Frugal Friday - How to Save Money on an Oil Change

The Hubby and I both need an oil change, we always use a coupon but still it seems expensive and really adds up through out the year....so I did some research to see if I'm missing any potential savings. Heres what I found out:

1. How many miles can you go between oil changes?
   Well, I did some research and talked to a mechanic and this is what I learned: If you use a semi-synthetic or full-synthetic oil you can go between 5,000 - 7,000 miles between changes. This is because the synthetics are much better chemically and wont break down nearly as quickly as older oils. Also, newer cars are better machined so there is less blowby or oil loss. Here's the thing though, the synthetics are almost triple the price of regular oil, so even though you can go longer between changes you may not be saving that much money as the oil is more expensive. However, it is much better for your car engine and most likely you'll get more years out of you car so in that sense it is a frugal choice....(you will get varying opinions on this).
   
   What if I'm going to go with the cheaper non-synthetic Oil?Although some would say you can push it up to 7.000 miles between oil changes, it really depends on your driving habits if you are driving mostly freeways then you can push it up to 7,000 or more but that is not the case for most of us. So I would stick to between 3,000 & 5,000.
    
2. Do not get your oil changed at a Dealership!
   Unless they are offering you quite an incentive I would steer clear of dealerships. They tend to be over priced and will try and up sell you services & products you may not need.
    
3. Think about going to a mechanic you trust
   If you or someone you know has a mechanic they trust that may be your best bet. They often charge less, and are often willing to do it because they realize you may keep them in mind when you need repairs.
    
4. Bring your own oil
   Some places will allow you to supply your own oil which will bring the cost down. Ask, it wouldn't hurt, a mechanic may be more open to this. If you are able then do your homework and find the best price in your area...we've found that Sam's Club has good prices on oil in our area.
    
5. Use a Coupon
   If you must go to a Quick Oil Change business look for a coupon to use. In this economy these businesses are hurting as people are getting less frequent changes to save money. So research your area find out who has the best price and then add a coupon in to save more.
    
6. For the best deal do it yourself!
   Obviously this would be the cheapest route and it's easier then you think. For some of the newer cars you may need a specialized oil wrench, but it pays for itself in the long run. You may want to see if your oil filter is in an accesible place first, sometimes they put them in places that can be hard to reach without a lift so crawl under the car and have a look-see. Look for some videos on utube to see how it's done, or have a buddy teach you! Remember you will have to properly dispose of the old oil, so  research what the regulations/law is in your state/county on this.
    
7. Barter for an oil-change:
   Do you know somebody that changes his own oil? If you are not able to change your own oil for any reason you could try to do a trade of service with a buddy. For example are an accountant? Offer to do his taxes if he changes your oil every few months.....get the idea?
    
8. Avoid Up-Sells
   Nobody really makes money on an oil change. Not the dealership, not the lube place and not your mechanic. They are all betting on selling you other services. Don't fall for it. During their "free 20-point" inspection, trust me they will find something wrong! This is a regular business practice of all the oil repair companies to try to encourage customers for doing some other expenses also on the car. Its always a better idea to get a second opinion before giving anyone the go ahead for repair expenses.
    
9. Change your own air filter if possible
    You should inspect your air filter and change as needed. You can see by the amount of junk/gunk when it needs to be changed. This will help with mileage and wear and tear on your engine. You can often do this yourself if your air filter is easily accessible. Here is an article on how to change your air filter: go here --->

How using a Crockpot can help your budget!

Do you have a crockpot? When is the last time you used it? I think most people have one but not everyone is good about using it and recognizing the amount of time and money they can save you! Here are some great reasons to dust off the old crockpot or pick one up on sale if you don't already own one! Most of this is common knowledge but it might serve as a reminder of why you bought that crockpot in the first place and why the heck is it gathering dust?

1. Time Saver
   First and foremost a Crockpot is a huge time saver. For a minimal amount of prep work in the morning your dinner will be cooking away and be ready for you & your family when you get home from work. To save even more time you can pre-cut the veggies the night before and have your ingredients lined up and ready to go. This will make your morning a little less hectic!
   
