Savings Tips | Sample Stuff.com

Savings Tips on a DIY Easter Basket and Other Decorations

March 27, 2015 By Joe

Easter baskets are family traditions. They are a fun way to get kids excited and it’s your chance to be a little creative too! But this doesn’t need to be an expensive venture. Here are a few ideas to help make a cheap, fun, and festive DIY Easter basket!

When looking for Easter baskets search garage sales and thrift stores. You should be able to find baskets for under $1.00. If you don’t have any luck there head your local dollar store. Feel free to use wicker baskets, beach sand buckets, or even a straw hat (if you do use hats then you can convert them into Easter hats with a carefully placed flower or carnation!) Remember, no one will scoff at the basket – it’s the contents that really matter!

The fillers for the Easter basket can be cheap but still fun for the kids in your family. For future Easter baskets, remember to shop for candy after Halloween, Christmas, and Valentine’s Day. You will be able to purchase the candy at half price and keep it for Easter. Just keep in mind that most candy has a shelf life of 11-12 months, so don’t hang onto them too long!

Don’t be afraid to put alternatives to store-brought candy into your Easter basket. Make cookies in the shape of bunnies and other Easter shapes. Make necklaces and bracelets out of cereals like Fruit Loops or KIX. Make coupons for getting out of household chores. Give them creative items like coloring books and crayons. These can be purchased at the Dollar Store or even printed out for free from your computer. Throw in a few fun items like Playdough or sidewalk chalk. One great idea is giving your kids flower seeds that they can plant and see grow in the coming weeks (If you have teenagers perhaps you can give them movie tickets or a gas card in place of crayons!).

The possibilities are really endless. Not only will your DIY Easter basket be more custom made for your child but it will mean more to you considering the extra thought and care that you put into it! Have a great Easter!

DIY Easter Decorations Easter Egg Creatures

March 18, 2015 By Joe

Check out these amazing DIY easter decorations! They make for a fun and creative project for your kids to try (with parental help of course!). is making Easter egg creatures. Kids can make anything from cows to pigs and birds to bunnies; really, just make whatever they can think of!

First, you will want to start with an animal template. Make a list of what your kids want to create. Then head to your local craft store and get a few things. A variety of different color felt, crepe paper, yarn, thread, glue, and pipe cleaners should be all you need to make your Easter barnyard come to life. Be sure to ask your kids how they want to decorate. Keeping them involved throughout the entire process will make the project that much more meaningful for them! After you have your materials begin to cut out your animal shapes. Beaks for birds, whiskers for cats and dogs, pipe cleaners for arms and legs, etc. Be creative! Once you have your templates you’re ready to start making your egg creatures!

When shopping for eggs try to get a variety. A Quail easter egg (you will have to get these at specialty stores) is awesome for making smaller animals. However you might have to use paint instead of dye as quail eggs have spotted shells. Brown eggs are favorable for animals with dark fur or feathers.

Material List for your DIY Easter Decorations

Utility Knife

Paper Clip

Napkins, rags, or paper towels

Small Syringe

Dye mixture: 1 tspn vinegar, 20 drops food coloring, 1 cup of warm water

Homemade drying rack of pins and foam board

White glue

Tempura paint or marker

Egg Creature Templates

Eggs

1) Empty the contents of your eggs that way you can save your creations if you want. Pierce the one end of the egg with the utility knife, making a hole about a 1/4 in diameter. Whichever end you choose to make the hole is up to you depending on how you are going to decorate it. Poke a paper clip in and stir the yolk. Use the syringe to remove if the yolk will not pour out completely on its own.

2) Cover the work area with rags or paper towels. Mix the dye in a jar and submerge the egg (you can keep the egg down by filling a paper cup and placing it over the egg in the jar). Soak for 5 minutes for lighter colors and 10 minutes for darker ones. Remove the egg from the jar using tongs and place them on a clean surface to dry.

3) Make sure that the dye or paint is completely dry. Attach animal features with glue and let dry for 20 minutes. Add small details like eyes with fine paint brush or marker. Then glue on feet and legs.

And your DIY Easter decorations are finished! Now you and your children have a great Easter animal setting that you can enjoy for the holiday and beyond!

How to Save Money When Buying a Car

March 13, 2015 By Joe

If you’re wondering how to save money when buying a car here are a few simple tips that can help you possibly save thousands.

First rule of thumb is if you can buy a car outright, then do it. It will give you much more leverage in the negotiations if you can buy a vehicle straight up. Dealerships want to get rid of their inventory. If you have the cash they have to listen.

