Simply Budgeted

Use the Whole Bottle with Clorox SMART TUBE TECHNOLOGY!

April 9, 2013 By Beth 49 Comments

We are excited to provide a sponsored review of Clorox SMART TUBE TECHNOLOGY!

Do you try to get the cleaner out of the whole bottle because you are budget smart like that? Yeah, it is OK … admit it. I do the same thing. I hate seeing extra cleaner at the bottom of the bottle knowing I can’t get it out. I have been know to be so crazy as to dump the half an ounce that is left in a bottle into the new bottle when I get it out. It has another chance to be used I might as well try!

Well goodbye to those days! How?

Clorox have brought new packaging innovation to their spray bottles with the introduction of SMART TUBE TECHNOLOGY, a built-in tube that reaches all the way to the bottom of a bottle, giving consumers freedom from frustrating workarounds and the satisfaction of spraying every last drop.

Wait, you have seen this yet? Don’t fret. Start looking the next time you shop for the bottles that say “SMART TUBE” on them!

Brian joined in on the cleaning chores before he left for Chile … he was a good sport about it laughing that is the last thing he did before he left.

He took over and cleaned the kids’ bathroom with the new Clorox with SMART TUBE TECHNOLOGY while I worked with girls on cleaning off their dressers! The kids honestly don’t use this bathroom much but it gets so groody! How does that happen?! When Brian finished, you could see the sparkle in that bathroom … plus it didn’t smell! lol

We ran out of time to clean the kitchen before he left so I was on my own with that task.

I hate cleaning the kitchen. I have a tip though … start at the top and work down. There is nothing worse than cleaning your kitchen floor and then get crumbs from the counter on that clean floor! The kitchen counter always has something sticky on it (thanks, kids!) The409 got it all up with one wipe which I really love.

These bottles are still full but I honestly am so excited to use it all so I can get to the bottom and empty the whole bottle. I know that is crazy but the budget part of me loves the waste free part of this new technology! Are you ready for that excitement too? We have exciting news! We are giveaway five coupons for free products! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: This post is brought to you by Clorox and The Motherhood, and I’ve been compensated for my time. However, all opinions are my own.”

Filed Under: Giveaways, Home & Garden, Promotional, Reviews, Simply Life Tagged With: budgeting, Chlorox, cleaning, giveaway, house, review, spring cleaning

Have a Financially Responsible Wedding Anniversary

April 6, 2013 By Beth Leave a Comment

We are excited to bring a guest post about wedding anniversaries!

Is your wedding anniversary approaching? It might be one of the huge anniversary milestones, which would include 10, 25, and even 50 years of marriage together. If your anniversary is approaching, you may be looking for a fun and exciting way to celebrate without spending a fortune.

It is important to be financially responsible if you are currently living on a budget, because you do not want to go broke just because you planned out an expensive wedding anniversary extravaganza. There are plenty of ways to celebrate such a fond memory and bond between you and your significant other without having to break the bank at all.

Stay at Home Dinner

A stay at home dinner may not seem like anything special, but you can save money while turning this romantic dinner between the two of you into something amazing. You can set candles on the kitchen table and light them up for a candlelit dinner. You can prepare a fancy meal that your significant other absolutely loves, or something that the two of you can enjoy together. Along with your tasty dinner, you can crack open a bottle of your favorite wine and enjoy. Spending quality time alone with your loved one to celebrate an anniversary is both enjoyable and budget-friendly.

Renew Wedding Vows

You can renew your wedding vows without ever having to spend a fortune. In fact, you can gather your significant other, close family and friends, and renew your vow outdoors in a beautiful and lavish garden. This is an affordable way for the two of you to celebrate your anniversary and show one another how much you care. Renewing your vows will remind you of all the loving things that the two of you said to one another when you first got married so many years ago. It will be a small celebration for all to enjoy.

Slideshow of Memories

This is a great anniversary gift, especially amongst the golden anniversary gifts. You can have a slideshow of memories put together with pictures from over the years. These pictures may include moments from when you first met, pictures of your wedding day, the birth of your children, assorted vacations, and all of the memories that you hold dear to your heart.

You can create the slideshow on your own or get the help of a professional without having to pay too much at all. You and your significant other will be able to sit back and watch the slideshow progress. It will be a walk through memory lane that the two of you can enjoy alone or with the entire family. You can also have a picture frame personalized with your names and your wedding date and place your most favorite picture inside of it.

