Cheap Living Tips

When the going gets tough, the tough get tight!

Comparison Shopping Leads to Bigger Savings

Written By: Susan - May• 28•10

By Jamie Morris

Currently, the condition of our economy demands that you save money when and however you can. Comparison shopping is a common, effective way to pinch pennies while still being able to maintain your current lifestyle.  As a new mom and wife, I have learned that comparison shopping is easy and important. I decided to examine the products I use every day to keep clean, fresh and gorgeous. After doing some timely research, I discovered that Avon sells dozens of comparable products at bargain prices.

Costly skin care regimens are vital to looking young and beautiful. Lancome’s Advanced Replenishing Cream Cleanser costs $55 in regular retail markets. By choosing Avon’s ANEW Ultimate Age Repair Cream Cleanser that sells for $14, you save a whopping $41! Avon’s ANEW line of skin care products have been proven effective and affordable so you do not have to sacrifice your skin to save your wallet.  If you aren’t impressed by the $41 savings, switch your foundation from Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup that retails for $22.50 to Avon’s Ideal Shade Liquid Foundation SPF 10 that is attractively priced at $10. SuperFULL Mascara from Avon costs $8.50. Compare to Lancome’s Hypnose Custom Volume Mascara at $24.00 and your savings skyrocket up another $15.50!

Designer Brands Don’t Mean Better Products

Buying a generic brand isn’t always comparable to the product you usually buy. That is why I am excited to share about Avon and the products they offer. I would contend that items from Avon are far from “generic”. Avon has created a brand name that can provide consumers with a variety of products that are equal to the high-end, department store merchandise at a fraction of the cost. If you’ve ever watched QVC, you have seen Bare Essentials Makeup. While I have used this brand in the past, I just couldn’t afford to continue using it after my daughter was born. Excitedly, I discovered that Avon offers  a line called Smooth Minerals. After using Smooth Minerals, I am equally, if not more, impressed with Avon’s product.

Saving Time Adds Extra Benefits While Saving Money

The greatest part of discovering Avon is that changing my shopping habits has been easy! Instead of loading the 9 month old into the car, driving across town fighting traffic, dealing with the weather and busy parking lots and stores, I shop online. Avon offers their full line of products in their online store and I can feel confident that the items I am ordering are going to maintain the standard of quality I expect and desire. My order ships directly to my front door. Direct shipping options are affordable and if I spend more than $30, shipping is free. Your local Avon representative will also deliver your order to you at no cost.

The Avon Foundation is another reason I really love the company. The Avon Foundation has partnered with Reese Witherspoon and together they have presented millions of dollars in grants to fund breast cancer research. They have also been a leading voice in speaking out against domestic violence in Washington, D.C. and at the United Nations.  Avon is the largest corporate supporter of the breast cancer cause, and the largest corporate-affiliated foundation for women’s causes, with programs in more than 50 countries.

Start Saving Now

Take the first step of this valuable money-saving advice by comparing your favorite products to products from Avon on paper. Write down retail prices for both products on the attached comparison worksheet. You’ll be able to see the monetary difference. The second step is to order from Avon! If you are not convinced by all my comparisons and testimonials, just order one product. Try it and if you like it, order something else. Over time, you’ll realize that comparison shopping with Avon is essential to saving while still being able to maintain your beauty and personal hygiene regimen.

About the Author

Jamie Morris lives in Northern California with her husband and daughter. Jamie works part time as a Pharmacist Technician and recently became an Independent Avon Sales Representative after using and loving their company and products.

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You Call That Cutting the Budget? Our Leaders Should Set the Example

Written By: Susan - May• 25•10

I am not a political person. I don’t adhere to any party doctrine. I do not think this President is any better or worse than any other we have had. I think anyone who is willing to make as much commitment as is necessary to get elected to that position deserves our respect and support. I believe we should pray for our leaders.

However, I do believe we need to do better than this and managing our resources!

