Cutting the cable bill

Check  out the creative ways this family cut their cable bill from $90 a month to $7.99. Here's the article link: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/First-Person-How-We-Cut-Cord-ac-4204109190.html?x=0

Estate Sales

We're big fans of estate sales and typically spend one afternoon a week visiting the estate sales around Tulsa. Only at estate sales can a person find some of these items and the prices are fabulous.

Everything in the photos of my dining room was bought at estate sales - except for the china which was bought at an auction in the Oklahoma panhandle for $30. The dining room table, six chairs, and china hutch cost about $1200. The crystal was collected over about three years from countless estate sales at about $1 per glass (compared to $4-8 per glass on eBay for this design). We've seen the candy dish a few times, typically priced about $6 on day one (the prices are lowered on subsequent sale days), and recently found the same design in an antique store with a whopping price tag of $75. The antique carved cherrywood server was picked up at an estate sale for $65 - half the original asking price and a fraction of the price at an antique furniture store.

Most estate sales are open for about 3-4 days and, over the days, routinely reduce the price by 25% then 50%, then 65% or 75%. Bids are typically accepted (we'll write more about how to bid at estate sales in a later post).

Here are a few of our favorite estate sale companies in the Tulsa area:

• Estate Sales Plus
• Estate Sales by Allen
• Caring Transitions Estate & Tag Sales

Hickory Farms 75% off plus $10 flat rate shipping

I'm sitting here snacking on Hickory Farms garden vegetable spread and rosemary/caraway seed crackers while deciding whether to buy more at their online clearance sale! Connie and I hit the Hickory Farms kiosk at the mall on December 28 and I bought several boxes for gifts, spending $85.69 and saving $236.91. Still, this is a great deal! Hmmm . . . I'll pass along the info to you!

CVS Extreme Savings: 81.5%

Here is a breakdown of my Sunday night shopping trip:

• 1 Snickers 1.83 oz. .89 (received back .89 in ECB...FREE)
• 2 Herbal Essence Shampoo 12 oz. 2.99 each (regularly 4.29 each...savings of 1.30 each, coupon from Sunday Paper Smart Source for Buy 1 get 1 free......making them 1.50 each.)
• 1 Listerine Coolmint 1.5 L 3.64 (regularly 7.29...half off sale...savings of 3.65, coupon from Sunday Paper 1.00....making it 2.64)
• 2 Stayfree Ultra Thin Pads 36 ct. 6.79(Sale of buy one get one 50% off....making them 5.15 each, coupon from Sunday paper for Buy One Get One Free, another 6.79 discounted...making them 1.70 each)
• 2 BIC Comfort Disposable Razors 5.49(Sale of buy one get one 50% off...making them 4 ct. 4.12 each. coupon from Sunday Paper for Buy One Get One Free, another 5.49 discount...making them 1.37 each)
• I had a $4 off of $20 purchase from signing up for CVS online and I had a $1 ECB from a previous purchase...I had used my recyclable bag 4 times.

My subtotal was 7.65 plus 2.04 in tax....$9.69.

Between sale prices, coupons and ECB I saved 33.67......81.5%!

Happy Shopping!

Extreme savings at CVS

Couple clearance items with manufacturers' coupons for extreme savings.

• Aveeno Nourish + Soothe Shampoo, 10.5 fl oz., regularly $8.49, on clearance at half price for $4.14 less $1.50 manufacturer's coupon here. 
• Mitchum SmartSolid Clinical Performance anti-perspirant and deodorant for women, 2.5 oz., regularly $4.99 now $1.99 less 75-cent coupon
• Axe revitalizing shower gel, 12 fl. oz., regularly $5.77 now half price at $2.89
• Listerine, regularly $7.29, half price sale $3.65 less $1 coupon.
• Select makeup from Rimmel, Revlon, and other manufacturer now 75% off - such as a 3-tone eye shadow compact regularly $4.92 now $1.57 and Revlon Really Rosy nail polish regularly $4.12 now $1.37.

Another extreme shopping trip to CVS



68% savings at CVS

Using coupons from today's Tulsa World and a few that we've clipped from earlier sources, we combined coupons with our CVS ExtraCare cards and the new CVS BeautyCare club card, and clearance items for some extreme savings. I also used my CVS recycleable bag for a credit.

Bottom line: I got everything in this photo by breaking my purchase into two transactions with these results:

• Transaction #1 - I splurged and bought the hair color for $16.49 each using two $2 coupons and earning $10 in ExtraCare bucks (ECB) - which still skewed my total savings percentage. I also bought two candy bars which were free after the ECB. I spent $31.23 and saved $6.50 plus earned $10 in ExtraCare bucks.
• Transaction #2 - I did better in this transaction, spending $21.51 and saving $62.38 (including $10 ECB) plus earning another $5 in ExtraCare bucks.

In total I spent $52.74 and saved $77.15 for a 68% savings - plus I have another $5 in ECB.

CVS Clearance

Check out the clearance at CVS Pharmacy and Drug Store! Roam up and down the shampoo and lotion aisles to find items marked down 50%. Couple that with a coupon and you wil have quite a bargain. Remember to use your CVS Extra Care Card and to sign up for the new Beauty Club! Remember to use your CVS recyclable bag - after 4 uses you get $1 in ExtraCare bucks.