Tag: money saving tips

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Pressed Pennies: Budget Souvenirs Kids Love

Budget Souvenirs Kids Love Pressed Pennies

Want a fun souvenir that will not break the bank? Consider collecting pressed pennies. They cost less than a dollar and are fun to collect. You often find them at zoos, amusement parks like Disneyland, national parks and other tourist attractions.

girl cranking pressed pennies machine
Pressed Pennies Machine at Seattle Space Needle

My daughter loves collecting them. She keeps her eyes peeled for the pressed penny machines whenever we are traveling. She carefully considers the options available to her and enjoys cranking that handle to turn an ordinary penny into a shiny, collectible art piece.

Best Pressed Pennies Books

Keep your pressed pennies collection organized by placing them in pressed pennies albums.


Classic Pressed Pennies Books

This two-pack of pressed pennies books comes with two random pressed pennies to start your collection. Each pressed pennies book holds 44 coins (i.e., 36 pressed pennies and and 8 pressed quarters). This is a good option for young children or those who simply want a place to organize their coins.


Pressed Penny Journal

This pressed penny journal holds 146 coins (i.e., 128 pressed pennies and 18 pressed quarters or nickels), and includes pages to jot down notes and memories. This would be a good option for teens or adults.

Pressed Penny Jewelry

Turn your favorite souvenir pressed pennies into jewelry.


Wearable Souvenir Wristband for Pressed Penny

This wearable souvenir wristband has a sleeve to display your pressed penny. This wristband is also available in other colors.


Wearable Souvenir Necklace for Press Penny

This wearable souvenir necklace has a sleeve to display your pressed penny. The pendant sleeves are available in other colors.

Souvenir Pressed Penny Cuff

This Etsy shop turns souvenir pressed pennies into cute cuffs.

Special Custom Pressed Pennies

These Etsy shop sellers create custom pressed pennies for special occasions. Here are a few of my favorite custom pressed pennies.

Special Pressed Pennies from Santa that fell from the sky.
Special Pressed Penny from the Tooth Fairy
Special Birthday Party Favor Coin
Will You Marry Me Proposal Pressed Penny
Biblical Verse Psalm 46:10 Pressed Penny – Be Still and Know.

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Save Money With a State Parks Pass

Dinosaur Valley State Park and Save Money with a State Parks Pass

Save money with a State Parks Pass! We plan on visiting several Texas state parks this year, and after pricing out the day use and camping fees, it made more sense to purchase a Texas State Parks annual pass.

The Texas State Parks annual pass gives us unlimited free entry to 89 state parks and it gives us additional perks like discounts on camping. The standard pass costs $70 + shipping and handling fees ($5.95). However, if you are a senior, disabled veteran or have a substantial physical or mental disability, you may qualify for a free Texas Parklands Passport. For additional information, visit the Texas Parks & Wildlife website.

If you are planning to visit your state parks this year, check to see if your state offers an annual pass or other discounts. If you live near bordering state(s), check out that state’s details as well. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that Arkansas does not charge entry fees to their state parks.

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Hello Fresh Review: Is it Worth it?

I have seen Hello Fresh ads for months but never had a reason to try it because my husband and I already love to cook. However, one day I was catching up with an old friend who wanted to break the cycle of eating out all the time. It was an unhealthy and expensive habit. I offered to share some of my easy, go-to recipes, but she said she did not know how to cook. So instead, I suggested she consider trying a meal prep program like Hello Fresh. When I saw Upromise had a $40 cash back offer on Hello Fresh, I decided to give it a try too and I am glad I did.

Jump To

Hello Fresh Discount Codes & Cash Back
My First Hello Fresh Order
Hello Fresh Would Be Good For…
Hello Fresh: Pros & Cons
Overall


One of our favorite Hello Fresh meals: White Cheddar Wonderburgers with caramelized onion, special sauce and old bay fries.

Hello Fresh Discount Codes & Cash Back

Hello Fresh has generous coupon codes and cash back rewards that makes it a no brainer to try out. My first order of Hello Fresh was less than what I would have spent on groceries, and they delivered the ingredients to me.

Upromise

Upromise has a $40 cash back on the first Hello Fresh order. If you have not heard of Upromise, it is a website that allows you a unique way to save up for a college fund. Basically, it allows you to earn cash back from purchases. It is 100% free to sign-up, and they give you a $30 bonus.*

Rakuten

Rakuten is currently offering $10 cash back.* Rakuten is another cash back rewards program. It is also 100% free to sign-up, and they give you a $30 bonus.*

Coupon Cabin

Coupon Cabin is currently offering $10.10 cash back.* Coupon Cabin is another cash back rewards program that is 100% free to sign-up.