Now, in most cases this is not an option. If you are thinking of making payments NEVER tell the car dealer the amount of the monthly payment you’re thinking of making. The more info you give the dealer the more they can use it against you. They might adjust rates or offer you a longer loan term.

Next, if you do need to finance your car shop around for rates before visiting a dealership. Dealers may offer financing as a way to make more money on your purchase. Check with your bank or with local credit unions and compare rates. Even a single percentage point on your interest rate can save you a lot of money.

We live in a great age for shopping. Whether it’s a computer, a car, or a house the internet allows us to shorten our time spent shopping around by eliminating unnecessary “boots on the ground” searches. Gone are the days of going from dealership to dealership to hassle prices. With sites like CarMax and TrueCar spurring competition many dealerships have adopted the online sales model. Once you’ve determined what type of car you want reach out to a couple of dealerships and see what they can offer you in regards to price. You will then have several offers to use as a negotiation tool when you do visit dealerships. If a dealer refuses to quote you a price disregard them. If they are unwilling to give you a simple price figure imagine having to deal with them in person. It’s not worth it; move on.

When it comes to saving money, probably the best advice is to shop for used cars. This will save you thousands immediately. Even if you have your heart set on a new car consider buying the previous year’s model. Dealerships want to make room for new inventory when the current year’s model become available and will be more open to negotiation.

Now you know the basics of how to save money when buying a car. Gather all of your information beforehand and go out and find that deal! And don’t be afraid to walk away from a deal if it’s not exactly what you want. If the dealer sees that you are willing to walk then you gain the upperhand. Kindly give them your offer, your contact information, and wait for them to call. Chances are they will!

Get Paid With Textbook Buyback from BookScouter

February 27, 2015 By Joe

From the avid reader to strapped-for-cash college students, buying books can get expensive. And what do you do with the books once you’ve read them or your college course is over? With BookScouter and the BookScouter App you can search 59 book buyback and textbook buyback vendors, compare prices and seller feedback, ship for free, and get paid for your books!

This is a great website that helps you to sell your books for the highest price. Log onto their website or use the BookScouter app when your on the go to see who is paying the most for your books. They cross compare over 50 book-buying websites in order to inform you how much your book is potentially worth. Because book prices change often, this website is the quickest way to compare vendor prices. And you can compare your book across various criteria (book condition, wear, hardback/paperback, etc.) to help you figure out where to sell your book for the best price.

This website is extremely beneficial for college students. College textbooks depreciate quickly as new editions come out annually or bi-annually. Use the textbook buyback on BookScouter to either sell your used textbook or buy one cheaper for your upcoming course.

The BookScouter app is a free service. However, a monthly subscription to the premium version might be advantageous to frequent users. The premium version costs $29.99. Your first 30 days are free, so you can try it without obligations. The Pro version includes:

Bulk Price Lookups – View more details/screenshots on thousands of books on one screen.

Notifications – Enter a list of ISMN’s and minimum prices and get notified when a vendor will buy your books for the minimum price specified.

Buyback Tracking – Keep track of your textbook buyback/book buyback transactions.

Uninterrupted Usage – Pro version users avoid the CAPTCHA that is displayed occasionally on the site for non members.

Additional Vendors – View pricing from some additional vendors targetted towards book resellers.

Nab a Free BJs Trial Membership

February 23, 2015 By Joe

Keeping up with the groceries can be a daunting task, especially with larger families. One great way to get more for your dollar and to make less frequent trips to the grocery store is with a members-only wholesale warehouse club. With leading brands, fresh foods, and great savings, BJs wholesale club has become one of the leading operators of membership warehouse clubs in the Eastern United States. Right now, you can find deals for a BJs trial membership.

Membership is open to all consumers aged 18 and over, and all businesses are welcome. Members can use in-club or online BJs coupons for even more savings. If not a member look for offers for a free BJs trial membership. A BJs free trial membership is offered periodically throughout the year. Be sure to check your local store and inquire about a 2 month BJs trial membership. If you can’t wait for the 2 month trial membership, BJs offers a one-day pass here.

When shopping at wholesale warehouse clubs there are a few things to remember so that you don’t get carried away! With so much to choose from in large quantities, it is easy to fill up a shopping cart (or two or three!).

Do Not Buy Things Just Because the Price is Good

Avoid bulk purchases of perishable items at warehouse clubs unless you have enough people in your house to eat them.

