Being Creative = Saving Money!

I just saw a great tip from one of Savings Lifestyle's readers, Gina: Once you have used a dryer sheet for its intended purpose, use it as a cleaning rag! Then, when it is all nasty with grime, you can just throw it away.

Being creative like this can really save you money...and help the environment. You are "being green" in TWO ways at once - multi-tasking!

Other ideas:
-Don't throw away a container without giving it a look and trying to find another use for it. I like to keep those Clorox wipe canisters to store personal care items in. Once you get a few, rip off the labels, write what's inside with a Sharpie, and place them next to eachother, it looks like you spent big bucks at The Container Store! I use them to store rubber gloves, cotton balls, razors, etc.

-Reuse bread bags. All they had it them was bread! Put your sandwich you made for lunch in there - or use it in place of saran wrap for leftovers. Do the same with produce bags.

-A couple years ago I ordered a bunch of photo cards from SeeHere.com for free. I created Holiday cards from their templates, but I did not include any photos. Now when I order photos I'll make a collage of smaller pictures for each photo and then cut them and glue them on the blank SeeHere.com cards (which came with envelopes!). It may sound like a lot of steps, but it's really easy and ends up looking really cute!

- tear baby wipes in half. When you get a new package of wipes, go ahead an cut the wipes in half. You can tear them individually or you can cut a stack of them down the middle so they can still be used in a pull up container. For babies at least up to 1 year of age, a half a wipe is plenty, especially when you are just freshening up the baby after changing a 'wet' diaper.

- Take your half-used shampoo, conditioner, and bar soaps home from hotels. They are obviously just going to be tossed in preparation for the next guests, so why not pack them? Just dry off the bar of soap and wrap it in some toilet paper for the ride home.

- Reuse tissue paper (not toilet paper!). It takes less time than you think to fold the paper and store it all in a gift bag for future gift wrapping adventures. Good on the environment as well.

-Cut cotton balls in half. To remove eye makeup, do you really need a whole cotton ball? Maybe i dont wear enough makeup.

- Take home the remaining bread in your table's bread basket with your leftovers. It will just get thrown in the dumpster (or so we hope), so you might as well enjoy it with tomorrow's lunch!

-water down juice as much as your taste buds will allow. Not only does this make the juice last longer, but it is healthier, too! BTW, props to you if you can stand diluted orange juice!

-Give very few birthday cards - handmade gift tags serve the same purpose and are simple to make. I save cards that were given to me and cut them up for tags. Just holepunch one corner and loop through a string or ribbon. Or, as a celebrity recently mentioned on tv, you could buy a nice card but sign it on a sticky note that says please pass on to a friend of yours". While this isnt a savings for you, you pass on the savings and reuse materials.

- Consider modifying a pet costume for your infant to wear on Halloween. You can buy greatly reduced pet costumes at TArget after Halloween at 90% off (they arent hot ticket items).

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Free Money!

There are plenty of sites on the Internet that will give you "free money". In exchange for your ideas and time, most of these sites award you points, which you can then redeem for gift cards or coupons. Here are a couple examples:

Recyclebank
Recyclebank is a website that you can join for free. There are pledges and quizzes you can take to earn points (among other things). Once you reach enough points, you can redeem them for coupons!

Swagbucks
Swagbucks is more complicated. You sign up (for free) and then you can perform all your "Google" searches through their site. Sometimes when you do a search you'll see a window appear saying you've won Swagbucks. Once you've accumulated enough points, you can redeem them for items - the most popular being a $5 Amazon gift card. There are plenty of other ways to earn points on the site, too.
http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/sunela

"Me + 3" Referrals

There are also deal-a-day sites that reward the buyer for purchasing a reward and then convincing their friends to buy that same reward. Don't you wish you could link up with your online friends to get deals for free? Well this is the place to do it! Add a comment with the name of the deal site, what you purchased, and your unique link. Then hopefully a virtual friend will help you out!

DoodleDeals
"Me + 3 Friends = Free"
You buy the deal and then share a unique link with your friends. Once three of your friends buy the deal through your link, you are refunded the deal cost.
When I signed up for DoodleDeals in May of 2011, I received a $20 credit. It appears that it was from Diapers.com. It expired after 30 days (and unfortunately I did not remember to use it!).

Referrals

If you are planning to join any kind of program, I probably have a referral link to it! It may just put money into my account, but some of them put money into your account as well. Here are just a few:


8moms
http://www.8moms.com/referral/bPCSRS
I get $8 AND YOU get $8!

Gaggle of Chicks
http://www.gaggleofchicks.com/r/11569
I get $10!!

ExpoTV/Tryology
http://www.expotv.com/raf/uid-148696

Groupon
http://www.groupon.com/r/uu18508848
Until 06/13/11, I get $30!!

Smiley360
http://smiley360.com/?refid=26757

Ebates
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=RGRjTLnm2udpRgDF9QP5OQ%3D%3D
I get $5 AND YOU get $5!!

Eversave
http://eversave.com/share/OzI0
I get $10 AND YOU get $3!!

ShopAtHome
http://www.shopathome.com/?IAFCG=qsyDa22LOY4WThF7+L0HRw==
I get $5 AND YOU get $5!!

Little Birdie
http://www.littlebirdie.com/?ref=JNE4X3VPT3
I get $10!!

Totsy
http://www.totsy.com/join/sunela
I get $15!!

Gilt
http://www.gilt.com/invite/sunela
I get $50!!

Swagbucks
http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/sunela

Shop It To Me
http://shopittome.com/expiring_invitation/abvca9c7ed4

RecycleBank
http://www.recyclebank.com/referafriend/?___store=us&bl=c3VuZWxhQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ==&utm-a-friend&utm_medium=direct%20link&utm_source=C1589509&cm_mmc=Refer-a-friend-_-direct%20link-_-C1589509-_-referral
I get 10 RecycleBank points!

Lot18
http://www.lot18.com/i/Su229520
I get $25!!

DealSwarm
http://www.dealswarm.com/referral/pBrIUC
I get $10!!

Seize the Deal
http://www.seizethedeal.com/users/new/VyKxDyxbW
I get $10!!

Heartsy
http://heartsy.me/users/146641/referral?c=plink
I get $5 AND you get $5!

The Clymb
http://www.theclymb.com/invite-from/sunela
I get $10!!

SaveMore
http://svmr.co/_Y2d
I get $10 AND YOU get $10!!

DoubleTakeDeals
http://www.doubletakedeals.com/friend/~sunel11cc8a
I get $5 AND YOU get $5!!

Ruelala
http://www.ruelala.com/invite/9090
I get $10!!

SaveMore
http://svmr.co/_Y2d
http://svmr.co/qdCj
I get $10 AND YOU get $10!!
*I currently have $14 credit, never expire (?)

Zulily
http://www.zulily.com/invite/snela938
I get $15!!

Saveology
https://www.saveology.com/shares/118521
If I buy the deal & so do 2 friends, I get the deal for free!

DoodleDeals
http://doodledeals.com/r/ec8917af7a
I get $5!!

Mamasource
https://deals.mamapedia.com/national?ref_id=71143&utm_source=market_share_link&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=national&utm_term=71143&utm_content=other
I get $10!

Cool Savings
I don't have the link yet...
I get $10!

Fab
http://fab.com/zqnhwh

Plum District
https://www.plumdistrict.com/?ref=ub21788eed12

Ibotta
http://ibotta.com/r/RiB3Rg