I do my own income taxes, which includes W2 income from a regular job, and business income from some of my frugal endeavors (mystery shopping, focus groups, etc.)
I had just about figured the return out when I leafed through the front “What’s New” part and discovered that I was entitled to one of the new tax credits! Make sure you check out the “what’s new” part of the tax directions if you’re a do-it-yourselfer!
In January I wrote about the Disney program for free admission to a Disney Park in exchange for volunteering someplace in Boston. I went to the theater at the assigned time, signed in, did my ushering (and saw a great play!) then went home. A week later I received an email with a link to get my voucher. I logged in and printed my voucher. This was a very easy process (possibly too easy, it has apparently ended because so many people signed up).
I spent less than four hours ushering (the majority of the time I was in a seat, watching the play, which is what they want you to do after everyone is seated). If I wind up in Florida this year, I can get into Disney for free! The cost is usually about $70 for one day admission, so this is a good deal (if I’m planning to attend the park, not a good deal to spend hundreds of dollars to get there to use a $70 voucher).
I’m back!
I needed double a batteries for my camera, and went to CVS to get them. I noticed a sale, I grabbed the deal for a free four pack of aa batteries with the purchase of one four pack for $3.99. Then I noticed that the ten-pack was only $2.99. These are the exact same batteries. I ended up paying a dollar less and got two additional batteries. It’s always worth looking at all the merchandise grouped together to see if there is a superior deal!
Friends have discussed going to one of the Disney Parks later this year, something I might be interested in doing. Such a trip would obviously be the subject of much research.
But, while I was reading my Triple A magazine, I came across information about Disney, including getting a free admission voucher in return for volunteering at thousands of places nationwide. I went to DisneyParks.com and hunted around for the “HandsOn Network.” I created an account (basic biographical and contact information only), and researched the volunteer opportunities. I signed up to be a volunteer usher at a local theater, something I would have done anyway. After I complete my volunteer stint, the HandsOn folks are supposed to send an email directing me to a place to print an admissions voucher. I will post as to that process next month.
Disney has a mechanism where the voucher can be donated to a Boys and Girls Club or something equivalent if I don’t use it (vouchers are non-transferable, the volunteer’s name will be on the voucher, and that’s who needs to use it, unless donated through Disney). I also do a lot of other volunteer at places not eligible associated with the Disney program, so I am just going to enjoy getting a freebie for ushering - something I do anyway. And I am going to encourage others to try out volunteering - the motivation might be to get a voucher, but they might find that they enjoy volunteering.
Up to 8 household members can sign up, one voucher per person, and persons aged 6 and up are eligible. I plan to get the voucher so that if I do end up at Disney, I will this option to get in for free.
I was wandering around CVS and decided to look in the after-Christmas clearance section. I was pleasantly surprised. Several Burt’s Bees trial size packages had been marked down to $3. These are usually $12-$14 each. Perfect travel sizes, and I had been wanting to try this product line (but not willing to fork over $12 for something I might not like. I bought three of them (different products in each), for a total of $9, and can now try these products! And I am all set for travel, these are airline sized, and come in their own zippered clear plastic case.
I don’t know why CVS decided to mark these down - they were “regular” products, with nothing making them a part of the holiday season. Even if you aren’t looking for giftwrap or other “holiday products,” it’s worth checking out the clearance area as you never know what will be there.
I joined Borders Books rewards club last year - all I had to do was give them my email. I regularly receive coupons for 30-40% off. I’ve used these a few times for holiday shopping. If you plan to buy books, consider joining Borders rewards. It is totally free. I don’t carry a card around with me, I just give them my email address at the register to look up, and a print out of the coupon.
I was surprised that many of the people in line ahead of me did not belong to the program or have the coupon. One person was buying a book that cost $24.99. He would have saved over $7 with the coupon. It is not necessary to give much personal information, all I ever gave was an email address, and you can make a free email account at gmail or some other place, and have it forward to your “regular” account.
I was disappointed the last time I went to my “regular” nail salon: the work was poor (I repeatedly asked the technician to remove a spot of colored polish, and she did something with polish remover, yet it was still there, peeking through the natural finish), the people were rushed, and the technicians are loud (yelling on cell phones, yelling to each other). I frequent this place because it happens to be the closest to my place, and it also happens to be the cheapest. But, I was so unhappy last time that I don’t think I will be back.
