It's that time of year again.......

The shopping specials are out there everywhere. With school about to start up again, clothing and school/office supplies are on sale. We have always purchased TF’s blue jeans/work jeans in August. I buy them on sale and put them on a shelf in his closet. When he needs a new pair of jeans, all he has to do is look up. We own our own business and I buy most of our office supplies as they go on sale at Office Depot, Staples, Walgreen’s and at other stores. Pencils, pens, tape, Duo pocket folders with brads, staples, paper and whatever else I need are at my beacon call. I will stock up now and have most everything I need throughout the year. AND the best part, I get it all on sale. With gas prices up and groceries costing more, a penny earned is a penny spent on something else you need.

Now from the Dollar Stretcher website:

Special Ingredients

A great way to save money on some of those more expensive treats like shiitake mushrooms, pine nuts, sesame seeds, sesame oil, laver (seaweed) is to visit a Korean grocery store. These foods are very expensive in an average American supermarket if you can even find them. They are much cheaper and frequently sold in larger amounts and with better quality in Korean grocery stores. These days most items are labeled in Korean and English, so finding exactly what you want should not be a problem. The majority of customers will be Korean in this store though, so be prepared for an adventure into another culture right here in the U.S. In fact, take the kids for an informal and informative free afternoon outing. Dana H. in Las Vegas, NV
Note from Lucy: I went to the Hong Kong food market in our neighborhood last week, trying to find some more butane fuel for my cook stove. They have the best price in town at $ 5.00 for a package of 4. They were out of stock but while I was there I found the exotic vegetables at a much cheaper price. It is well worth the trip if you have a market close enough to you.


Nearby Attractions

We just came back from a wonderful day of fun! There is a hotel within two hours of our home with a waterpark. I thought the cost would be too much, but I called ahead and found out that the public can use the park from 9am until 9pm for only $6 a person. We are a family of six and we took our niece and nephew along. I shopped the day before and took fruit, veggies, crackers and water in the car. When we were hungry, we went outside, sat under a tree and had a little picnic. Plus, the waterpark was located inside, so we didn't have the expense (or mess) of sunscreen!
It would have cost $175 to stay overnight! We spent $42 for our tickets (we have a one year old who was free). It pays to ask questions! Nichi P. in Rockwell, IA
Note from Lucy: This sounds like a great way to save money for a good time with the kids.

Recycled Prescription Bottles

Use empty prescription bottles that are a little taller than normal to store cotton swabs. This is a great waterproof way to make a compact travel case to throw in a suitcase, beach bag, or swim bag. The bottles are also the perfect size to store quarters, which is great for the Laundromat. Give a filled one to a college student heading off to school this
fall! Karen Note from Lucy: This sounds awesome, I can’t wait to give it a try. I like both ideas.

Creating an emergency fund
Strategies for building your cash reserves for unexpected events. If we had not had an emergency fund, we would have been in a peck of trouble when TF had his gall bladder take out. Check it out here.

Old plastic pumps up credit score
By Don Taylor, Ph.D., CFA, CFP • Bankrate.com
If I have credit cards that I don't use, should I keep them or should I close the accounts and destroy the cards? Here's your answer.

Have a great week everyone!