These are some of the best ways to celebrate an anniversary without having to spend too much money at all. Even if you are on a budget, you can still do something nice to show your spouse how much they mean to you and how delighted you are to have made it to so many years in marriage with them.

Remember that when it comes to anniversaries, less is often more, so you really do not have to spend too much or do too much to enjoy yourself.

NOTE: Sam Peters backed and provided information for this post.

Filed Under: SimplySaving Tagged With: anniversary, budgeting, gift ideas, wedding anniversary

8 Surefire Ways to Pay Less for Electronics

April 5, 2013 By Beth Leave a Comment

We are excited to bring another guest post to you today from Andrea Woroch!

Can you imagine life without technology? People who have trouble navigating would be lost without GPS devices. The busy-and-important would feel downsized without their smartphones. Even your dishwasher represents a time-saving technology that would be tough to go without.

These modern conveniences come with a price, however, and finding a good deal can be daunting. With a little research and creativity, you can have the gadgets you desire without sabotaging your budget. Read on for eight ways to pay less for electronics.

1. Name Your Own Price

Priceline has enabled travelers to choose their price on flights, hotels and car rentals for years. Thanks to the Web start-up Greentoe, you can now name your own price for electronics, too. It’s as simple as signing up, finding your desired gadget and making an offer. Greentoe pitches your offer to dozens of retailers and lets you know when there are bites. This is a great opportunity for big savings on TVs, laptops, digital cameras and more. Don’t think you can score something for 75-percent less, however; your offers should be reasonable!

2. Negotiate
Consumer Reports found shoppers who negotiated on electronics saved an average of $82 in 2012. Though big-box retailers like Target and Walmart may not be able to haggle, specialty retailers typically have more wiggle room on higher-priced items since margins are wider. For more on how to negotiate, consult these insider tips shared by an electronic salesman. If you prefer big-box stores, remember Target and Best Buy now price-match Amazon, making it easy to leave the store with the item you want at the price you want.

3. Compare and Track Prices
The airline industry has used dynamic pricing for years, but these days it’s become popular among electronic e-retailers. Websites use sophisticated analytical tools to set prices based on browsing history and purchasing patterns. Ultimately, you could end up paying more by shopping on the wrong day or at the wrong time. Amazon, for instance, fluctuated the price on GE microwave nine times in just one day. Luckily, price-comparison sites abound to help consumers combat dynamic pricing. InkjetWilly.com is a great source for cheap printer ink, for example, while CamelCamelCamel.com alerts you when a desired item on Amazon drops in price.

4. Opt for Second Best
Electronics have one of the fastest depreciation values of any product on the retail market. Constant updates, new features and enhanced design are to blame, but often times the difference between devices is minimal. If you’re shopping for a new toy but find yourself on a tight budget, opt for an older model. Just be sure the newer model doesn’t address significant defects in the device you’re looking at.

5. Save on Extras
When it comes to scoring sweet deals on TVs, cameras and smartphones, there are some hidden costs to consider. Products necessary for the function of your gadget can really eat into your budget and ultimately cause the original investment to skyrocket. HDMI cables, for example, represent one of the biggest markups of any item in an electronics store — sometimes exceeding 100 percent. I found a Dynex 6′ HDMI Cable at Best Buy for $19.99 while the exact same product was listed through Amazon for just $2.54.

6. Consider Refurbished
The term “refurbished” turns off some shoppers who assume something is wrong with the item. However, that’s not the case; many shoppers buy on impulse, then open and package and realize the product isn’t something they need or want. Upon returning an open package, the retailer must sell the item as previously owned — or refurbished — at a discount. This means you could score a great price on something that’s never been used. For instance, you can cut $250 off the cost for a 11.6-inch Macbook which originally sells for $1,099. The refurbished model is $849 and still comes with a warranty.

7. Sell Your Old Gadgets
Craigslist and eBay are always great places to post your goods for sale. When it comes to outdated electronics, however, you likely won’t receive fair bids through these sites. Still, not all is lost when it comes to old cell phones or broken iPods. Sites like ExchangeMyPhone.com will buy your old phones to be fixed or used for spare parts. The dollar amount you receive all depends on the demand, but a few bucks is better than nothing. RapidRepair.com is another website that buys old Apple products like iPods and iPhones, even offering money for devices with cracked screens!