Fortunately, I found a freebie manicure on craigslist. Go to the beauty section (they are still advertising). I sent an email with my name and phone number, someone called back a few days later, and I arranged to have a manicure.
It’s an established, high end salon. The technician was in training, and someone sorta oversaw her work. I signed a waiver that I would not publicly complain if I was not happy with the manicure. This salon was much better than my usual salon: no yelling, not rushed, and the job was excellent! I was surrounded by “regular” patrons paying regular prices. It was totally free to me, but ordinarily would have cost $18. I tipped the technician $10 because she did a great job, I don’t think she is getting paid, and I may be back to this salon. If I’d paid regular price with tip, it would have been over $20. My other salon charges $12, but the experience would have been unpleasant, and I would have spent $15 after tip.
There are lots of freebies on craigslist, I recommend only going to businesses open to the public (or soon to be open to the public, if they’ve got signs and started advertising, I would go there).
Bostix offers half-price-same-day theater tickets. If you decide last-minute to see a show, check whether Bostix has any available tickets - you’ll save 50%. Bostix is located in freestanding kiosks in copley and at fanueil hall.
Here’s how to make the deal even better: for every $50 of Bostix gift certificates you buy, you’ll receive a coupon/card good for $25 at Flemings steak house. The only catch seems to be that you can’t buy the gift certificates then use them to buy tickets (I got around this restriction by giving the gift certificates to a friend right after I bought them, and my friend then bought the show tickets). Ideally, if you expect you will use Bostix to buy show tickets, get the gift certificate in advance and keep it in your wallet (it is a print out from ticketmaster that looks like a ticket). Then, when you decide to see the show, you’ll have some free money for dinner in the form of the cards to the steak house.
Here’s how it works in action: $100 cash buys two $50 bostix gift certificates. $50 off dinner at Flemings is included for free. $68 theater tickets cost $34 each. So, $100 cash turned into two tickets to the theater (regularly priced at $68 each), $50 at Flemings, and $30 in leftover bostix gift certificates for another show. In other words, if we had just gone to the theater and got tickets at the door, it would have cost $136, not included anything at flemings, and not have included $30 toward a future show.
Somehow I forgot to send this month’s payment to the credit cards folks. I looked at the statement and realized it was due on Monday. I quickly logged into my online banking and put through a payment. But - that payment was not going to arrive until Tuesday.
I called the credit card people and asked if they could change the due date by one day. The person was quite nice, but said that she could not. I asked what I could do, she said I could express mail the payment, or make a payment through their web site. I ended up making the minimum payment through their web site, and it should post on Sunday, so all is well. The person with whom I spoke said that it would be ridiculous for me to incur the $39 late fee. She was not being sarcastic, I interpreted her as agreeing that my request for one day was not unreasonable.
I don’t like that the credit card folks have my bank information (although all of this information could have been gathered from a check sent with a payment). I have a separate checking account that I use for auto withdrawals and things like this, I am going to make sure to keep only a minimal amount of money in that account. I’ve also been hunting around for deals when banks give you money for opening an account, and might open an account to use for electronic transactions.
I’m going to be more careful about reviewing my bills to avoid this sort of issue. If I had not been able to pay electronically, I would have ended up using express mail, because it would have been cheaper than the late fee.
I needed a new ‘do, so I went onto craigslist in the beauty section, and found a stylist looking for a hair model. It was at a high end salon. We traded a few emails, and scheduled my cut.
The salon was very nice, one where they hand you a “robe” (more like a karate uniform in black) to wear while your hair is being cut. They also hand out free coffee and herbal teas.
I sat in the regular salon, next to regular patrons, who were presumably paying regular prices (this place charges $35-100 for a cut and style).
The cut and style was completely free. The stylist took a few pics of the back and sides of my hair (before and after) for her portfolio. Someone “checked” the cut. Although the service was free, I left a $15 tip, because that’s what it would have cost if I went to Supercuts, or if I went to the beauty school and left a decent tip after getting a $5-$8 haircut. Its a nice luxury to sit in a nice salon, even nicer when it costs no more than Supercuts or the beauty school.