Ways to Save Money

Here are some money saving tips that are easy to do and actually work! I recommend keeping track of how much money you actually save by doing some of these; otherwise you may feel like it’s not really impacting your life. Truthfully, right away it may not seem like it but by bringing lunch to work three times a week can save you anywhere between $15-45. These money saving ideas really can add up and make you feel like you have a money tree!

- Use those coupons! - If you are really into coupons you could learn how to become an expert at extreme couponing!

- Make coffee at home - That way you aren’t spending $2-8 on something that can be done at home for less.

- Always try and pay off your credit card at the end of the month – no one wants to spend money on unneeded interest

- Bring lunch to work – it beats spending $5-15

- Make a list before you go out to do any shopping – you are more likely to stick to your list and spend less money

- Dine in more than you eat out

- Don’t pay for space you don’t need – I think this is a big thing nowadays. People think they need big houses to rent or buy but in the end it cost more money to heat/cool them causing you to spend unnecessary money for space you don’t necessarily NEED.

- Turn off the T.V. & Shut off the lights– This one seems like a no brainer but can be over looked sometimes.

Helpful Tip:
If you want a pair of shoes that cost $60 and you make an hourly wage of $10, think to yourself are these really worth 6 hours of work. Sometimes, all it takes is thinking about the amount of work it would take to pay for a single item to put things back into perspective.

Photo Courtesy of patheos.com

Post by: Chelsea F.

Love Coupon Book

When it comes to Valentine’s Day, do you feel like you get the same things for your special someone every year? Roses, chocolates, greeting cards… It’s time to get creative and switch it up this year! Even though the roses and the chocolates are great, nothing says “I love you” more than something that you make yourself! Putting time and effort into a gift makes it even more special. There are a few things you can make your special someone without spending a lot of money. One of my favorite is the love coupon book. This is a way to pamper your special someone and show that you still care deeply about their wishes. With a love coupon book you can make written promises for your loved one to be redeemed whenever they wish and with no restrictions. There are no rules; you decide what you want to promise. Here are a few examples to help you get started:

•        Romantic Dinner for two
•        A night of stargazing
•        A free wish
•        One BIG bear hug
•        24 hours of no arguments- no matter what!
•        A day of games and fun
•        30 minutes of cuddling
•        A movie date to the movie of your choice
•        Favorite homemade meal made by me
•        One full body massage
•        Blank- you fill in
•        One evening treated like royalty
•        Breakfast in bed

There really are no limits to this! So be creative and have fun, this is a gift your other half is really going to appreciate!

Post by: Karla C

Shop local this Valentine's Day!

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Can’t think of anything to get that special person in your life? The one that holds the key to your HEART? Well, check out the businesses on Broadway. Purchase a gift in any of the Broadway retail stores from February 6th - 8th, and receive a coupon for 2 free glasses of wine or a free appetizer at participating Broadway restaurants! Coupons are good with a purchase of a meal on February 13th and 14th.

Participating restaurants are as follows:
The Urban Frog, Whitedog Blackcat Cafe, Glass Nickel Pizza Co., Café Madrid, Three Thirty Five, The Sardine Can, and Jekyll & Hyde!

And once your big weekend is over and it is back to work, stop in at Horizon Community Credit Union, and donate to the CMN. A $25.00 donation will give us a HEART.  Full proceeds go to benefit the Children’s Hospital in Wisconsin.

Also, Broadway is excited about the unveiling of the new artistic touches their benches and garbage containers will be getting in the Broadway District!

They are currently looking for local artists and organizations who would like to participate in painting a bench or garbage covers. If you know of anyone interested in this, have them contact the On Broadway Inc. office with all inquiries or questions (920) 437.2531. Or email info@onbroadway.org.

Post by: Karen S

Coupon Craze

Need a new hobby that will save you money? Start couponing! It will be worth your time and effort! “I don’t have time for it” is probably what you’re thinking. I said the exact same thing. We’ve all seen, or at least heard, the show “Extreme Couponers” where people fill up their store carts and pay little to nothing for the entire transaction. How can you do that too? Read the tips below to start saving!

Tips for couponing:

· Purchase newspapers. Make sure to purchase 4 Sunday newspapers, this is where you are able to find most coupons. Since most coupons state “limit 4 like coupons per household per day”, a good rule is to purchase 4 newspapers, therefore, allowing you to buy maximum amount of products.

· Per Purchase vs. Per Transaction. When a coupon says “Limit 1 coupon per purchase”, per purchase means per item, NOT a transaction.
          Ex. If I buy 4 toothbrushes, I can use 4 coupons; one coupon per item.

· Stack/combine your coupons. Make sure to use manufacturer coupons and store coupons together. You are allowed to do this unless stated otherwise in the stores coupon policy. You cannot stack a manufacturer coupon with another manufacturer coupon, the same with store coupons.
          Ex. If I buy 4 toothbrushes, I can use 4 manufacturer coupons and 4 store coupons.

· Know the stores coupon policy. You always want to make sure you are up-to-date with updates done by the company.

· Don’t buy everything. Once you get a good deal, you don’t want to stop. However, a good rule is to buy only what you need. Otherwise, you will be spending more money than you need to.

Still don’t see where you can save? Read my shopping trip below for a better idea.

I went to a local store in town which had a sale: buy three (3) oral care products and receive a $5 gift card. I bought three (3) tubes of toothpaste, each for $3.99 bringing me to a total of $11.97 before taxes. I had three (3) manufacturer coupons for the toothpaste each for $2 and three (3) $1 store coupons that I also used for the products, bringing me down to a grand total of $2.97 before taxes. But remember, since I bought three oral care products, I also received a $5 gift card back. So really, I got three tubes of toothpaste for FREE and got back $2.03 as a credit. How awesome is that!

The math:
3 toothpastes @ $3.99 each = 3 x $3.99 = $11.97 (subtotal before coupons & taxes)
3 toothpaste manufacturer coupons @ $2 each = 3 x $2 = -$6.00
3 toothpaste store coupons @ $1 each = 3 x $1 = -$3.00
Total after coupons: $2.97 (subtotal before taxes)
Receive $5 gift card for purchase of 3 oral care products -$5.00
Final Price for 3 tubes of toothpaste: FREE with $2.03 credit

Couponing has now become an exciting hobby for me! Although it does take time to sort through coupons and deals, it will definitely be worth your time! Saving has never been so much fun!

Post by: Kelly V.