8. Keep the Package Sealed
Retailers are getting more strict with their return policies as they relate to electronic purchases. If you received something as a gift or aren’t sure if you want to keep it, don’t open the box! You could wind up paying restocking fees or may get stuck with it.

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. As a nationally recognized media source, Andrea has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more.

Filed Under: SimplySaving Tagged With: Andrea Woroch, budgeting, electronics, lifestyle, savings

The Cost of Having Kids

March 22, 2013 By Brian Leave a Comment

Deciding to start a family is obviously a huge commitment in lots of different ways. It means becoming responsible for a life beyond your own in way you may never have experienced before having children. But aside from the clear emotional and lifestyle commitments that it entails, it’s also one of the most financially straining things that you can do. Every year the cost of raising children increases, and the most recent figures from the Guardian newspaper (January 2013) show that bringing up a child to the age of 21 now costs on average £222,000. A pretty hefty sum!

The associated costs include increased budgets for food, clothes (including school uniforms), education costs, buying or renting a home with additional rooms, family holidays and day trips and all the other bits that keep a family ticking over. On top of those essential costs, having kids prompts many new parents to consider additional security for their family through life insurance and other precautions. Compare the Market is a top site for finding life insurance policies – it’s an extra expense, but one that ensures that parents’ next of kin are financially secure.

On top of all these costs, becoming a parent often meaning saving more than ever before. Not only are potential rainy days a much greater threat, but parents have to think about whether they’ll end up helping to finance the ever increasing cost of higher education. Additionally, in two parent households one of the parents may not be working for the early years of the child’s life which means your family may be living on a reduced income.

According to the study mentioned above, one of the big financial strains on parents at the moment is the cost of technology – parents are buying their kids mobile phones, laptops and tablets and many report feeling a pressure to stay on top of the latest developments in this area. The study also reports that most parents cut back by buying cheaper food and using more vouchers and discount services. That some parents would cut back on the quality of food before the cost of the latest gadgets may well be telling of the social pressure to keep up with what’s hot in culture and technology.

Indeed, this may partially explain the continuing rise in the cost of having children – greater visibility around what is fashionable and how your lifestyle should appear to others, even the lifestyle of a whole family unit, can significantly increase the pressure to spend money on non-essential items like technology.

For sure, starting a family is becoming more of a challenge in many ways and it involves a lot of responsibilities to juggle. But people are still choosing to have children, and many women are waiting until later in life to have them. This suggests that despite the financial and other strains of having a family, better healthcare and more options around family planning are counterbalancing the increased costs of raising children.

Filed Under: SimplySaving Tagged With: budgeting, family, kids, savings

Buying a New Home

January 30, 2013 By Brian 4 Comments

Are you a proud apartment dweller? Have you maintained a steady job for a couple of years now? Looking to move anytime soon? Looking to settle down? If you are currently renting a place but you have a steady and are looking to settle down, now may be a great time for you to start looking into buying a new home.

It’s a great time to be buying a new home

To be honest, even if you currently own a home, but are looking to move, you may look at buying a new home right away. In most of the country, even though the housing market is showing some signs of rebounding, housing prices are still greatly depressed from what they once were. On top of that, mortgage rates are at historic lows. Did you know that, on a 30-year $300,000 loan, one-quarter of one percent could be more than $35 a month or $420 a year. Tack that up to a full percentage point and you are looking at almost $150 a month or over $1700 a year. That’s another whole mortgage payment each year!! If you buy while rates are low, you can just go ahead and apply that savings directly to your mortgage. By applying just one extra mortgage payment each year, you can take around 6 year off of your mortgage and save tens of thousands of dollars in interest payments.

Buying a new home can pay for itself

Trust me when I say that buying a new home can pay for itself over renting, particularly if you are able to get a fixed rate mortgage. If you are able to do that, your monthly cost for shelter never goes up. Rent, on the other hand, will definitely go up each and every year. If you are staying in an area for more than 5 years, buying a new home will likely save you money in the long run. If you are still on the fence about it, take a look at “Is It Better to Buy or Rent?” on the New York Times site. Enter in numbers appropriate for your area and see how long it takes for buying a new home to cover the cost of renting.

