buy the big SUV's and trucks, so selling them is not an option. Trade in value is zip for the same reason. Home values have gone down, so moving closer to work is not an option for many people. What's a person to do? The only thing I know to do is cut back anywhere we can and save as much as possible. Myself, I drive 30 miles each way to work, so I check the prices in my town and the town I work in, then get gas where it's cheaper. It's only a few cents, but it all adds up. You can check them here: http://www.gasbuddy.com/ and http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx and one more http://www.gaspricewatch.com/ . Pick the one you like best and track the prices for yourself.

You can also do small things that add up:
- keep your oil changed regularly
- check the air in your tires frequently and keep at recommended pressure
- don't carry unnecessary weight in your vehicle
- walk when you can, it's good for your health and good for your wallet
- plan your trips so you can take the shortest routes
- make a grocery list and limit trips to the store (don't run out for milk, for example)
- shop at WalMart? Buy a gift card at the checkout and then use it at their pumps for gas,
you'll save three cents a gallon.

Please feel free to post any other helpful hints you may have, we're all in this together!