Getting Ready for Garage Sale Season!

Today it is 70 degrees out!!! I can't believe it.  Friday will be 40.  Again.  But let's not think about that.  We are 20 degrees above normal today (in Indiana) and it's got me thinking garage sale time.

Well not yet.

But soon.

And I.Can.Not.Wait.

Do you garage sale?  I love it.  The finding.  The bargaining (usually not...but this year I am going to break out of my shell and try).  The re purposing.  All on a budget.  My favorite part. {One day I'll find that gem that's worth like $5,000 and pay $1} :)

I found this list of garage sale buying tips.  Time to get ready!

1. There are two types of garage sales: the ones where people want to make money and the ones where people want to get rid of stuff. The latter are best for finding deals.
2. For maximum efficiency, map out your route. This is only for the truly hardcore.
3. If at all possible, leave the kids at home. If you must bring children with you, make sure to bring plenty of snacks. Allow the older children an allowance to find bargains of their own.
4. Be prepared. Wear cool, comfortable clothes. Bring lots of change and dollar bills. Keep your money in your pockets, not your purse. Bring a tote bag.
5. When you find something you’re not sure you want, pick it up and carry it with you while you continue to look. This prevents somebody else from finding it while you’re trying to decide.
6. Always ask politely if the seller will reduce the price. Beware: sometimes the prices are so low that it seems impolite to ask for less.
7. If there is something you really want, but the seller is asking more than you want to pay, offer a lower price. If they say no, leave your name and number in case they change their mind.
8. Check items for hard-to-see tears, stains, and breakage. Better safe than sorry.
9. It is best to go early, but don’t panic if you can’t. The best stuff is available at the start of a sale, but the best deals can be had later in the day when the seller is tired and nonplused about carrying everything back into the house.
10. If you don’t have success in one part of town, try somewhere else the next time. Sometimes the best garage sale neighborhoods are the ones you don’t expect.

All of the above tips are great. One other important tip is to search craigslist for garage sale information. Craigslist offers a list of garage sales in your city, often with a preview of the most desireable items. It’s easy to plan a morning of garage-saling with craigslist.

This was found here.

What was your best garage sale find?

Blogging/Etsy Tax Tips

I know it is Monday and it's usually blanket day, but I thought that this was something you would all be interested in!  And if you already filed your taxes this year, keep records for next year!

If you make money blogging or on Etsy you have to (ok.  You really should) claim it on your taxes.  Congrats!  You are a business owner! :) There are lots of deductions you can write off.  I'm not an accountant, so you should talk these over with yours but here are some general things that can help you save some money.

1. Internet related expenses.  Without the internet - there would be no blog right?  Hosting fees, domain name registrations, internet access, blogging software, picture storing, linky party subscriptions are all things that fall into this category.  Don't forget selling fees - Etsy, pay pal, Ebay.  

2. Your equipment. You need a computer right?  Any upgrades (memory and so forth), software (including tax software, picture editing).  And don't forget those cameras, sewing machines, and silhouettes!!

3. Do you tweet from your cell phone?  You can use part of your cell bill as a write off.

4. Any new office furniture?  {My table from the trash would not count here lol}

5. Supplies/Stationary.  Supplies add up quickly.  Fabric, thread, needles, pins, rulers, cutting mats, pens, staples, paint brushes, Stamps.  Keep all of your receipts.  Your accountant can help you go through all of them.  I write notes on mine so I know exactly what project I bought each item for.  If it's something like Mod Podge I just write general.

6. Advertising, Promo and Design.  Do you advertise on other blogs.  Ask for a receipt or print off your pay pal receipt.  Advertising also include promos and giveaways! Did you have someone design your blog.  Print off a receipt! 

7. Travel and Entertainment.  Did you go to a blogging conference?  Conference fees, travel accommodations, and dining expenses can be written off. 

8. Office Space.  Do you blog from home?  Do you have an office?  You can deem that part of your home as your office and write off a small amount of your household bills for rent plus your utilities.

I know.  It's a lot!  Just remember to save your receipts!  Make small notes on them.  I put all of my receipts into a big folder and at the beginning of each new month I sort them and staple each category together.  I also try to keep Etsy/blog stuff away from my personal stuff when I check out somewhere.  For example I was buying tablecloths and towels for an order at Target but I also had milk and a movie.  Just have them ring it up as 2 transactions.  

I also keep a sales order book on my desk.  (You can get them anywhere).  Every time someone orders something or pays for advertising I write it down.  I keep all of the receipts in the book.  I also write how I got paid (pay pal, cash, check).  Keeping them in one place makes it easy to have them ready to go!    

