Never Pay Full Price For SiriusXM Satellite Radio

We’ve had SiriusXM satellite radio in our van for years. We actually have the package that comes with online streaming, so we can use it with our phones paired to a bluetooth speaker when sitting outside or traveling. So when I noticed our subscription was about to expire, I knew exactly what I needed to do: I needed to call and cancel our subscription. It may sound strange that I would call and cancel a service I use daily. Our subscription was a promotional offer that was half the regular advertised price. Now that the promotional period was over, our […] Read more »

Cancel Delivery, Save Money and Make Your Own Almost Homemade Pizza

The cost of delivered pizza can add up faster than a stack of empty pizza boxes. Making your own pizza is great if you have the time and skill to make your own dough. Frozen pizza costs far less, but the toppings leave much to be desired. Not to worry, cost conscious pizza lovers, I’ve discovered a compromise between frozen and fresh that makes the best homemade pizza. Below is a list of seven things you can use to transform a boring, underwhelming frozen pizza into a memorable meal, many of which you may already have in your refrigerator. Crust […] Read more »

My Favorite Inexpensive Relaxation Technique

One of my personal guilty pleasures is finding ways to relax. I go all out, 100%, a million miles an hour most of the time, so when I need some downtime I need it bad. Many of my favorite ways to indulge in some relaxation can be fairly expensive. A weekend away and massages are two activities that really help recharge my batteries, but also come with a fairly hefty price tag. However just recently my daughter introduced me to a relaxation activity that I absolutely love, and it costs just a few dollars. Stressed out ladies and gentlemen, I […] Read more »

Save Money With The PetSmart PetPerks Program

This post is for every pet owner that has ever calculated how much they spend caring for their furry family member, and shook their head in disbelief. We love our pets, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t look for ways to bring down the cost of what we need to keep them in tip top shape. PetPerks, a rewards type membership by PetSmart might be able to help you do just that. I normally buy my cat food at Walmart since 95% of the items on my grocery and household goods grocery list are cheaper there. But on this particular […] Read more »

Dollar Store Shopping: Save Money On Decorating Supplies

Shopping at a dollar store is very controversial. Laugh all you want, but bring it up the next time you’re having a conversation with a group of friends. Some think dollar stores are the best thing since sliced bread, others think they’re full of generic, expired, low quality junk. While looking for supplies to build a homecoming float for my daughter’s cheer team, I stopped in a dollar store and found a couple of items that were well worth walking in the front door. Poster board At the dollar store I visited, I got a large sheet of poster board […] Read more »

3 Things You Can Do With $1000 Instead of Buying a new iPhone

Apple announced the newest generation of their iPhone last week. The iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X (named for the 10th anniversary of the launch of the original iPhone) come with varying price tags, some reaching the $1000 mark. Working in the technology industry, I know that there are times when businesses are eagerly waiting for a new generation of system to hit the market because they are performance starved or need a specific new capability. I’ve never, ever heard of someone whose iPhone is critical for their daily life, and they are barely making it because they desperately need […] Read more »

The Ship To Store Loophole: Save Money AND Get Your Purchase Immediately!

The rise of online shopping has introduced consumers to a level of convenience never seen before. A person can sit in front of their computer and comparison shop, order the product of their desire at the best possible price, and simply wait for it to show up on their doorstep. But sometimes waiting for the product to arrive, even if it’s only a day, isn’t possible. Sometimes it’s needed immediately. There’s a simple online loophole you can take advantage of that allows consumers to get the best possible price and still get the object the same day. I call it […] Read more »

3 Ways To Prevent DIY Projects From Costing You Money

    Do It Yourself projects can save a person a lot of money if they’re done right.  Done incorrectly, you might just end spending as much or more money than hiring someone to do it in the first place. I found this out recently when my garbage disposal decided it was time to retire. A chunk of metal broke off my garbage disposal during normal use. A quick look below the sink gave me confidence that I could replace it myself. I picked up a replacement from a local hardware store, installed it, and made sure it worked. I […] Read more »

3 Ways To Protect Yourself When Returning Items Through The Mail

How much do you trust the postal system, or any package delivery service? If you’re sending something of importance to another party, how much do you trust that they will acknowledge they received it? Maybe we’re all just a little too trusting. When my wife gets a new mobile phone, she always buys a specific screen protector to protect the screen. If you’re screen doesn’t work, your phone is useless. Since screens are expensive to replace, the $40 product, which comes with a lifetime warranty, seems like a good idea. This type of screen protector does it’s job well, however […] Read more »

The Simple Reason Subway Has Lost My Business

I’m switching sub sandwich restaurants for a very simple reason. Customer loyalty is a funny thing. We may live and breathe a specific brand name or restaurant because of a great experience, a certain product, or proximity to our home or work. But we can also switch in an instant for an equally, seemingly trivial thing. For me the thing that is causing me to change sub sandwich restaurants is the very simple thing of saving a little money. For my entire adult life, I’ve been a huge fan of Subway. Whenever anyone would suggest trying another sub sandwich shop, […] Read more »

Unlimited Cell Phone Data Plans Are Not Always The Best Choice

Unlimited data plans are all the new rage with cell phone companies, promising to save you big money compared to paying overages on your current data plan.  Mobile phone users that don’t constantly evaluate new plan offerings could miss out big.  For example, a few years ago when we added my wife’s parents to our plan, they went from having limited minutes and texting, and no data to unlimited calling and texting and a 30GB data plan, for HALF the cost.   Wondering if AT&T’s new unlimited data plan would be one of those natural progressions of service that we […] Read more »

Save Money On Your Home Improvement Projects With The Sherwin-Williams Paint Perks Program

When the cashier asked if I wanted to join their rewards program, I agreed and filled out the short form.  But I wondered if it was really going to benefit me, or if it would simply add to my email inbox clutter. But joining the Sherwin-Williams Preferred Customer Paint Perks program was about to save me big on my latest home improvement project. I was beginning a project to give my son’s bedroom a new look, starting with a fresh coat of paint. I had seen a color I liked at a restaurant, and ended up getting the name of […] Read more »

How Costco Can Save You Money On Gasoline Even If You’re Not A Member

One of the selling points of a Costco membership is that members can fill up their tanks for less at Costco. People shell out their $55 membership fee believing they’ll make up the fee simply by buying gas at Costco. The good news for people not interested in a Costco membership is they can take advantage of Costco gasoline prices without even being a member. Over the weekend I discovered something I’ve coined, “The Costco Effect.” My gas gauge was hovering just above ‘E,’ and I was looking to fill up. I checked prices on my way to the gym […] Read more »

5 Ways To Appreciate Your Special Someone For Under $10

Relationships are hard work. When a person is in a committed relationship it’s easy to take it for granted, and stop doing those little things to impress and show appreciation towards your significant other that you did when the relationship was fresh and new. Jobs, kids, what to make for dinner and a thousand other tasks of day to day life dig a rut that’s easy to get stuck in. When as a part of that relationship you combine finances and target every dollar towards something, it’s also difficult to break off some funds to go that extra step for […] Read more »