Friday, January 24, 2014

Saving money for college - The 529 Plan

In short, the 529 savings plan allows you to set aside money for future college expenses. This money can grow and be withdrawn for educational expenses tax free! This is similar to a 401k or IRA and can greatly help offset educational costs when invested early. Friends and relatives can contribute to this plan as well! It does not matter what state you are from, so you can invest in plans out of state. Talk to your financial advisor for more information on setting up a 529 plan for your children. You can learn more about this plan at the U.S. SEC website here

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Saving Money at Costco using their "Secret Price Codes"

This is a great article posted today by Likeacoupon that tells you what to look for when shopping at Costco to make sure you are getting the best deal on an item. In short items ending with .99 in price are full priced items. Items ending with .97 is a manager set price that you won't find again. Good deal Prices ending with .49 or .79 are manufacturer specials that is normally lower than full retail Prices ending with .00 are Costco's best deals. These are items that the store is trying to get rid of! Prices with an asterisk * - This means it's a discontinued product. You can read the full post HERE Happy Tuesday

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Save money at Target

Avid Target shopper?

Here are a few good ways to save money at Target.

1. The Target RED Card - not the credit card. This one is a debit card which means it comes straight from your bank account and won't affect your credit score. You get 5% off all Target purchases (including Starbucks). Other perks include Free shipping, 4 month returns, and tracking all your purchases through the card so you don't need to keep your receipt.

2. Cartwheel App by Target - This is an app that is updated daily with new coupons everyday that can only be used at Target. 16 coupons can be saved in your "cart" which are then scanned at the register. Savings of 5-20%+ on random things are typical, but the best part is that these STACK with your red card and physical coupons.

3. Combine your Coupons - Target always gives you physical coupons after your purchase, and sometimes you find them in the paper. ALL of these can be combined to give you some fantastic savings. See a coupon for Hanes underwear? Cartwheel giving 10% off? Combine both and get another 5% with your Redcard and you've got yourself a great deal

Cartwheel is free and you can get it for IOS or Android.

Another tip: Target has free WIFI. If you see something you like and are not in a hurry... double check the item online and make sure you get the best deal