Gardening Tips for the Savvy Thumb

March 22, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Spring is officially here. Get those green thumbs into your gloves and start gardening! Here are some springtime tips from the Savvy Staff to ensure an affordable start to your season …

Do It Yourself- You do not need to pay a landscaper to have fresh herbs for your summer recipes or flowers for your coffee table – you can certainly handle it! Begin with a concept, whether it is an herb, flower, or vegetable garden – and focus on it. Starting small and maintaining the upkeep will guide you in the right direction – and allow for growth later on!

Study Up! - The most important thing when it comes to saving money in the garden is to take care of your plants in order to ensure a return on your investment. So much time and money can be lost due to negligence or mistreatment of the home-grown garden. Make sure to educate yourself on the necessary steps to growing your plants and maintaining their health. If you follow directions and garden guides, you will be more likely to achieve a successful outcome and beautiful garden space!

Ornamental Landscape Plants – If you plan on planting some wisteria, or other long-term-growth vine this season for a decorative growth, clip some rooting from a neighbor or friend rather than purchasing it at a nursery. The cost of materials will drastically decrease, as many long-term nursery-grown plants can cost up to $400! Make sure to invest in the proper soil and rooting hormone to ensure the successful maturation of your vine over the next few years.

Get Materials for Free - Mulch and compost can easily be obtained at your town’s yard-waste recycling center, which will save you money on purchasing expensive bagged products from the hardware store – just make sure to have a truck for easy transportation! Also, start composting your eggshells, coffee grinds and leftover veggies in the house to provide calcium to your soil – and get the whole family involved in the process!

Use Household Items - Insecticides and animal repellants can be expensive, unreliable, and potentially toxic. Avoid wasting money by mixing your own remedies from ingredients found in your own home. Most gardeners recommend a soap bar or spray to ward off deer and insects from veggies and flowers, but an interesting list of user-reported repellants can also be found here.

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Got any more savvy gardening tips to share? Feel free to leave a comment below or post one on our facebook page!

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Now You Have Time to File Your Taxes!

March 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Taxes are officially due in a matter of weeks! While many people fuss over guide books, online sources and accountant fees to provide the filing – you may only need your smartphone this year. TurboTax is the online interface for questions, forums, deductions and finally – returns; most importantly, TurboTax has developed a new filing feature that will make requesting your returns easy as a snap. SnapTax, which was released in mid January to tech-savvy taxpayers, is a software application that you can download from the internet, app store or by scanning one of the following QR codes, which enables you to upload your W2 form with the click of your phone camera.

IPhone Users

Android Users

Upon downloading the application to your smartphone, a series of prompts will guide you through the process of capturing your paperwork in a scan-able image, and retrieve all your necessary tax information.  After a series of simple questions, SnapTax will automatically file your taxes, and you should receive confirmation within a couple of days. How cool is that!?

This application is also functional for iPod touches or iPads with iOS 4.1 (or later version).

While this program is convenient and easy – it is not for everyone! Individuals who qualify to use this savvy software must meet the following requirements:

  • Individual may not have dependents.
  • Individual may not own a home or have any real estate ownership.
  • Individual must have an annual income of $80k or less ($100k if married).
  • Individual must receive income information only from W-2s, interest, or unemployment.

Please visit http://turbotax.intuit.com/ for additional information regarding the software, deductions and general tax information!

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Over 100 manufacturer coupons available this week

March 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Coupons available for your everyday needs and just simple pleasures from Easter candy to allergy meds. Checkout a list of the Sunday coupon inserts.

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Bang-for-Your-Buck Beauty Tips

March 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Sick of spending a fortune at Sephora on your everyday makeup and beauty products? Stop splurging on department store brands and use these tips to save some face …

1. Get Free Samples – Department store beauty brands such as Estee Lauder, Clarins and Clinique often host promotional giveaways when launching new products.  Make sure to ask the sales clerks or visit the brands’ websites ahead of time to learn about freebies or gifts-with-purchase before you settle on a specific product. You will be amazed how many cosmetics you can collect without spending a dime! Hint: A purchase at Sephora allows you three free samples – in store and online!

2. Get a Store Credit Card – Most department stores and name brands offer store credit cards, which, like most memberships, entitle you to discounts! As long as you stay on top of your payments, enrolling in a store’s loyalty program can reap many benefits such as free merchandise, early promotions and dollars saved. Hint: Even drugstores have loyalty programs – CVS‘ rewards program will track your savings and reward you with personalized coupons based on your shopping.

3. Buy the Cheaper Alternatives – Don’t be afraid to buy the store-brand alternative to the name-brand product. Many cosmetic manufacturers are owned by the same parent companies. As a result, they most likely produce the same products in different packaging with a higher price-tag. For example, the luxury product line, Lancome is owned by L’Oreal. While they come from the same manufacturer they are differentiated drastically by market price rather than quality of product. Hint: Just because you’re paying more for a product, doesn’t mean it’s worth more.

Must-Haves! Five Products Under Ten Dollars

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara – $4.44 at Target  – You don’t need expensive applicators and formulas for luscious lashes – just the right technique, and a reliable, everyday product!

Neutrogena Tinted Moisturizer – $9.59 at CVS – Save your skin from harmful rays with this SPF moisturizer, but give the illusion of a sun-kissed glow.

Covergirl Wetslicks Lipgloss – $4.79 at CVS – Why spend $40 on a tube of gloss, when you can spend $4?

Essence of Beauty Face Brushes – $7.99 at CVS – A pack of six brushes for under eight dollars – designer brushes can cost a minimum of $20.

Garnier Fructis Daily Care Shampoo $3.19 at CVS – Quality hair product for every day use, the conditioner also runs the same price. Available in economy sizes for a mere one or two dollars more!

 

 

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