If you are considering buying a new home, make sure that you are careful with your personal information. We’ll have more about that next month, but, in the meantime, check out Lifelock for

LifeLock for Life Sweepstakes! For more tips, make sure to Follow LifeLock on Twitter and Like LifeLock on FaceBook.

How do you keep your personal information safe while house hunting?

Filed Under: Home & Garden, Simply Life Tagged With: budgeting, family, finances, home buying, home ownership

Cash vs. Credit Price for Gas

January 30, 2013 By Beth 4 Comments

I saw a Cash Price for Gas last week pop up at our local Exxon last week. I sat at the red light across from the gas station in shock. Really? It was a 6 cents a gallon difference. 6 cents adds up when you are on empty even in a little Honda Civic. As I sat there I wondered if it was worth it to save that money when I have the kids in the van though. Getting them out to run in to pre-pay and then run back to pump then go back in for my change because gosh knows I would over pay making sure I filled up the tank. Is that worth 6 cents a gallon?

I remember when I stared driving that credit card readers were becoming popular at gas pumps. I was amazed when I went out with a lady from church who used her credit card for gas. It cost more to use a credit card back then but she did it! I only ever had cash for gas when I started driving. If I was lucky, my brother was with me and would pump my gas for me while I paid and got us each a soda all for under $20. Oh the days! The price difference between cash and credit disappeared at some point. I never thought about because then I got my debit card and I started using that for gas and haven’t looked back … well until I saw that sign last week. Gas is more here this week but the cash price and credit price is still a 6 cent difference. I still haven’t decided if it is worth it. We mostly fill up at Sam’s Club these days but that Exxon is my go to place when I find the car on empty on my way into work.

I know it costs money for businesses to use credit cards but I haven’t thought much about it until now.

Have you seen signs like this pop up where you live? Do you pay cash or credit for gas? What price difference would make you switch to cash if you are a credit card user? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Filed Under: SimplySaving Tagged With: budgeting, cash, credit, gas

The Folded Napkin

January 24, 2013 By Brian 7 Comments

This is post will feature The Folded Napkin, the fourth of five finds that we will feature from the DC Metro Cooking Show back in November! Watch this week for ALL of these finds as they might make a great Valentine’s gift for your love or even your kids … or maybe a teacher … or even yourself!

Details …

The Folded Napkin offers three napkin sizes … full size napkins, appkins, and snapkins! The napkins are double sided with a different fabric on the front and back. Even the elegant prints have bright crisp colors! The fun prints are full of color and match not on your personality but your interests and decorating style!

Our Thoughts …

The Folded Napkin provided us with their Snapkins to review. We LOVE these cloth napkins. We have some cloth napkins but kids struggled with them because of the size of them. These are the perfect size for the kids. Brian and I did fine with the smaller napkin size too. The kids love the colors and patterns for the Snapkins! They are bright and chearful and well we can always use that at dinner time.

We love cloth napkins because they are a budget saver. Have you ever calculated what you spend on napkins you throw away at every meal? It adds up! I am hoping to start putting these in lunch boxes soon but I am not trusting enough for that yet … maybe next school year? We will see if we can make that transition!

We asked the kids to show off their napkins for pictures and here are the results.

The girls with their matching napkins …

Matthew was a tad confused and was wearing his as a hat … maybe it will keep him from whipping his hands on his shirt?! A mommy can hope, right?

What do you think of this small cloth napkin? Does your family use cloth napkins? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Filed Under: Home & Garden, Promotional, Reviews, Simply Life Tagged With: budgeting, cloth napkin, green living, review, The Folded Napkin

Lunchbox Love

January 16, 2013 By Beth 4 Comments

Last night was a night where I didn’t want to pack lunches. I honestly get tired of packing lunches 5 nights a week. I do it because the food we send with the kids is healthier plus it keeps us eating healthy too. Most nights I make the girls lunches and then lunches for Brian and I (so we can grab and go!) Matthew gets a lunch packed twice a week for when he goes to preschool. That is 22 packed lunches a week (plus 12 snacks – 5 for Grace and 2 for Matthew) if you are counting … that is a lot of lunchbox love. Last night, I gave up and didn’t make the salad lunches for Brian and I. I decided I would rummage for leftovers in the morning which I did do. It will help clear out the fridge a bit but still a bit lazy on my part. As I was grumbling through packing lunches last night, I realized that I needed to remind myself of the love the lunchboxes contain. Every child should experience some lunchbox love and last night I did smile as I closed up two lunchboxes and one snack to send off today.