When ever they talk about budget cuts they tell us we can’t afford to reduce those things on the left side of the table. Agreed.

What about all the rest of those things on the right side?


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From All Inclusive Vacations To Stay at Home Vacations

Written By: Susan - May• 20•10

vacation inclusive Summer is here and here come the questions!

  • Where are we going on vacation?

  • What are we going to do this vacation? or perhaps it is:

  • Do we even get a vacation this year?

Even if you are fortunate and still among the employed, you are likely thinking twice about keeping this years vacation within the budget.

So if you plan on going on a vacation get-away, should you pick an all inclusive vacation package or book your flight and hotels separately?  What about your meals.  Do inclusive packages offer you enough variety to satisfy your discriminating pallet or restricted diet?

What about kids?  Are the packaged deals family friendly?

Check out the these sites to get some good insights into vacation inclusive packages:

What is the average cost of a 5 night stay at an all inclusive resort?

20 May (author n/a)

Thinking of going to either Mexico or maybe the a Caribbean Island. Really anywhere, I just want to get away to somewhere nice and warm – trip would be in February. Also, what is a approximate price for a cruise – out of New York or Florida? Where would I find the best deals…using a travel agent or a site like expedia?

* cruise vs all inclusive resort?
* Has anyone ever done a Beaches all inclusive resort? Did you like it and was it worth the money?
* would an all inclusive resort or a cruise be better for a honeymoon?
* Which one would you rather do…Cruise or all inclusive resort?
* Cruise of the Carribean or all inclusive resort in Cancun?

Mistakes People Make When Planning An All Inclusive Mexican Vacation

Cardiff Jack

Planning an all inclusive Mexican vacation? If you are, you might benefit from reading this article. We’ll talk about the most common mistakes people make when they decide to go on an all inclusive Mexican vacation. Firstly, we’re going to talk about failing to get immunized, then I’ll go over planning where to go, and finally, we’ll talk about how to find the most affordable all inclusive Mexican vacation. more

The Advantages Of An All-Inclusive Vacation

by Owen Jones

If you are arranging to go on vacation this year, how are you thinking of going about it? There are several options to explore, if you begin planning early enough. There are the self-planned, ‘I will find a hotel when I get there’ style; there are cruises and there are package vacations.
The self planned is for those without children and is more bold. Cruises are wonderful, if you like being on the water more than being on land and there are the package holidays, some of which are all-inclusive package vacations.

And then there is a growing number of families asking…

How Can I Give My Family a Great Vacation When I Have No Money?

Others have and are facing this same dilemma.  A memorable vacation does not have to include travel to distant places or high dollar accommodations.  Read on for some low budget alternatives:

Ideas for the At-Home Vacation

From Kimberly L. Keith

If the bottom line says it’s just not in the family budget to take a vacation this year, don’t let it get you down. This is the perfect opportunity to teach your kids a lesson in life; you know, the one about making lemonade out of lemons. Take your vacation at home this summer. With a little creative thinking it can be a lot of fun!

Stay-at-home vacations can be fun too

by Bethany Sanders

Mention gas prices in any crowded area and you’ll likely get a collective groan. I paid $3.30 a gallon today, an improvement from last week’s $3.45. I’ve no idea if they’re meant to go up or down by summer, but I do know that even taking a day trip is a lot costlier than it used to be.

Tips for the best ‘staycation’ ever

………..So what’s a struggling family to do for fun this summer? How about a staycation? A staycation is an economical alternative to a conventional vacation. Instead of jetting down to Disneyworld or some exotic locale, a staycation might consist of barbecuing around the backyard pool, visiting a nearby museum, or a relaxing day trip to a local park. But because you’re spending time close to home, you’ve got to fight the urge to call the office, make yourself available to the boss, or check e-mail and phone messages, activities that can turn your respite into an extension of work.

Looking for more great Stay at Home Vacation Ideas?


Get 101 Great Stacations Now!