   Most crockpots now have removable liners. For easy clean-up just pop them right into the dishwasher. They even sell liners now which can be tossed out after use, if you have the type of crock without the removable liner this might be the way to go!
    
2. Saves Energy
   It does not take a genius to figure out that a crockpot uses less energy then your oven and does not heat up your kitchen on a hot summer day, thus saving your money. A slow cooker uses about 100 watts of electricity, using it once a week for eight hours at a time will only cost you twenty cents a month in electricity!
    
3. Money Saver
   By buying cheaper cuts of meat and cooking them "long and slow" you are able to whip up a tasty, tender meal for alot less. Often these cheaper cuts of meat can be tough and chewy. However, during the long cooking periods at lower temperatures the connective tissue breaks down making tougher meat tender and succulunt. Same thing with a smoker but that's a topic for another day!
   
   It also lessens the chance you'll swing by drive thru on the way home because of a time crunch, again saving you money (and calories). Things come up, schedules change at a moments notice, we've all been there, stopping by drive-thru and skipping the dinner you were going to prepare due to unforeseen events....that does not happen if you have dinner already being prepared for you!
    
4. Great Tasting
   Crockpots and the recipes concocted for them have come along way since the hey day of the crockpot back in the 70's. By following recipes carefully, in other words layering the food as directed you will be rewarded with a very tasty meal.
    
5. Great Feature
   If you are often not going to be home when your crockpot meal is being cooked, perhaps because you have a full time job. Consider investing in a crockput that automatically turns to warm after a certain number of hours or after it reaches a certain temperature. That way if you end up having to work late or no one will be home for some reason to turn off that crockpot you will not have an overcooked meal on your hands!
    
6. Cook Once Eat Twice
   Think abou investing in a larger crockpot and double the recipe. This will make for a couple of days of leftovers or freeze half for another night!

Frugal Friday - Planning a Gift Closet

By creating a gift closet you are able to plan ahead for gift giving rather then running out at the last minute, thus you save time, hassle and most especially money! It also comes in handy for those last minute events that seem to pop-up and saves you the embarrassement of not having something to give.

Location: This is key, while not all of us has an extra closet to devote to "gifts" any place out of the way will do. A cabinet, a bin or shelf in the basement, a drawer, under the bed...you get the idea. Having one or two central locations for your gifts means you'll spend less time hunting for them when the time arrives to use them. If you can't find them you can't use them and you'll be running out to the store, which really defeats the purpose!

Organization: You'd be surprised how quickly that closet get's packed and many items are buried and before too long you're not all together sure what's in there? One solution is to keep a master list. Create a list with the item name, where you put it, your cost and who you had in mind when you bought if. Now don't lose the list! Do yourself a favor....don't wait for 5 minute before you need to be there to try and unbury the item...I know from experience the avalanche it causes is not worth it! And on occasion...oops it's not there...or oops it's the wrong size etc...

Know who your shopping for: Take some time to consider what occasions you will need gifts for and what might be appropriate. If you have a 6 year old for example you will probably need some gifts geared towards that age group as he or she will be invited to Birthday Parties. Other ideas include: teacher gifts, gifts for your girlfriends, housewarming gifts, christmas gifts.

It also pays to pay attention to people you gift to through out the year, chances are they are unwittingly giving you clues on what they like/want. When this happens keep your eyes peeled for that item at a rock bottom price.

Regifting: We've all received gifts we've been less then thrilled with and can't return or exchange. When that is the case put it in the Gift Closet and regift it. Just wait match the gift with someone who will appreciate it, if you have someone in mind right away add it to your master list. Put a note on it so you know who gave it to you so you don't give it back to someone in the same circle or god forbid back to the person who originally gave it to you.

Stocking the Closet: This is the fun part, shopping. It's not a good idea to run out and "shop" for your gift closet, you'll waste time, gas and money. Rather keep your eyes out for deals through out the year and snag items at rock bottom prices for your stash.