Hello Fresh Discount Codes

14 free meals from HelloFresh when you buy a 4-week subscription, plus no shipping fees (new customers only): KX-299Y9B6WE Expires 9/29/21

My First Hello Fresh Order

How it Arrived

My first order arrived in two boxes. I loved that the fresh ingredients were organized by meal in labeled paper sacks. The meat was labeled and separated in portions. I was disappointed I only received 5 of the 6 recipe cards, but there was an easy fix. If this happens to you, you can go to their website and download a copy of the recipe card from your “My Menu” page. When you open up the recipe, click on the download icon (i.e., down arrow) that appears in the upper left corner of the recipe.

Remember to Freeze Your Proteins

Hello Fresh recommends freezing all proteins until a few hours before you want to cook them. Once the protein is thawed, you need to use meats within 5 hours and seafood within 2 days. To defrost the meats, I just placed them in the refrigerator the night before I wanted to cook the meal.

Szechuan Beef & Green Beans with Ginger Rice & Candied Peanuts

I chose to prepare Szechuan Beef & Green Beans with Ginger Rice & Candied Peanuts as our first meal, and it was delicious!!! The fresh ingredients were in good condition and everything came pre-measured. The Hello Fresh meal kits do not include sugar, salt, pepper, cooking oil or butter. They assume that people have those ingredients on hand, and we did. The directions were very clear.

I am not new to cooking so I did make changes to suit my preferences. For example, instead of steaming the green beans in the microwave, I chose to steam them in a pan. I just threw them in a pan with 1/4 cup of water, covered it up and heated them on the stove for a few minutes on medium heat until the green beans were tender.

I was excited to learn a new way to make candied peanuts. Normally, I would just toss a little sugar in a pan with the nuts and let the sugar caramelize and coat the nuts, but I prefer the directions in this recipe, which says to add a little water. Adding water allows the sugar to coat the nuts evenly.

Hello Fresh Would Be Good For…

People Who Are Constantly Dining Out – It is unhealthy to eat out all of the time and it gets very expensive. If you are dining out because you do not have the time to go grocery shopping and plan out meals, this is a good option for you.

Spouse or Significant Other – Let me specify, a spouse or significant other who has expressed a wish to learn how to cook. This might not go over well if they never mentioned wanting to learn how to cook in the first place.

Date Night – The exception to the above is if you present Hello Fresh as a way for both of you to learn a new skill. Couples cooking classes are a great bonding experience! This would be an easy, inexpensive and fun date night activity.

Seasoned Cooks Who Want to Try Something New – My husband and I cook all the time, but we enjoyed trying something new.

College Students – This would be a thoughtful gift to a college student who has access to a kitchen and is new to cooking. No one should have to eat ramen 24/7.

One of our favorite Hello Fresh dinners: One-Pot Longhorn Turkey & Black Bean Chili

Hello Fresh: Pros & Cons

PROSCONS
– Several easy to make recipes
– Delicious meals
– Cheaper than dining at a restaurant
– Meals are ready under an hour
– Generous portions
– You can skip weeks
– Hello Fresh gives back to the community
– They have a rewards program		– Only some of the ingredients are organic
– Meal kits do not include salt, pepper, sugar, oil and butter
-More expensive than the grocery store
– $8.99 shipping fee per delivery


Overall

Overall, Hello Fresh is a good value for those who tend to dine out. The meals have generous portions and are cheaper than dining out at a restaurant. This is also a good introduction for those who are new to cooking. Your meals are planned for the week, food is delivered straight to your door and they arrive in pre-portioned packages. This minimizes the stress in cooking and makes the process enjoyable. Even if you are a seasoned cook, this would be an easy and fun way to spice up a week of cooking with pre-planned, tasty recipes.

Want to get cash back on Hello Fresh and other stores? Make sure you check out the articles I wrote on Upromise and Rakuten.

*See program’s website for current offers and terms and conditions.

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Free Vacation Savings Challenge Printables

Vacation Savings Challenge with piggy bank and money savings challenge printables

Part of planning an amazing vacation involves saving money for it. I know it can be tough saving for something that seems months or maybe even years down the road especially when you are tempted to spend money on things that will give you instant gratification today. But if you think about it, those things do not usually bring you lasting happiness. They get old, worn and used up. So change it up, and spend money on experiences that will create memories that will last a lifetime! The more money you set aside upfront, the more options you will have for lodging, restaurants, activities and shopping.

