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Be Money Smart with a Smart Phone

Derek Allen — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:10:30 +0000

Smart phones are the latest technology boom taking over the consumer market. You can’t turn on the TV without seeing a few ads for the latest smart phone. The demand for them is huge and it doesn’t look like this trend will be ending anytime soon. Especially when people waited in line for well over 6 hours to receive their new iPhone 4. Smart phones may be expensive, but the potential savings they could allow you to harness can easily make up for the cost. This latest technology boom has brought about app marketplaces where developers can write custom software to run on smart phones. I will be sharing the apps that I use on my iPhone, though many will have versions to run on different smart phones, that I use everyday to make my income go further.

Google: Google is an incredible tool that is available on any smart phone with internet access. Before I buy anything online I always do a quick search for coupon codes if the store has a field for one in checkout. A good portion of the time I can find something that will at least save me 5%. Usually it is more in the range of 10-20% off my purchase.

Almost all of the big retailers offer competitor price match on advertised offers. While your standing in the checkout line hit up the competitor websites. You might find that product your buying is being offered at a lower price. Show them at the register for them to mark down the price. Sometimes they will only offer the price match on printed advertisements, in these cases you can threaten to go to the competitor and they might beat the price. If this doesn’t work you can simply just go to the competitor and get the product for cheaper.

A quick Google search can also save you from making a wasted trip to a store that may be closed. I know I have wasted a bunch of gas driving to a store on a holiday, on a sunday, or at a moderately late time just to find that it is closed.

If you haven’t already, check out my recent post on how to use Google Voice to send free text messages.

Mint: I’ve been using Mint for a while to track my finances and their phone app is a must for anyone looking to budget effectively. The Mint app automatically synchronizes with your online bank account to categorize purchases. You can create budgets from these categories and monitor your spending habits over time. I use it to identify areas that I need to cut back on and to check to see how purchases will fit into my budget. Having this app on your phone allows you to monitor your finances and spending on the go.

Coupon Sherpa: This app features a coupon database that is continually being updated. They allow you to bring up the coupon on your phone at checkout where the cashier can scan the barcode straight off of your phone. A quick search with this app during checkout lines can rack up in big savings real fast. Did I mention that the app is free?

Gas Buddy: For $2.99 you can search for the cheapest gas prices in your area. This allows you to recover the cost of the app in just one fill up. The prices are based on what other users in the community report. I live in a mid sized city and have yet to find an incorrect price. The only difficulties I encounter with this app are related to internet connection. Sometimes it doesn’t want to allow you to use the 3G connection for the app. A couple quick retries usually allow you to use the app just fine. They also have an On Fumes option which will show you the closest gas station.

Pandora: You don’t need to shell out a bunch of money to build up your music library. You can use Pandora, a free internet radio station, to stream music to your phone. You can create personalized radio stations based on a band or song you like. Pandora will stream you songs that match your entry based on certain criteria. The new music you can discover is really quite humbling. The only time I’ve experienced issues streaming music is driving through the backwoods of Virginia. Everywhere else the service worked perfectly on the 3G network.

Those were only the apps that I have used to save myself a some dough on more than one ocassion. The iPhone app store is constantly increasing and the Driod marketplace is increasing at an even faster rate. There are much more apps out there that you can use to save some serious money.

Photo Credit: bump

Do you have a money saving app that you would like to share?

Let Technology Be Your Guide
Free Text Messaging
Save Money by Clipping and Printing Coupons

Enjoying the Fourth of July on a Budget

Derek Allen — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 20:00:30 +0000

Independence Day is a wonderful time of year to celebrate with friends and loved ones. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities and barbecuing that makes for an all day event. Money shouldn’t be an excuse not to enjoy the fourth and celebrate our nation’s independence. Here are a few quick tips to enjoy Independence Day without being dependent on someone else for the bill.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the 4^th of July are the fireworks. They are easily the most memorable aspect of celebrating our nation’s independence each year. Their hisses and booms can be heard all day while people bask the warm summer weather. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy them.