Holiday Stocking: The day/week after a Holiday is the best time to stock up on seasonal gifts. I have it on good athority that Santa and the Easter Bunny shop for stocking stuffers and Easter Basket goodies at that time! Although it's not always possible to know what your child will want the following Christmas this is a good time to stock up on holiday socks, pj's, t-shirts, egg dye kits, ginger bread house kits, etc...

Keep in mind many stores will stock up on non-holdiay items at this time as well, such as toys....often they over-stock. Just wait around eventually they'll go on clearance.

The price scanner is your friend! - not all seasonal/holiday items get put in the same area of the store when they are clearanced. Keep your eyes peeled for anything that looks remotely seasonal and scan it, often the store associates miss relocating these items.

Garage/Yard Sales - This is a great place to find gifts. Look for toys, games, craft kits, puzzles, bath & body products etc...still sealed in their original packaging. If you are giving it as a gift you want to ensure every piece is there so it makes sense to buy something still sealed. Surprisingly you find this kind of stuff fairly often!

Gift Wrap, Bags & Cards - As long as you're out there keep your eyes peeled for deals on wrapping paper, gift bags and cards. You can find holiday/seasonal wrap and bags the week after a holiday. You should also keep your eyes peeled for Card deals, coupons and promotions around holidays. This Mother's Day I bought several cards for a steal to use for future holidays by using a sale, promotion and a coupon to get them for next to nothing! Don't forget about Weddings, is there anything as aggravating as running into a store in a rush on your way to the reception in your high heels because you forgot to buy a card?

Gift Cards - Keep an eye out for good deals on gift cards. Yes believe it or not they often offer incentives for buying gift cards, usually around holidays. Snatch them up when you can get  a deal and save them for gift giving! Teenagers love Gift Cards, and no trust me you don't know what they want!

Reward Points: I turn my Discover reward points in for gift cards and save them for gift giving!

My favorite Gift Closet find this year: The Habro Deck of Card Games. They had Pictureka, Monopoly, Sorry and Scrabble Slam. There were $5.00 printables for these and many came with $5.00 off coupons inside. They were $5.24 at Walmart so I got them for .24 cents. I got oodles and oodles of them....!

What about you do you have a Gift Closet Frugal Tip? If so comment and let me know!

Frugal Friday Making Greek Yogurt

In case you haven't noticed authentic Greek Yogurt costs a fortune! Well, today I'm going to teach you how to make your own for a lot less! Before you panic and click-out, you can do this....really! Think of this less as cooking and more as a seventh grade science project.

So what is Greek Yogurt? Well, you'll find different opinions on this but it is yogurt with all essential pro-biotics still alive and thicker & creamier then regular yogurt.

 Much of what you buy at the store is not really "yogurt" in my opinion it should be illegal to call it such. By the time they get through adding color additives, thickeners and sugars any pro-biotics that may have been in there are dead...thus it is no longer yogurt but a "dessert item" in my opinion with no health benefits! (more on pro-biotics after the lesson).

I was able to get off medication I was on for acid reflux do to eating this several times a week....if I blow it off for a week....the symptoms come right back like clock-work. See bottom of post for Health Related Links!

So let's get started!

Frugal Friday - 10 Small Things you Can Do to Save Money

Here are 10 small non-life altering ways you can start saving money today....baby steps if you will:

1. Bring your lunch to Work
   No brainer here many of us have good intentions here but fail, often because we're rushed in the morning. Solution: Prepare your lunch the night before, right after dinner when you're already busy in the kitchen. As an added bonus a home made lunch tends to be healthier then dining out
    
2. Online Bill Pay
   Most banks offer a free online bill paying service. This can save you at least $5.00 in stamps a month. It's also a great way to save on those "late fee's". I have my online acccount set to send out $$ to my credit cards automatically on the same day each month...just in case I forget. When I log onto pay bills I just change the amount to what I owe that month...but if I forget, I'm covered!