Posts made in November 2010

*Reposting in case you missed this earlier-this was such an honor!*

I am excited to share with you a recent interview that I had with BeatThat. BeatThat is an amazing online deal site that lists freebies, hot deals and more on a minute-to-minute basis. I love the fact that I can find deals here that I find nowhere else. And, you can submit your own deals to BeatThat and be entered to win $125! There is one winner every day! Be sure to sign up for BeatThat emails so that you can stay in the know of all the deals as they happen! 

Below is my recent interview. You can also check it out HERE.

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Whether you’re a amateur or professional deal-hunter, you know that there’s definitely no shortage of sites out there looking to show you where and how you can save some extra money. At BeatThat, we believe the deal-loving communities have to stick together in order to spread the savings, fatten the wallets and lessen the stress. This week, we reached out to Heather Brickell, the bargain brains behind My Sweet Savings. She not only provided all of us BeatThaters with useful tips, but also motivation for when deal-hunting can seem like long, tedious work. Read on to see how sweet it is to be loved by Heather.

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How did you get into saving money? When my husband and I were first married 10 years ago, I started saving money by clipping coupons and searching for sales. Then, when we had our son 5 years ago, I realized that saving money was even more important.  Diapers, Formula and other Baby necessities can be very expensive! My Sweet Savings was started to share my saving tips and ideas with others who are also searching for ways to get the most out of every dollar. My husband was also unexpectedly laid off earlier this year, and that required us to watch our spending even more. Thankfully, my clipping coupons and saving money especially paid off during this time as we were able to live on our stockpile of food that I had accumulated! My husband has since found a new job, but this job loss made me realize that saving money is even more important. You never know when there will be an unexpected and life cha

nging situation that life throws your way, so clipping those coupons and bargain hunting can really be a blessing in disguise!

Judging from your research and getting feedback from your readers, what is the main area people in which are always looking to sav? With the economy at an all-time low, I feel that most families are looking to save on everyday necessities such as food and clothing.

What was the biggest, most delicious deal you ever scored? I have lots of sweet deals that I have scored, but one of my favorites is a trip to my local grocery store where I saved $107 and spent only $4 out of my own pocket! 

What are your “Go-To” places for saving money? If you are looking to maximize your savings with printable coupon offers and Store Deals, I would recommend checking out sites like Coupons.com, Redplum.com and Hot Coupon World. These sites offer printable coupons as well as money-saving offers that will help you to get the most out of your money! Also, many grocery stores now offer store coupons that can be stacked with a manufacturer’s coupon to maximize your savings even more. My favorite retail stores to shop at for bargains for the entire family would definitely have to be Kohls, Ross and JcPenney. I also love to shop local consignment stores when you can find gently used brand name clothing at great prices.

I know some feel that clipping coupons or scouting for the lowest prices can seem like a lot of work. Do you have words of motivation for them? Clipping coupons and searching for bargains can be a lot of work if you let it be! I find that when you have a plan of action for saving money, that most of the “work” actually becomes less stressful and it keeps you motivated!  My plan of action includes finding a method of coupon organization that works best for you and sticking with it. Secondly, set goals for yourself along the way as to how much money you would like to save on a weekly or monthly basis.  You will be amazed at how much money can be saved when you have a plan and stick with it! Don’t overwhelm yourself with the big picture. Start small and set aside a few hours each week to saving money. In no time, you will see the results of your work!

Do you keep records of how much you save? If so, what’s the total?  I don’t keep a record of how much I save, but on a weekly basis, I save at least 75%-80% off of my grocery bill just by using coupons and scouring store sales!

Why do you save money? I love to save money for lots of reasons.  The biggest reason is the fact that it allows my family and I to do something every once in awhile. Whether that be a quick weekend trip to one of our favorite destinations or just a nice family vacation each year. It is also important that we save money as I am a stay at home mom to our son, Drew. Because we are a one income family, we need to save

as much as possible; however, since I do clip those coupons and bargain-hunt on a weekly basis that has become a part-time job for me and is definitely paying off! Saving money also allows me to donate to those in need. For example, this week at my local grocery store I was able to pick up 20 boxes of pasta for FREE with the store sale and coupons. That pasta will be donated to a local food bank or charity. If I am able to help someone in need I love to jump at every opportunity available to me, and it is so rewarding!

What is your favorite deal right now? I actually have several favorite deals right now. Some of my favorites though are actually online deals to some of my favorite stores.  Many Online stores are offering Free shipping, so I take advantage of this whenever possible. It allows me the convenience of shopping right from my own home and not having to face the crowds at the mall!

Christmas is coming up. Any advice?  Christmas shopping is definitely one of my favorite things to do each year. I love to see what bargains I can find for every person on my gift list.  I would highly recommend signing up to receive promotional offers from your favorite stores. Many stores will email you promotional offers or coupons when you sign up for their email list. I also find that Facebook offers some great money saving offers and coupons when you become a fan of your favorite store or site. Sign up now and you should start receiving some great offers just in time for holiday shopping!