More likely than not there will be a free fireworks display somewhere within driving distance. They are great events for families and friends. Plan ahead of time and figure out where you’re going to park. These events always attract large groups of people and vendors trying to gouge prices for parking spots. You will also want to avoid wasting gas sitting in traffic due to everyone trying to leave at once. Plan to leave later or pick a place far enough from the event to avoid the smog bog afterwards. Consider parking a few miles away and make a bike trip during the day to the event location.

If there are no shows nearby consider teaming up with a neighbor to split the costs for a neighborhood fireworks display. You can get decent sized fireworks package for ~$20 or less. If a big fireworks display isn’t a must for you, just stick with sparklers. There are cheap and kids love them. If you are looking at cheap fireworks, stay away from the snakes. I remember getting so excited after picking out one with a big cobra on the package in a fireworks tent, only to be let down by the lackluster pile of ash it metamorphosized into.

You can always avoid the sweat, smoke, and pesky mosquitoes and catch a fireworks show on TV. There is bound to be a huge show on network TV, not to mention it will probably be bigger than anything you can muster together.

Plan an outdoor activity for the day. A bike ride or hike in a nearby park doesn’t cost a dime. It is also a wonderful opportunity to play some outdoor sports. If you are playing an event, think of some activities your guests might enjoy. Potato sack and three legged races, water balloon tosses, and good ‘ole Frisbee all hardly cost anything to put together.

If you are planning a barbecue, check to see if you can save by buying in bulk. Don’t be afraid to ask guests to bring a side dish. I’m sure most of them will offer to when you invite them, so make a list ahead of time to make sure everything is covered. Don’t be afraid to ask people to throw in money if they can spare it. They should have no problem sparing a few bucks to reimburse the hardworking host for the money and time they have spent.

Ideas for a Frugal myMoneyPower Party

Lauren Chapman — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:35:04 +0000

So you’ve already sent out invites the to your friends, family members, and co-workers. Now you’re at the point where you’re wondering: “How am I going to pull this off on a budget?”. myMoneyPower is all about saving and generating money, and it is designed to be as light as possible on your checkbook. Here are some ideas and resources to help you host a myMoneyPower Party and save even more money in the process.

Here’s a short checklist:

Atmosphere: It is always a good idea to create a pleasant setting for your guests. It will make them feel welcomed, comfortable, and relaxed. This will allow them to experience a myMoneyPower party in the proper setting, a fun one! The first step is to make sure you clean and tidy up your house. This act of hospitality will go a long way to impress your guests. You can use homemade cleaners from vinegar, baking soda, and water to avoid purchasing unnecessarily expensive cleaners. The second stop is to have enough seating to accommodate all your guests comfortably. Preferably in the same area so that you can keep every guest feeling included. If you don’t have enough seating, ask your guests if they don’t mind bringing a chair or two. If you are still short chairs, you should be able to rent some for less than a dollar each a day. Music is also always a good mood setter; just make sure that the music doesn’t drown-out the chit-chat between your guests. Make your CD/playlist selection available to your guest so that there is opportunity for your guest to play their “favorite song.” As always, the radio is always a good option if you don’t feel like being a DJ. This includes internet radio, Pandora is easily one of the best free online music options out there. Another great idea, light a couple of candles that have a pleasant scent. However, you don’t want to get carried away with lighting too many….it’s not Valentine’s Day.

Decorations: Adding a little decoration here and there is great, but it is not a necessary to fill your whole house with streamers and balloons. For a myMoneyPower party, I would leave it simple and concentrate more on a center piece or two. I love making my very own flower centerpieces. They can be very inexpensive if you just use your resources around you and get creative! Try incorporating your natural surroundings or seasonal elements. Take a stroll down your block and pick some wild flowers, greenery, and even berries. If you don’t have time or any flowers around you, then there are plenty of beautiful and cheap flowers at your local super market. The dollar store is always a great option for party supplies. They have a bunch of fun little knick-knacks to place around your home. Decorating is all about the overall presentation and if you have cleaned your home that’s more than half of it, so there is no need to fret about crazy decorations. If you have a co-host this would be a great time to collaborate!

