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Plant swaps, seed libraries, garden groups and perennial divisions can provide free plants without crossing anyone’s property line. Inspect shared plants carefully before adding them to your garden. Kokosha Yuliya/Shutterstock Anyone who has priced perennials, vegetable starts, or houseplants lately knows how quickly a few small pots can wreck a gardening budget. That makes it tempting to snip an interesting branch hanging over a sidewalk or quietly pocket a succulent leaf at the garden center, […]
If you’re looking for ways to trim your everyday expenses, couponing is still one of the most reliable strategies out there. And no, it’s not just for extreme couponers with binders and spreadsheets anymore. More and more households are using coupons regularly, and the savings really do add up over a year. The learning curve can feel steeper than it needs to be when you’re just starting out, so here are 15 practical tips to help you save with confidence. Join the A Dime Saved Community to get even more couponing tips and tricks! Join here! 1. Start With Digital Coupons Digital coupons are the default for most couponers these days, and it’s easy to see why. They’re easy to find, apply, stack, and track. Most major stores and brands offer them through their website or app. Download the apps you’ll actually use, set up your accounts, and load coupons into your virtual wallet ahead of time. Then at checkout, just pull up the app and the discount applies automatically. Don’t forget to save your receipt and submit it to all your receipt apps! Here are my favorites: Fetch (they give you 25 points for every receipt!) Receipt Hog (they give you a point for every receipt!) Ibotta (you’ll have to see if any offers apply) Swagbucks (you’ll have to see if any offers apply) 2. Get an Organization System You’ll Actually Use A reliable system is what separates people who save consistently from people who mean to but never quite do. A physical organizer, whether store-bought or a binder with dividers, works well for most people. Sort by category (groceries, household goods, personal care) so you can grab what you need at checkout without digging around. This alone fixes most of the friction that makes people give up on couponing. It also solves the most common problem: coupons that go to waste because you left them on the counter at home. Keep everything in one place, and get in the habit of bringing it with you. 3. Learn Your Store’s Coupon Policy Store policies vary more than most beginners expect, so it’s worth a quick read before you build a strategy around them. Find out whether your store accepts manufacturer coupons, digital coupons, store coupons, or some mix of all three. That’s going to shape which ones are actually worth collecting. Also check for limits on how many coupons you can use per item or per transaction, so you’re not caught off guard at the register. 4. Stack Coupons for the Biggest Savings Stacking, or using more than one coupon on the same item, is where the real savings happen. Pair a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon on the same product, and you can knock the price down significantly. This works both in-store and online, so check for stackable offers before you check out. And don’t overlook trading with friends or family. It’s a simple way to get your hands on
Fallen leaves, untreated grass clippings, wood chips, pine needles and cardboard can all help replace purchased mulch. The key is matching each free material to the right part of your garden. larisa Stefanjuk/Shutterstock Mulch is one of those garden purchases that doesn’t seem expensive until you calculate how many bags it takes to cover an entire landscape. A 3-inch layer across a 100-square-foot bed requires roughly 25 cubic feet of material, so even modest gardens […]
Diapers and wipes are one of those expenses that never really stop coming, so they’re also one of the best places to put your couponing skills to work. A few smart habits can take a huge bite out of your baby budget. Here’s where to start. As always, the golden rule applies no matter what you’re couponing for: always save your receipts. Join the A Dime Saved Community to get even more couponing tips and tricks! Join here! 1. Download the Pampers Club App If you buy Pampers diapers or wipes, get the Pampers Club app. This is Pampers’ own rewards program, and every pack of diapers or wipes has a code printed on it that you can enter for points toward gift cards. You’ll typically earn around $10 for every 10 diaper codes you enter, and about $0.05 per wipe code. One important tip: never enter your codes unless there’s a current offer running. Instead, save your codes in a plastic bag or write them down as you go, and enter them once a bonus offer pops up. Also double-check that you’ve activated any offer, meaning clicking to add it to your account, before you scan or enter your codes. Otherwise, you could miss out on the bonus entirely. 