Archive for the ‘Stretch Your Bucks’ Category

Halloween is fast approaching, but maybe you don’t want to spend all that money on a costume right before the holiday season. What to do? Make your own costume.

We’re still trying to decide what Dart should be for Halloween (suggestions would be lovely), but we did find some great places to start building your outfit….

Goodwill: This time of year Goodwill brings out all their Halloween costumes they’ve been holding from the past year. If you see one you like, go ahead and grab it because you won’t find a better deal anywhere else. Goodwill also has great pieces that can serve as the base for your outfit. Going as a zombie? You won’t mind getting these clothes a little dirty with makeup and fake blood.

Hobby Lobby: Go here for great deals on fake plants (Eve, Hippie, Swamp Thing), hot glue guns, glitter, clothing paint, beads and makeup

The toy store: Go here for costumey brightly colored makeup and accesories like swords, baseball bats, wands, etc.

Home Depot, Loews, or (our pick) your locally owned hardware store: Now don’t hurt yourself, but there is room to get a little creative with the knick knacks you can find there. Want to be a construction worker? There’s no better place to go.

Need some inspiration? Check out this compilation of DIY videos on YouTube:

So what should Dart be for Halloween? A chicken? Lindsay Lohan? ideas please!

It seems like there is a new article every week on how to save money at the grocery store and most of them say the same thing: Make a list, Eat before you shop, Bring coupons (DartzDeals loves this one ), and Look out for store specials.

While these are all great ways to save, I ran across this article that gives you a few more options you might not have thought of. Some ideas I like are:

1. Skip the processed food (fresh is always better for you and your pocket)

2. Skip the precuts and grate it yourself. This will save you money and not take a lot of time out of your day. Get the family involved in preparing food and enjoy the extra quality time together.

3. No toiletries. If you can, make a separate list and buy these items at discount stores where they are 20-40% less.

4. Eat more beans! They are inexpensive and are powerhouses of nutrition.

The article suggests freezing milk as a way to save. I’ve never done it, but if you do tell us how it goes. And remember, use the first inch or two of the milk to avoid a messy explosion when it expands.

*A tip of my own (as a college student who refuses to eat Ramen): Shop more often.   I used to shop for the next 3 weeks or so, but I kept throwing away unused produce and other perishables. I started shopping every week and enjoyed eating fresher food and savings of about $50 a month.

Below is the full article with all 20 tips:

http://curbly.com/diy-maven/posts/2289-top-20-ways-to-save-money-at-the-grocery-store