Roman Meal Bread has a giveaway. Go to this site and register to win a year’s worth of free bread.
http://www.romanmeal.com/pages/events_promo_freebread.htm


If you’re a reader of The Budget Smart Girl’s Guide at Garden and Hearth, remember I told you about a class you can take that’s only $99 and can net you some valuable skills. It’s the H and R Block Tax Preparation course, visit this site to find a class near you https://taxpro.hrblock.com/taxproConsumerWebApp/consumer/getNewLocationSearch.do?sellCode=

I’m currently working on setting up a Web site for the Budget Smart Girl. I want to see if it’s possible to get one that’s completely free to design and receive free hosting. I’ll keep you posted here about how that’s going and will pass along any tips and resources I find along the way.

My second project is to see what you can invest in for just $50. More about this in my next blog.

And this week’s thank you goes to Gary at the Dollar Stretcher for including my article about make-up in his weekly newsletter. Thanks Gary. Be sure to visit Gary’s Web site at www.stretcher.com for money saving tips.

Be sure to visit-
www.gardenandhearth.com/EatingWellonaBudget.htm and www.gardenandhearth.com/Bargain-Shopping.htm.

If you read this week’s Budget Smart Girl’s Guide and interested in more tips on buying magazines, Michael Coley, creator of the Web site http://www.magazinepricesearch.com/ kindly gave us this advice-

1) Make sure that the price in the shopping cart or checkout matches the price you’re expecting. If you haven’t entered the coupon code or if you mistyped it, it’s much easier to get things taken care of before you place your order than after. When you click through to buy a magazine subscription through MagazinePriceSearch.com, we give a simple yet detailed page of explanation about coupons, renewals, link problems, etc. before directing you to the merchant’s site.

2) Always pay with a credit card, preferably an American Express. The amount of time it takes to get the first issue is fairly long, and credit cards only let you dispute charges for a limited amount of time. Some are as short as 30-60 days, while others (like American Express) give you as long as 6 months. Keep track of the magazines you order. If you don’t receive it by the promised time, contact the merchant. (You can find contact information for all of our merchants on MagazinePriceSearch.com.) If you don’t receive it by the end of the dispute period, dispute the charge.

3) Make sure you’re aware of any catches. Most merchants have no catches, but some do. Some charge an order surcharge. (We always add that into the price we show so that you’re comparing apples to apples.) Some automatically renew some or all subscriptions. Some are “sponsor subsidized” subscriptions, where you agree to receive a reasonable number of email advertisements from their sponsor. We clearly point out any catches so you can weigh the savings against the catch.

4) Be careful who you buy from. Not all magazine merchants are reputable, and there are hundreds or perhaps thousands of new merchants every year. When you can buy a prebuilt magazine site on eBay for $25, you’re going to find a ton of people out there are have absolutely no experience running a business or selling magazines. We only deal with reputable merchants with a proven track record, and we require merchants to address customer service issues in order to remain listed. If you ever have a problem with a merchant we list and they don’t take care of your problem adequately through their normal customer service channel, let us know and we will intercede on your behalf.
Thanks so much Michael.
Be sure to visit-
www.gardenandhearth.com/EatingWellonaBudget.htm and www.gardenandhearth.com/Bargain-Shopping.htm.

For those of you who read this week’s Eating Well on a Budget as promised here’s a company that has some great holiday gift bags and containers for food items www.lakeside.com. Check out the set of six felt tote bags for just $5.95, item # 823005012. The Snowman Holiday Décor basket set, $8.95, item # 823048020. The Mug-In-A-Basket Gift Sets, $5.95, item # 823135017.

Chinese takeaway boxes also make great containers for food items, so do mugs and oversized soup bowls. Many of which can be found at garage sales and dollar stores.

Be sure to visit-
www.gardenandhearth.com/EatingWellonaBudget.htm and www.gardenandhearth.com/Bargain-Shopping.htm.

Here are some tips I didn’t have room for in my columns at Garden and Hearth.
If you’re looking for a cheap way to store and organize your shoes, go to your local liquor store and ask for the boxes the wine bottles are shipped in. They have readymade dividers, handy for storing out of season shoes. Or if you place the box on its side you can use it as a shoe organizer in your closet. Best thing is they’re free!
Also, I found out about this place while I was watching a recent episode of ‘Globe Trekker’ on the Travel Channel. There’s a business in Scottsboro, Alabama called the Unclaimed Baggage Center www.unclaimedbaggage.com It sells stuff that’s been somehow lost by the airlines, or items that for one reason or another people have failed to claim at the baggage carousel. I visited the Web site and noticed you don’t even have to live near the store to pick up a bargain or two because they have an online store.
Anyone read Consumer Reports? They have a new publication out called ShopSmart, it’s a quarterly publication and sells for $5.99. http://www.shopsmartmag.org/. Looks like lots of interesting stuff and best of all no ads.
And if you like pasta or want to sample lots of pasta sauces, the Olive Garden www.olivegarden.com has its annual ‘never ending pasta bowl’ for just $7.95
Be sure to visit-
www.gardenandhearth.com/EatingWellonaBudget.htm and www.gardenandhearth.com/Bargain-Shopping.htm.