Party Snacks: Finger foods and drinks are always a good idea to impress your guests. Cheese and crackers are always a hit and I strongly suggest it. It’s quick, easy, and depending on which cheese you buy, it should be fairly cheap! Slice the cheese into semi-thin pieces and lay the cheese and crackers out on a good sized serving plate along with some fruits such as grapes, strawberries, or kiwi. Finger sandwiches are another idea, just get a loaf of bread and make a few different sandwiches to account for the different tastes of your guest. Cut the sandwiches diagonally to make little triangle shaped bites. An easy dessert is to make a batch of cookies for the guests to enjoy. Oh what fun! For drinks, I would have a nice variety to suit the guests’ taste. Water, kool-Aid, soda, sweet tea, beer, and wine are among the popular favorites.

Icebreakers: It’s always a good idea to play a couple of fun games to keep your guest entertained, especially when the guests may not know each other that well. Establishing a social setting and breaking the ice will ensure your party gets off to a great start. Charades is always a fun game to play, but make sure that each person has a partner! Playing cards is a great way to entertain as well. I’m not really up on games but there is a great website with a bunch of fun icebreaker games for everyone to enjoy: http://www.divinedinnerparty.com/icebreaker-games-for-small-groups.html

Another site I find to be useful is Evite® @ www.evite.com. They have plenty of ideas to help get you started. Anything from invitations and party snacks to party supplies! I highly recommend this site!

Photo Credit: Orphanjones

Do you have any ideas for a frugal party?

Wants vs. Needs

Rich — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:56:41 +0000

I have been reading today and based on some of my research on my other blog posts, it sparked a question that I wanted to put up here for discussion:

How do you distinguish between your wants and needs?

I know a lot of us feel that some of our wants are in fact needs but what really drives you to know the difference? We had discussed about keeping a journal or diary of your spending for a month or two have you had any success?

Photo Credit: swanksalot

Feel free to comment, I am just trying to see how you stand with your financial goals!!

Planning Your Vacation on a Budget

Maria Hinson — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:25:19 +0000

I love to travel but don’t like to pay a lot to do it. Every year I go on an annual trip to a new destination but never pay full price. Here are my tips on how to go on a budget vacation and still have a great time.

My vacation always starts with finding the best deal I can get on airfare. My first step is to go to Kayak.com to see how much prices are for flights to my desired destination. Kayak lets you see the cheapest prices of flights for several months down the road.

After seeing what airlines are charging for the time I want to travel, I set an alert with www.airfarewatchdog.com and wait for the cheapest flights to be emailed to me. Once I receive an email with a price I like, I book the ticket.

For lodging, I always bid on the price of my hotel through Priceline.com. With Priceline, you pick the area you want to stay in along with the star level and bid the price you are most likely to pay. Some people do not like Priceline because you do not know the name of the hotel until you win the bid. As long as you pick a three – five star hotel you are on the safe side. I have won a bid at The Marriott for $42 per night even though the Marriott website had the same exact room for $129 per night!

Another bidding website I like is Luxurylink.com. Luxury Link has up to half off packages that include the cost of a luxurious hotel along with extras such as breakfast/dinner and spa treatments.

For my rental car reservation, I prefer to use Priceline to bid on the price. If Priceline does not accept my bid, I go to www.rentalcodes.com to find codes for rental car companies.

Another budget travel website that I have found to be reasonable with their prices is Lastminute.com, which offers last minute deals on flight and hotel packages.

Photo Credit: m o d e

If you have any budget travel tips, please feel free to post them in the comment section!