I created free Vacation Savings Challenge printables to help you reach your money savings goal. These printables will keep you motivated and help you stay on track. Keep reading for tips on how to make this challenge work for you.

Note: Just add the printables to your cart and check out. No credit card information is needed.

How to Make This Vacation Savings Challenge Work

Choose Your Travel Inspiration

Aerial view of Honolua Bay, Maui, Hawaii, USA

You need a compelling visual reminder of what you are saving for. Choose a gorgeous photo of the place you want to travel to. This photo should make you smile every time you look at it. If you do not know exactly where you are going to travel yet, just choose a photo of the type of vacation that you want to take.

I chose a tropical photo for my Vacation Savings Challenge because I love the ocean and beautiful beaches. You can cut out a photo from your favorite travel magazine or print it from the internet.

Place it Where You Can See it Daily

Place this in an area that you will see everyday like your bathroom or kitchen. This is important because it will remind you daily of what you are saving for, and remind you of what your priorities are.

Feeling a little lazy and want to eat out tonight? Nope, not today. I would much rather be relaxing in a hammock on the beach sipping a strawberry daquiri.

Laying in Hammock at Hyatt Maui Resort

Set Realistic Goals

Do not set yourself up for failure. The $3,000 in 6 Months Savings Challenge is not going to be realistic for everyone because we all have different levels of income and obligations. That is why I also created two different templates to help you meet your money savings challenge. The first one, is a 6-month challenge, and the second one is a one-year challenge.

How to Customize 6-Month Challenge

  1. Determine the amount you want to save for.
  2. Then divide that number by 6. This is the amount you need to save each month.
  3. Then divide the monthly amount by 4. This is the amount you will fill in each square.

Example:

Goal = $2,000

$2,000 / 6 = $333.33 (monthly goal)

$333.33 / 4 = $83.33 (per square)

How to Customize 12-Month Challenge

  1. Determine the amount you want to save for.
  2. Then divide that number by 12. This is the amount you need to save each month.
  3. Then divide the monthly amount by 4. This is the amount you will fill in each square.

Example:

Goal = $6,000

$6,000 / 12 = $500 (monthly goal)

$500 / 4 = $125 (per square)

Track Your Progress

Track your progress! Color in each box that you save for. It is important to see your progress. I get excited with each new box I fill in. It is a huge morale booster, and it is so much easier to stay on track. My mind is automatically finding ways to save money to achieve my goal.

Money Saving Tips

If you are struggling with ideas on how to save money, there is a wealth of information out there. There are free resources online, and several books on this subject. So far, The Cheapskate Next Door by Jeff Yeager is my favorite money saving book. It gives several actionable tips to help you save money. A copy may even be in your local library.



The Cheapskate Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of Americans Living Happily Below Their Means



I also share easy money saving tips or money making ideas on this blog. So make you check out those articles and subscribe for updates.

Get Inspired

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Grand Canyon Skywalk Ticket Deals

How to save money on Grand Canyon Skywalk Tickets with view of Grand Canyon Skywalk

Grand Canyon Skywalk has been on our family’s bucket list for ages! We knew how expensive this trip could be so we always kept an eye out for good Grand Canyon Skywalk ticket deals. It took some creative thinking, but we were able to save $15.41 per ticket! Now, I am sharing with you how we saved money on our Grand Canyon Skywalk Tickets. Be sure to read to the end of this post where I compare different promos.

Grand Canyon Skywalk Tickets

The Grand Canyon Skywalk is located on the Hualapai Reservation at the west rim of the Grand Canyon. It is not part of the Grand Canyon National Park system so your National Park pass will not work here. To walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk, you need to buy a ticket for admission to Grand Canyon West and also a ticket for the Skywalk itself.

Grand Canyon West general admission tickets are normally $45.00 and the Skywalk Add-on is another $23.00, which comes out to $68 per person. However, we spent about $52.59 per person, which means we saved $15.41 per ticket.

Note: Grand Canyon West Rim is currently selling a bundle of $59 for a combo of general admission and skywalk ticket.

Groupon Digital Gift Cards from Coupon Cabin

Groupon is selling the same bundle for $59, but we were able to get additional savings.

First, we purchased an instant digital Groupon gift card at Coupon Cabin. The maximum gift card value we could purchase was $100.00. At 6.75% cash back, we received $6.75 cash back. We could only purchase one gift card that day.