Staycations offer affordability. According to the American Auto Association, an average 2-person vacation will average $244 per day. When you add a couple of kids, the price goes even higher. By staying home and enjoying nearby attractions and activities you can literally save $1000s!

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Who’s Responsible for My Financial Crisis?

Written By: Susan - May• 16•10

I recently came across this anonymous article and was impressed enough to want to include it here.  Although I know there are many circumstances that our beyond our control and that many people have been doing everything right and are still facing financial challenges, there is also much truth in the statement below and often our crisis is a direct result of our own actions.  Whatever the cause, the remedy or solution has to start with us.  We can not continue to go in the same direction and expect to end up with a different destination.  We must make changes in our lifestyle if we expect things to change.  A popular prayer ask:

Lord give me the serenity to accept the things I can not change

The courage to change the things I can, and

The wisdom to know the difference.

Accepting Responsibility

I make myself responsible for this mess, anybody care to join me. the bail out is not coming from government but the smart consumer, if we saved money and invested not on hype but on proven industry we would weather the storm, is not only the rich that weather it, the ones who shopped smartly lived frugal and saved money even when it wasn’t chic to do so are the ones that can live good. Right now the only people dividing this country is ourselves. If we didn’t live a high lifestyle and spend more than we have, we wouldn’t have started this chain reaction. Its not the bank’s fault only, its not government’s fault or one party they both supported the bail out. Its our own fault for not planning for our future well and not being the change we want to see. If you want a better country, spend wisely, dig out of the hole and stop waiting for someone else to help you. The first step is self accountability which is lacking in this society. Once we make ourself accountable and work together with out neighbor we can change the tide of thinking of this nation and pull ourselves out of this recession  just as our grand parents did the Great Depression.

Anybody care to join me is admitting fault in this mess?

That said, now is the time to take a serious look at ourselves and decide what WE can do to make things change.

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What To Do When We Have Too Much Stuff and Too Little Cash

Written By: Susan - May• 14•10

Have a yard sale!

In a recent post, Oprah noted that one result of the current recession is that people are re-evaluating their lifestyle and looking at their possessions differently.

In the past 18 months, people have dramatically lowered spending, except on necessities. This has meant that they have decided to make do with what they have, and to do without.

Faced with cut backs, job losses, rising prices and mortgage foreclosures, our perspective changes and rather than looking for bigger houses to fit more we are perhaps looking at all that stuff in our over sized closets and garages and coming to the conclusion that we just have TOO MUCH STUFF.

So what do we do when realize that less is more? We have a couple of options.

Donate Excess to a Good Cause

We can give some stuff away.  There are many charitable organizations who would thrilled to take some stuff off our hands.  In fact, many communities have regular pick up days and will supply you with bags to pack these things in.  We can even get a receipt for our donations to use at tax time.

The second option is to have a yard or garage sale and make a little extra cash yourselves.  Now keep in mind you are not likely to get rich from a yard sale.

In fact, if you have items of high value, you would probably be better off placing an ad in Craig’s List or selling them on Ebay for those items.  People come to yard sales looking for real bargains.  They may be hoping for a hidden treasure that is selling for $10 and really worth $500 but they usually are not willing to spend $395 on that item at a yard sale.   The general rule is: items at a yard sale will probably sell for about 25% of the original cost, if they are in good condition.

Yard sales do require work.

  • There is prep time: cleaning items for best presentation,
  • set-up time: lay out or placement is important, group like items together, mark prices before the sale begins, and
  • there is the actual sale time: it is important to have someone always present at a yard sale, items do “walk away” when no one is watching.

The video below gives an excellent outline for conducting a successful yard sale.  They left out only a couple things that I would add:

  1. Keep it light and enjoy yourself.  If you are having fun, your buyers will too and spend more.
  2. Take down ALL of you signs when the sale if over. Be a considerate neighbor.  Don’t leave your signs cluttering up the street corners after your sale is over.


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