2. Pick a Store (Or a Few) And Start There Some of the best stores for couponing diapers are Target, Kroger (or Pick ‘n Save), Meijer, Walgreens, CVS, and Dollar General. If a store has extra loyalty perks or bonus rewards tied to baby items, that’s usually a good sign it’s worth your time. If you’re brand new to this, resist the urge to sign up for every account at once. Pick one store, get comfortable with how their coupons and app work, and build your confidence there before adding more stores into your routine. Bouncing between five different apps as a beginner is a fast way to burn out. 3. Check for New Coupons Every Sunday Most stores release new coupons, both manufacturer and store coupons, on Sundays. Store coupons are different from manufacturer coupons because they’re exclusive to that one retailer, and they tend to be especially generous for diapers and baby items, particularly at Kroger (Pick ‘n Save), Meijer, and Target. Make it a habit to check your store apps regularly so you don’t miss these. As an example, Meijer once released a batch of store coupons all at the same time: $15 off $75 pickup orders, $10 off $50 of Huggies, $5 off $20 of wipes, $10 off $100, and $15 off $75 of baby items. Stacking all of those together brought the cost of three boxes of diapers and several boxes of wipes down to roughly 72% off. Store coupons truly are your best friend when it comes to diapers, so it’s worth the few extra minutes each week to see what’s available. 4. Be Patient and Only Buy When the Savings Are Worth It Deals come and go, and that’s okay.
Once you start couponing, it’s easy to get swept up in the hype. Between deal sites, Facebook groups, and people posting their latest hauls, it can start to feel like there’s one “right” way to do it. The truth is, there isn’t. Everyone’s approach looks a little different depending on their goals, their budget, and how much time they want to spend chasing deals. Here’s how I do it, along with a few starting points and the personal rules that keep my couponing sustainable instead of overwhelming. Join the A Dime Saved Community to get even more couponing tips and tricks! Join here! 1. Start With Loyalty and Rewards Programs Sign up for the free loyalty and rewards programs at the places you already shop. Start with what you use most often, like your grocery store and pharmacy, then branch out from there to other food places and retail stores you visit regularly. In exchange for your phone number, you’ll usually get access to coupons and points right away. Start with these lists to start: 85 Places That’ll Feed You for Free on Your Birthday (No Catch!) 21 Awesome Birthday Freebies You Can Snag for Your Birthday 2. Ease Into Cashback Apps Pick a few cashback apps to start with rather than downloading every one you hear about. As you get more comfortable, you can always add more. I like starting small and slowly building up, rather than trying to juggle a dozen apps from day one. If you want to just get started with my faves, then start with these: Fetch – or use referral code M425DF Receipt Hog– or use referral code YOR60689 Receipt Jar -or use referral code RobyGT2V4 Ibotta – or use referral code ykrpcbv 3. My Approach To Couponing There are a lot of different ways to coupon, and once you start following couponing sites and groups, you’ll notice people doing things very differently from each other. My perspective comes from someone living on a tight budget who coupons to save money on the things I regularly buy. I’m not a reseller, and I’m not in it for the thrill of the hunt, although I’ll admit that part can be fun too. Here Are the Rules I Personally Follow: I only coupon for things I need. I don’t buy something just because it’s on sale or clearance, even if it’s a genuinely great deal. That said, I do let myself grab treats or fun extras when they’re free or close to it. I keep my out-of-pocket cost (OOP) low. Some people rack up huge rewards by spending more upfront, and that’s a completely valid strategy. It’s just not mine. I try to keep my initial payment low, which means I sometimes miss out on bigger deals. Cashback and rewards apps often have a minimum cashout amount, so if I earn $5 back but need
Letting your health plan roll over at open enrollment means buying next year’s coverage without checking next year’s prices. Before the window closes, add 12 months of each option’s premiums to what you’d expect to pay out of pocket, and compare the totals. Then confirm your doctors and prescriptions are still covered. Source
pensive person stands against a green background with a hand thoughtfully near their chin. Finding out why a coupon that worked last week suddenly gets rejected at the register can be frustrating for smart shoppers. Pexels. One of the most frustrating coupon experiences happens when the same product worked with a coupon last week, but the register rejects it today. The product may look identical, and the coupon may even appear to be the same […]
