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By Melissa Tosetti
Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer and the sales will be in full force! It's an excellent opportunity to take advantage of the deep discounts and stock up.
Food
Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day are the best weekends to purchase:
- Condiments such as ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise.
- Hamburger and hot dog as well as buns. All of which can be frozen.
- Soda will also be listed at some of the best prices of the year.
Clothes
If your wardrobe needs an infusion of warm weather clothes, there will be plenty of discounts offered over the holiday weekend. Although the best prices for summer clothes will be after the 4th of July, this weekend you can still get great deals and the shelves will be fully stocked.
BBQ & Patio
If you’re in the market for a big ticket items such as grills and patio furniture, this is the weekend to shop. Like clothes, the prices will fall even more after the 4th of July, but if you have something specific in mind, grab it now before it’s too late.
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By Melissa Tosetti
Last night I taught an in-depth Savvy Money class as part of a PTA fund raiser for my son Dante's school. During the class, I talked about finding ways to save money for the things you want to buy or do such as vacations.
One of the attendees has been to several of my events in the past and is one of the savviest women I know. I've had the pleasure of getting to know here over the years and to hear about her adventures as she travels all over the world.
One of the ways she pays for her trips is with a side business that she has on top of her 9-5 job. She caters in-home tea parties. She brings the china as well as the tea and treats and the host doesn't have to lift a finger. Every few weeks she spends a few hours doing something she absolutely loves - catering tea parties - and the money she earns has taken her from one country to the next.
One of the other attendees shared how she and her son saved their recycling money for two years which allowed them extra spending money on the family's trip to Disneyland.
There are so many different ways to either earn or save money for your adventures. It's just a matter of getting a little creative!
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Intro by Melissa Tosetti
Last night I did a speaking engagement for Seivert & Associates in Turlock, California. Part of the presentation was focused on building a Savvy Wardrobe.
I challenged the audience to "shop their closet" and try on everything they own. As they try on each piece, to then ask themselves if they would buy it again. If the answer is "no", then give themselves permission to get rid of that item.
The goal is to get out of the habit of "buying clothes" and to build a wardrobe of clothes that make you feel wonderful.
This morning, I stumbled on this article from Real Simple magazine featuring 12 Secrets of the Closet Pros. It's been awhile since I've done a closet clean out of my own so I have decided to walk my own talk and shop my closet this weekend.
I've also been inspired by the Closet Pros article to purchase and install a Valet Hook to help me plan my outfits.
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By Melissa Tosetti
My friend Adrienne is the host of the lifestyle blog The Rich Life on a Budget. Last November she wrote a post about committing to shop for used items in her article Secondhand First. In the article you can see some of the gorgeous used items she's managed to pick up.
Since reading Adrienne's post, I have also recommitted to shopping at secondhand stores.
Almost every time I get a compliment on a clothing item, it's something I purchased from a thrift store. In fact, on Tuesday, I was wearing a beautiful long brown skirt I picked up at a shop in Fresno and I received five separate compliments. Talk about motivation!
Like Adrienne, I continue to purchase undergarments and shoes new and if I fall in love with an item at a store, I will pick it up. But otherwise, I enjoy the hunt that comes along with secondhand shopping.
In addition to clothing, I've also decided to look for used household and garden items. Again I enjoy the hunt and if I can save 80% or more on a gently used item, then that makes it all the better!
Kiplinger recently posted an article on 11 Things to Buy Used. After reading it and seeing just how much money you can save, you may be inspired to start shopping secondhand as well.
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By Kevin Gibbons
In our book Living the Savvy Life, we devote a full chapter to managing your pantry and cooking.
One of our favorite mantras is “the most expensive food is the food you throw away.” A corollary to this mantra may be “the second most expensive food is the food that sits in your cupboard and is never used.” This is such an important concept, that we issue quarterly “Pantry Challenges.”
The idea behind these challenges is to see how long you can go without buying staples, and living off what is in your pantry. Many of us have hidden inventory tucked away in our cabinets. By doing these periodic purges, we find these hidden items and use them, maybe learning new recipes or at least learning never to buy that particular item again. We have had readers go as long as 3 months living out of their inventory of food, buying only those fresh items like milk and eggs.
It is pretty easy to figure out how to use items like dried pasta, cans of soup, rice and beans. But what do you do when you have a can of peaches, some cornmeal and dried cranberries? Like virtually everything else in the world, “there’s an app for that.” Actually, there is a Public Radio program for that. NPR’s Morning Edition has started a new feature called Cook Your Cupboard. You simply post a picture of the contents of your cupboard, and their experts and readers will offer ideas on recipes you can prepare to use your varied ingredients.
Your pantry is more than just your kitchen storeroom. It is also an investment, representing hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of dollars of your money. A good investment is one that provides value for the money you put into it. A poor investment is one that just sits there, tying up your money, or even losing it as the value decreases. Make sure your pantry represents a good investment, containing supplies that are turned into valuable meals. As you refine your pantry’s contents, use resources like Cook Your Cupboard to help you make those meals. You may even find a new favorite recipe!
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