Tonight will be a 5 lunch packing marathon. I try to see how few trips I have to make to the garage for lunch items. It is always at least two but generally three trips out there as I have no memory left at 7:30 pm when I do my lunch packing chore. I have gotten faster the more lunches I have to make each night. I also get to see what moods the kids are in by what they decide to not eat out of their lunchbox! This helpfully as we making our grocery lists each week.

While this might seem like a boring topic, I share because lunchbox packing helps us stay on budget. It keeps us from eating out at lunch (me while at work, Brian while running errands) plus we make healthier choices for lunch this way too. It gives Grace a better balanced lunch than the school lunch.

So while I don’t make Rachel over at Following in My Shoes’ pretty bento lunches. I do make sure the kids have balanced meal plus the adults are eating healthy too.

Do pack a lunch to stay on budget or eat healthy? What design is your lunchbox? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Filed Under: Simply Family, Simply Food Tagged With: budget meal, budgeting, healthy lunch, lunch, lunch box, lunchbox, packing lunch

Celebrating the NEW Instant Savings Program for Ace Rewards!

January 10, 2013 By Beth 25 Comments

To help homeowners ring in 2013, Ace Hardware launched today an Instant Savings program exclusively for Ace Rewards members that allows them to receive valuable discounts instantly, right at the register. Always the Helpful Place, Ace is giving homeowners an even better incentive to tackle their New Years Resolutions by introducing this program.

Instant Savings is just one of the benefits of being an Ace Rewards member. The program is free and will continue to provide exclusive member benefits such as 10 points for every $1 spent, a $5 Reward for every 2,500 points earned, money-saving coupons and sale reminders, along with helpful tips and content. The best part? Ace Rewards members no longer have to redeem rebates through the mail and wait the four-to-six weeks it typically takes for those to be processed. Ace’s most valuable customers can now receive Instant Savings on their purchases right at checkout!

To sign-up as an Ace Rewards member and take advantage of Instant Savings today, visit http://bit.ly/AceRewards or stop by your local participating Ace Hardware store. Sign up is free and easy.

Ace wants to help one of our readers turn their to-do list into a to-done list and is offering a $25 Gift Card to one of our readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Giveaways, Promotional, SimplySaving Tagged With: Ace hardware, Ace Rewards, budgeting, savings program

How to cut down what you spending on gas

December 13, 2012 By Beth 6 Comments

In the midst of the recession and with new laws in place to encourage drivers to be more fuel-efficient, we now have more incentive than ever to save fuel. If you are looking for a greener car to replace your gas-guzzler, try finding one online – sites like VCARS.co.uk have used cars for sale. There is no need to worry however, as being fuel efficient does not necessarily require forking out your hard-earned cash on a new car.

Here are few ways to make your existing car more fuel-efficient:

Use your brake cautiously

While it would be counter-productive and incredibly dangerous to stop using your brake, constant and unnecessary use of the brake wears out your tires more quickly and can increase your car’s petrol consumption by 35%! Get out of the habit of riding on your brake and watch your savings grow.

Change your air filter

Nearly one out of every four cars is running with a dirty air filer. If that’s the case with your car, swapping it out for a new one can improve its gas mileage by as much as 10%. It is estimated that a quarter of cars in the UK are running with dirty air filters , and consequently this is a prime cause of fuel-inefficiency – the air filter is vital for your car’s smooth operation, and if clogged up will also eventually lead to your bank balance being clogged too.

Check your tires

Around 30% of cars have tires that are under-inflated, leading to both premature and uneven wearing. If your tyres are inflated by the average 3.4kg, then this will lead to 2.8% loss of fuel-efficiency. Check your tyre pressure fortnightly to save 6 pence per gallon.

Definitely need a replacement?

If you’re on the lookout for a greener car however, why not check out the Series 1 BMW – you can purchase a used BMW from VCARS.co.uk at a great price.

Filed Under: Budgeting Advice, SimplySaving Tagged With: budget, budgeting, car, tips