Don’t buy oversized condiments. Unless you run a restaurant or are preparing for a party or cookout that gallon jar of mayonnaise is too much! Condiments only have a shelf-life of about 6 months. And don’t buy bulk on items that you don’t use regularly, such as spices and olive oil.

Shop for produce at your local grocery store! Supermarket prices drop when fruits and vegetables are in season, whereas warehouse club produce prices tend to remain about the same.

Shop with a List

Just like your normal grocery shopping always shop with a list. This will help you to avoid impulse purchases. When buying unexpected or unneeded items your bill at the checkout line will shock you.

Certain Items are Found Cheaper Elsewhere

Buy DVD, CD’s, and books online. It’s tempting to buy these in the store when it’s right in front of you but these items can be found online for 15-20% cheaper.

Clothing and shoes. These items are often a lower quality than in department stores. Shop with caution.

Also be sure to check your local supermarket sales. Combined with coupons these deals can be better than those found at a warehouse.

Watermelon Baby Carriage 101

February 13, 2015 By Joe

Photo from Uniqueex

Are you looking for great baby shower centerpiece ideas? Impress the mother-to-be and all the guests with a watermelon baby carriage! This is a great conversation piece and it’s quick, easy, healthy, and inexpensive! Here are some quick tips to help you build the perfect watermelon baby carriage:

GIVE THE WATERMELON A FLAT SURFACE TO SIT ON

Take a knife and shave a flat spot on the bottom to keep the watermelon from rolling around. Be careful not to shave too far. You don’t want all of the fruit to spill out!

CREATE DRAINAGE HOLES

Use a knife or toothpicks and make a few drainage holes in the bottom. These should not be large. Just enough to drain some of the watermelon juice out.

SHAPE YOUR WATERMELON CARRIAGE

Cut the shape of the carriage hood and sides. You can also use the portion that you cut out to make a handle for your watermelon baby carriage.

REMOVE THE FRUIT INSIDE

Scoop out the inside and place it in a separate container. The inside of the watermelon should be hollowed out.

PLACING WATERMELON CARRIAGE FOR BABY SHOWER

Put the watermelon baby carriage in its serving dish or basin. If the shower is not immediate place ice under the dish. If you refrigerate cover the carriage with plastic wrap to avoid it drying out.

FINAL TOUCHES

Mix the watermelon in with your other fruit to make the fruit salad. Place the mixture into the watermelon baby carriage. Next, slice an orange in 1/2 inch slices. Attach to carriage with toothpicks. You can then use other garments and fruit to jazz it up. Another idea is to add a cantaloupe to sit in as the baby! Take the cantaloupe, remove the outside, and place it at the head of the carriage. Use toothpicks to attach grapes for the eyes, a strawberry for the nose, and pear or apple slices for the ears! You now have a watermelon baby carriage with cantaloupe baby!

Homemade Tire Shine and Other DIY Car Maintenance Tricks

January 30, 2015 By SampleStuff

Store brand cleaning products are super expensive. Over our lifetime, we spend thousands just to clean our homes and cars! There are lots of easy ways to make your own household and automobile cleaning products that will save you big bucks through the years. Even better, most of the DIY options are green options along with being easy on your wallet. Today, I want to share with you a couple options to make DIY cleaners for your car such as a homemade tire shine solution. My other tip is to clean your dirty headlights. Both are great projects for the upcoming weekend.

Have you ever tried your hand at making homemade tire shine? It’s a useful DIY project that you can do this weekend. It’s super easy too. You should love the way your tires, interior, and even leather seats look following the cleaning. This cleaner works on tires along with the interior of your car as well. I got this easy recipe from the Money Saving Madness blog and it’s easy enough for anyone to do it. The blog says that the mixture only costs about a quarter compared to the 5 bucks for other cleaners. A spray bottle of this homemade Armour All should clean your entire car and make it smell nice too. I included the recipe below:

Homemade Armor All Tire Shine Recipe

1 cup of any Baby Oil
⅓ cup of water
2 to 3 drops of Dawn dish soap
Spray Bottle

Directions

All you have to do here is rinse out an old plastic spray bottle and add the four ingredients. Shake the mixture together well before you apply to your tires, interior and dashboards. Make sure to spray the mixture and wipe with a clean towel for the best results of the homemade tire shine.

My other awesome DIY car cleaning tip is to use toothpaste to clean your headlights. What you need to do to pull this off is to tape off each headlight. Use an old towel to dab on the toothpaste. You must spend a few minutes on each headlight. Rinse between each application. You will get amazing results. Homemade headlight cleaner is much cheaper than buying the store headlight cleaning products.