Any tax tips you have?

5 ways to save at Starbucks

1) Starbucks has promotions called “pairings.” You can save as much as 90 cents if you buy a snack or breakfast with a drink that they choose to combine with it.
2) If you bring your own cup you’ll get 10 cents off your beverage.
3) If you can save the receipt from a Starbucks visit in the morning until the afternoon, after 2 p.m. you can get an Grande cold beverage for 2 bucks. Even a Vivanno Smoothie.
4) For brewed coffee, try the coffee press. It costs around $3 (less than two Grandes) and you’ll get four 8-ounce cups from it.
5) Probably the best tip to save money at Starbucks: A refill on brewed coffee is 50 cents and if you have a Starbucks Card they’re free!

- These tips were taken from savemoneytips.org

Millionaire Mommy - Guess how we saved over $1300 ... it's kind of crazy

Pizza. Yes ma'am (or sir..) Pizza.  Pizza is Joshua's favorite food.  Ever. So, if he is a good eater Monday - Thursday (meaning tries even the smallest bite of veggies that really shouldn't even count as a bite but hey it's progress) then we have pizza on Friday night.  Every Friday.  That's 52 times a year.  That's a lot of pizza.

We used to order our pizza from Papa Johns. I like their pizza.  Yum.  But I didn't like the fact that after tip for the delivery guy it was almost $30 for 2 pizzas!  $30 X 4 times a month = $120 ... for pizza!

So we make our own.  For $2 a pizza. Oh yea.  You heard me.  $2 a pizza.  And the sauce -- pure veggies. (I'm posting the recipe tomorrow) And so good.  And you make one batch - freeze it (I freeze it in ice cube trays, pop them out and throw in a ziploc bag.  That way I don't have to un-thaw it and refreeze the left overs.)

So saving $26 a week gives us....$1352 over a year.  ON PIZZA!  I told you.  Crazy!

Millionaire Mommy - Save $200!

Money Money Money. Mon-ey.  Totally got that song stuck in my head.

I have a secret.  I am not a millionaire.  I'm not even an eighth of a millionaire.  Heck, not even a sixteenth of one.  In fact, to some I'm sure we are 'poor'.  I'm ok with poor.  We live rich.  And were moving up. {Before I met Andy I was a single mom working 50 hour weeks teaching preschool.  I made $14000/year.  Woo Hoo.}  Anyways
Is it possible to save a million bucks.  Sure.  In fact, it's my goal.  How long will it take?  Not sure.  Now I'm not saying that you will have that cash in the bank.  Maybe some.  I'm just saying that you can live rich too.  We'll save a million!

Today's money saver earns us $200. 

Are you a reader?  Are your kids readers?  There is a site called Paperback Swap.  Have you heard of them? 

Well you need to sign up! 
{Click the Logo to sign up!}



Basically you sign up. 

You post 10 books that you are willing to swap. 

{I posted some awesome books tonight if I do say so myself...and 2 of them are on someone's wish list.  Score!}
They automatically give you 2 credits (1 credit = 1 paperback book)

Then for each book that you swap - you get 1 credit.

Search for books that you want -- they have almost 5 million books in tons of categories..but if for some reason you don't see what your looking for put it on a wish list.  As soon as a member puts it up they alert you!

If someone requests one of your books, you just simply print out the mailer, wrap up the book and affix postage (It's usually no more than $2.50.  Yes, you do pay to ship your books out but you DON'T pay to have books shipped to you so it evens out).  When the member receives the book you get another credit. 

Super simple.

Did I mention you can swap kid's books too!?  Josh loves reading.  But he reads them once and he's done. 

And listing books is easy.  You just type in the ISBN (bar code) numbers. 

{not sure why the picture won't flip....Darn blogger.}
And FREE to join!

I have my favorite genre's listed as kid's books, cook books and home books (crafting, decorating, entertaining) so it helps me find quickly what I'm looking for. 

I try to trade 1 adult book ($15-$25 value) and 1 kid's book ($5-$7) per month.  Over a year - that's about $200 saved! (Even after I took out all the postage!)  In fact to date the site has saved it's members over $22 MILLION dollars!! WOW!!


Please note, that when you sign up and list 10 books I also get 1 credit for referring you.  I don't want anyone to think I'm trying to be sneaky.  I'm totally not.  I just think that this site rocks!  {And if you home school.  Oh my gosh.  TONS of resources!!}

Amount saved to date: $200