Bonus Tip: Consider using a credit card that allows you to earn cash back or gives you reward miles for additional perks on this purchase. Your bank card or even PayPal may also offer special perks. I recently received an email from PayPal saying they would give me a $5 discount on a Groupon purchase of at least $40.

Rakuten Cash Back from Groupon

After getting our digital gift card, I signed in to my Rakuten account. If you do not already have one, sign-up for one for free. This is a cash back site where you can get cash back on purchases that you are already planning to make.

Rakuten is currently offering a promotion where they are giving $30 to you and $30 to your friend if your friend signs up and makes a qualifying purchase within 90 days. If you sign up through my link, we can both earn $30 too. If you want to learn about Rakuten, you can read my post and see how I have saved over $2,500 using Rakuten (f/k/a Ebates).

We searched for “Groupon” on the Rakuten website, and then clicked on the Groupon link. A new page popped up that briefly displayed the current cash back rates, and then automatically re-directed us to Groupon’s website.

Groupon

Once Rakuten re-directed us to Groupon.com, we searched for “Grand Canyon Skywalk” and then clicked on the deal. You will see a few different options to choose from. Please remember you must purchase a General Admission ticket to Grand Canyon West and also a Grand Canyon Skywalk add-on ticket to walk on the skywalk.

Note: Groupon can be a great source for deals, but always check the terms and conditions prior to purchase for any limitations, expiration date, etc.

A “General Admission with Skywalk Add-On” ticket was $59.00 on Groupon. We purchased four tickets for $236. We used our digital gift card towards the balance, and then used our credit card to pay the remaining balance.

At the time we made our purchase Rakuten was offering 8% cash back so we saved $18.88 (see below).

UPDATE: Groupon is excluding portions paid by gift cards on Rakuten so choose the best discount available.

Print Your Tickets

Print out your Groupon tickets, and make sure you bring them with you. You will need to show them twice.

First, you will show them at the Grand Canyon West terminal to gain entrance into Grand Canyon West. Then you will hop on to the free shuttle to Eagle Point (i.e., the first shuttle stop where the skywalk is located). You will need to show your tickets again to gain entry to the skywalk itself. Redeeming the Groupon was a breeze.

If you want to read about our visit to Grand Canyon West, click here. If you are driving from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West Rim, check out my road trip itinerary. We visited Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, Arizona’s Joshua Tree Forest and Grand Canyon West all in one day!

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Grand Canyon Skywalk Savings Comparisons*

Two Adults*

If we only needed two tickets, it would have cost us $50.91 per person.

Family of Four – Three Adults and 1 Child (ages 5-12)*

By layering the strategies I described above, our family saved $25.63. Our cost was about $52.59 per person. How much you save will depend on the offers and cash back rates that are available (if any) at time of purchase.

Family of Four – Two Adults & Two Children Over 4 Years Old*

If you have a family of four (i.e., 2 adults and 2 kids), you can use our strategies above.

Or you can get the Grand Canyon Family Package which will give you general admission for $134.00. General tickets will average at $33.50 per person. Then you would purchase skywalk tickets for each person at $23/person. Your total cost will will be $226 or $56.50 per person.

Family with Children 4 Years and Younger*

If you have a family with children 4 years and younger, you only need to purchase tickets for the adults. Children 4 years and younger are free and do not need a general admission ticket or a skywalk ticket.

You could try our layering strategies above. If we only needed two tickets, it would have cost us $50.91 per person.

Seniors 65+, Military & Veterans*

If you are a senior (ages 65+) or are active military or a veteran, you can get general admission and skywalk for $55. You must show your ID at the Grand Canyon West ticket terminal.

Arizona and Las Vegas Residents*

Arizona and Las Vegas residents can get 10% off general admission, skywalk, meal ticket and zip line when they show their ID at the Grand Canyon West ticket terminal.

Alternative Day Trips from Las Vegas

If you don’t want to deal with the hassle of driving and would rather sit back, relax and soak in the beautiful views, consider booking a Grand Canyon Walk and Hoover Dam day trip from Las Vegas.



I hope you are able to save as much (if not more) than we did! Make sure you follow our blog so that you do not miss out on any new posts.

*All of these scenarios are examples of what was possible at the time we purchased our tickets. Actual savings will depend on what discounts are available (if any) and the price of Grand Canyon West tickets which can change at any time without notice. Our final cost takes in account the savings we received in the form of cash back through online rebate or coupon programs; not the actual amount we paid at the time of purchase. For current Grand Canyon West ticket prices, promos and conditions, please visit their website.