Saving Money Around Town

After I teach a class people are usually floored at how easy saving money with coupons can be and then their wheels just start turning. One of the funniest questions I get is "Does this work at the mall?" I always giggle because wouldn't that be the best!

Well, of course the mall doesn't put out manufactures coupons, so it doesn't work quite like we are accustomed to at the grocery store, but there are ways to save on clothes, local restaurants and on local entertainment. Here are some of my favorite ways to save money around town.

Saving Money on Clothes

• One of my favorite ways to save money at clothing stores is to stack promo codes. Stacking promo codes just means that when you checkout there are promo codes for FREE shipping, $10 of a $50 purchase and 10% off when you use your stores charge card. Stacking promo codes doesn't work everywhere, but many online stores do allow stacking. Some of my favorite places to stack codes is at Kohl's, Old Navy, Gap and Victoria Secret. Now you are wondering where to find the codes. I just Google "promo codes for such and such store". It takes some weeding to find what codes are still valid, but it usually pays off.
• Use a website like ebates to see if they will give you a percentage of your purchase price back to you. I never buy anything online without checking to see if ebates offers a percentage back. Every quarter I usually receive a check in the mail for around $20.
• Of course many stores do offer coupons, so be sure to sign up for their e-mails list and mailing lists. I don't always use the coupons that come in the mail, but if there is a great sale and I can use my additional 15% off coupon you bet I'll head towards the back clearance section to see whats on the racks.
• One of my favorite places to find coupons for Old Navy is at Old Navy's Weekly Hunt. It can be frustrating and rewarding all at the same time. Just go here to learn the ins and outs of Old Navy Weekly. If you can score a $75/$100 purchase it makes buying clothes VERY affordable. And yes, I have scored a $75 off $100 purchase coupon in the past.
• If I have my eye on an item and it is still at full price I never hesitate to ask a store employee when their next upcoming sale is. Sometimes I'll just go back then and hope that the item is still there.
• The worst is when you buy an item and and then next week you see it on sale. I keep ALL of my receipts (it is seriously out of control), but I never hesitate to ask for a price adjustment if an item I just purchased at full price went on sale. Not all stores will adjust the price, but many are happy to refund me the difference with my receipt.

Saving Money at Local Business

• One of my favorite ways to save money in my area is by using the website City Deals. They offer gift cards to local business for a discount. Just enter in your zip code and see what offers available in your area. Some of my favorites have been buying a $25 Rod Works gift card for $12.50 and a $50 golf pass for only $25. The only downside is that you have to wait for them to be mailed out to you, so if my husband and I are planning an upcoming date night I look at City Deals about 2 weeks before and purchase a restaurant gift card and discounted movie theater gift card so it makes it in time for our date night. Some gift cards are discounted up to 50% off, so it makes date night super inexpensive. For Christmas we gave gift cards to many family members. City Deals doesn't just include restaurants either, they have gift cards to retail stores, salons, hotels, and so much more. This one of the best kept secrets I USE to have until now =)
• The Entertainment Book. I always purchase an Entertainment Book. It is chucked FULL of local coupons to every place imaginable. In fact the Utah book has over $16,000 in coupons. For a small price to purchase the book it saves me 100 times that . I use that book everywhere we go. It has come in handy in more times than I can count. Right now they are on sale for about $20 depending on where you live. You can see most of that coupons that are included in the book too.

• Check the newspaper each Sunday. Many times the Sunday newspaper includes coupons to Hobby Lobby, or even the Gateway Museum. I just flip through the pages each week to see what's in there.

That's enough for today, but be on the lookout for How I Save Money Around Town part 2 tomorrow.