Live Large Spend Small
by Mary K. Morgan

    If you have been putting off trying some money-saving “tricks,” October is the perfect month to begin getting the “treats” that follow. With the holidays right around the corner, we can all use a little extra spending money so that we can live large without fracturing our budgets. Happy savings!
 
Good News Travels Fast, and Even Faster on the Internet!
    Many businesses vastly underestimate the power of advertising online. Perhaps this is because they are not aware of the success rates of viral advertising. If you have something good to offer, or some extremely useful information, it will travel at warp speed, electronically from consumer to consumer. In several instances lately, companies have had to pull coupons off their sites prematurely because of unprecedented responses.
    The money-saving tip here is, “act fast” if a deal is really hot. Even if the expiration date is months away, if the campaign is “too” successful, it may disappear before you have the opportunity to get in on the bargain.
    One company that has had amazing success with viral advertising online is T.G.I. Friday’s. If you have not signed up for their Stripes Club, you are missing some amazing offers for dining out. Their recent campaign to sign up 500,000 “friends” on Woody’s (a fictional character) Facebook page (www.facebook.com/fanwoody) with the promise of a free Jack Daniel’s burger, quickly blossomed into a new goal of 1,000,000 friends in a matter of days. Now that’s fast!
 
Power Savings on Food
    Do not stop with Friday’s Stripes Club. If you have not joined every restaurant and fast food club online, it is high time you get started. The rewards are tremendous. Free meals for joining, generous coupon offers, birthday meals, anniversary treats, seasonal offers and notifications unique to their establishments are just the tip of the iceberg. A few of my personal favorites are Uno’s, Taco Bell, First Watch, Einstein’s Bagels, Steak ’n Shake, Ruby Tuesday’s, Q.T. (yes, the gas station), Captain D’s, Arby’s and Jack-in-the Box.
    That should get you started. Just type the restaurant into the “search box” and click on the desired establishment. Once on the site, just follow the directions to join their club. Bon appetite!
 
Take the Kids Along
    Many major restaurant chains offer free or reduced price menus for kids. The list is too voluminous to print here, but a quick check online at the restaurant’s website will fill you in on the details. An internet search of “free meals for kids” will produce desired results as well.

 Click and Save Online at Kohls.com 
    Kohls.com is one of the best online sources for bargains. Their prices are low and their service is excellent. Free shipping and percent-off codes are usually in force (look on www.slickdeals.com), so you can maximize your savings if you are using your Kohl’s credit card. Returns are easy at your nearest retail Kohl’s store with no return shipping charges. Fast, thrifty, reliable and trustworthy all describe bargain shopping at kohls.com. Two Kohl’s shipments arrived at my house recently via USPS — a set of extra-soft, queen-size sheets ($16) and a fleece throw ($3.45). Naturally, shipping was free and my postman delivered the order right to my door!
 
The Electronic Spending Enforcer
    Everyone knows that when working within a tight budget, it helps to keep track of your shopping total with a calculator. An even better way to use that calculator when shopping is to enter your buying limit first and subtract the cost of everything that you place in your cart. That way it is easy to see how much you have left to spend and you can temper your selections accordingly. Most importantly, when you get to zero, it’s over, get in the checkout line. If you have children with you who still want more, just flash the calculator screen and shrug. Everyone believes the calculator!
 
Need a Quick Gift
    Stop by Things Remembered in the mall. If you are not sure if it is in “your mall,” check online for locations. Their clearance items are priced to move quickly. At the low end, there is usually a nice assortment in the $4.99 category and plenty at $9.99 as well. My latest purchases there included a money clip, a charm bracelet, a business card holder and a statue of a football player that doubles as a clock. Check back frequently as the selection is always good and constantly changing.
 
Clipping Coupons      
    If you have children or grandchildren, you have a coupon clipper’s best resource. Most kids love to help clip and sort coupons for the family. In addition to saving money, they are gaining valuable skills, especially in the categorizing domain.
    If you set up the filing system based on your own shopping habits, the rest will follow. Little fingers will soon be busily cutting coupons and placing them in the correct envelope for you. Of course, you may get more candy and snack offers than you expected.