(Updated 2/14/21) ShopSmart Magazine ceased publication July 2020. I am an avid reader of magazines. My love of magazines dates back to my preteen years when I was obsessed with tv, movies, and girl issues. Now I am a mom, wife, and teacher, and I look for magazines not only to entertain me, but to inform me.... Continue Reading →
Beans and barley are not just for cholent
Buying kosher canned beans can be expensive (if you can find them), especially if you have a large family. The same is true if you buy prepared mixes for rice, noodles, other grains, etc. In our house, we use a lot of dry ingredients and we eat vegetarian most weekdays. Bulk ingredients can sometimes take... Continue Reading →
New “Free resources” page
During my research on saving money, I always come across free resources, products, and services. Many sites also will link you to free samples and other freebies. However, I do not want them to be the focus of my blog, because the savings vary greatly (and there are many freebie blogs and articles already out... Continue Reading →
Subscribe and Save
Almost two years ago I discovered a great service provided by Amazon called Subscribe & Save. The program offers products by the case that you subscribe to buy on a regular basis. You choose when you would like to receive the product again and you are signed up for an auto-ship of it. You get... Continue Reading →
July and August are the time to buy…
There are certain times of the year that are best for purchasing various items, due to various factors. Here are a few to keep in mind for these late summer months: ∞ Computers: Back-to-school sales often offer the lowest prices of the year. You can sometimes get freebies like printers, too. ∞ School Supplies: Even... Continue Reading →
Brighter savings
(updated 4/23/17) One fairly simple way to save money (and energy) in your home is to switch to more energy-efficient light bulbs. In the last few years, LED bulbs have been introduced, which are even more efficient than compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs, which had replaced incandescent bulbs). Both CFLs and LEDs have a higher cost in... Continue Reading →
Online shopping tips
Shopping online can be very overwhelming and time-consuming. However, last year (2010), I saved over $1600 from coupons, online shopping, buying online in bulk, and mail order prescriptions. I gave gathered a few tips to help you be successful at online shopping: ∞ Sign up for email lists from stores you like (either online or brick... Continue Reading →
Buying printer paper by the case
Over the past 2+ years, I have been searching for ways to save on things we use a lot of. As a teacher and a graduate student (and coupon clipper), I often have to print documents from home. I do try to use the backs of paper by rerunning paper through again for less important... Continue Reading →
Switch over your disposables!
(updated 4/14/17) If you think about it, everything you use once and throw away adds to your daily costs. It also adds to our landfills and impact on the environment. To get away from this whole throwaway society, we try to use many reusable products in our home. The savings may seem small, but over... Continue Reading →
My favorite find – swapping books
(updated 1/26/26) Several years ago a classmate at UMSL told me about this great website (Paperbackswap.com) where you can swap books with other people. Since then, it has become my favorite way to get books for home and teaching! You can post any books that you want to trade and create your own wish list... Continue Reading →
Surviving on a tight budget 