My Sweet Retirement SIA Shares Price: Dividend Yield and Should I Buy Now? The SIA shares price sits at around S$6.55 as of 21 September 2026. Since the SIA shares price changes throughout each trading day, I always check the live quote on SGX or my broker before … SIA Shares Price: Dividend Yield and Should I Buy Now? My Sweet Retirement
My Sweet Retirement Endowment Plan Singapore: How They Work and What to Check First A guide to endowment plans in Singapore, covering participating vs non-participating plans, current guaranteed rates, how they compare to fixed deposits and SSBs, and what to check before buying. Endowment Plan Singapore: How They Work and What to Check First My Sweet Retirement
Don’t miss an episode of our podcast, Personal Finance for Long-Term Investors. Available on all podcast players. Here’s the latest episode: Small change, giant impact. One challenge in financial planning is when a “small” decision creates much bigger than we assumed. “End of Plan” is one such decision. Some planning software might call it “planning horizon” or “life expectancy” or any number of other euphemisms for “when might you die?” Yes, death is scary to consider. And it’s obvious how our lifespan affects our finances. The longer we live, the more money we need to live a successful retirement. But there’s so much more! If you’ve ever dabbled with financial planning software (Boldin, Pralana, eMoney, RightCapital, Empower, etc.), you might be unaware of the unintended side effects that “age at death” is creating in your plan. Defining the “Problem”… The (frequent) “problem” I witness follows this logic: Running out of money is a scary idea. I don’t want to underestimate when we’ll die. I’ll overestimate instead…I’ll live until 90. My wife, 95. Boom. I’ve “solved” the problem of running out of money. [Narrator: But they were completely unaware of the unintended side effects…] I agree that it’s important to “stress test” whether you’ll run out of money. Changing your assumed age of death is a good idea. But what else are people missing? Let’s dive into what people often miss. Side Effect 1: Social Security Claiming Extending your End of Plan to age ~85+ almost assuredly pushes your Social Security claiming strategy out to age 70. If you live a long time, you wouldn’t want to claim Social Security early. This one is straightforward. In fact, it might be less of an “unintended side effect” and more of a “known headliner.” Plenty of couples should be claiming Social Security before 70 — at least for one of the two spouses. But if you model your End of Plans out at 85, 90, etc., then the planning software might encourage you both to delay until age 70. Side Effect 2: Roth Conversions Roth conversions are tricky. Decades of unknowns lie ahead, and you need to account for them in today’s Roth conversion math. It’s a gray area. Nevertheless, what’s the effect of assuming someone lives until age 95? The main effect is that said person would have 20+ years of required minimum distributions, the last of which would be more than 10% of their account value. These RMDs would push this person into higher and higher tax brackets, likely making present-day Roth conversions more and more attractive. Said succinctly: later death = more Roth conversions today. But if that same person dies at 75? Roth conversions might be outright bad. If they die at 80? Perhaps much smaller Roth conversions would be appropriate. The choice of modeling death at age 85, 90, or 95 can encourage
This long box has a butterfly clasp lid and can hold 300 comics. Image source: Amazon This post includes affiliate links. If you purchase anything through these affiliated links, the author/website may earn a commission. Here’s the hard truth: without proper storage, even the most valuable comics can warp, fade, or tear over time. Whether you’re safeguarding a vintage Amazing Spider-Man or your latest indie gem, the right short and long boxes are essential for […]
You’ve decided to buy a house. Congratulations! Now comes the hard part. Buying a home in Jamaica can be exciting, but if this is your first time doing it, the process can also feel overwhelming. Between finding the property, getting a mortgage, paying closing costs, dealing with lawyers, valuations, surveys and trying to figure out exactly how much house you can actually afford, there is a lot to think about. I bought my first home […]
12 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Moving Interstate Moving interstate is one of those costs that sneaks up on people. A quote arrives, it says three and a half thousand dollars, and suddenly the fresh start feels expensive before it has begun. Here is the part worth knowing: most of that number is negotiable, […] The post How to Move Interstate Without Blowing the Budget: 12 Ways to Cut Costs appeared first on The […]