Tip of the day for ya!

You might have heard other frugal friends suggest that you call up your service providers and haggle for a better plan. I'm not gonna knock it; I've done it many times and was pleasantly surprised with the results!

I am, however, gonna tweak it a bit.

You have the best leverage in negotiating with your providers if you are close to the end of your contract. That is when the company feels most unsure of your business (they know you're probably starting to shop around). Since they want to keep you on as a longtime customer they will be more likely to work with you on a good deal. If you're only halfway through your contract, they know you're pretty much stuck so they are less likely to haggle with you.

Timing is everything!

Have you ever read a book so haunting, so real, that you knew you would never forget it or its characters? That's how I felt reading Ellen Feldman's novel, Next to Love. It has been awhile since I have sunk my teeth into a good piece of fiction, and this was so worth the wait.

Next to Love is a historical fiction work that is set in a small Massachusetts town, where three girlfriends' lives are chronicled for over two decades. Babe, Grace, and Millie go from childhood pals to young women engaged to soldiers who are about to head off to war. Through the years those gals, along with their men, face so much hardship. The aftermath of the war was more than anything anyone could have predicted. And it affected each character in such a profoundly different way.

This was a beautifully written story that highlights the era well.

Ready for your money saving tip of the day? I thought so!

Did you know that fees for bills that are paid late can be as much as $30! For one stinkin' oversight. Avoid the fee by being timely with your bill-pay. Easier said than done, right? Try sending yourself an email reminder as the due date approaches.

Coupons.com has released some brand new printable coupons! Print 'em now while you have the chance. The coupons disappear by the end of the month and new ones take their place.

Some people consider January to be their "new year", but not me. Nope, I've always felt that September is the time for fresh starts. Afterall, that is when the new school year starts, and I've been gearing up for back to school each September for 26 years. First as a student myself, then as a teacher, and now as a mommy.

Which I why I simply adore the Mom's Busy Year planner! You see, it starts at back-to-school time. How smart is that? It's good-looking and functional for busy moms. Made by Leap Year Publishing (of Laura Kelly Designs), this hand little tool is a must-have for any mommy.

Here's a peek at what it looks like opened up in all it's super-efficient glory...

It comes with over 200 stickers to make those special days stand out (holidays, dentist appointments, birthdays, etc.)

Even the side margins of the planner pages are functional. There are 4 perforated lists to help you get organized for the upcoming week. One is the all-important grocery list:

Next is the crucial weekly menu:

Then you have the To-Do List:

And finally, the Activities List:

The planner has a nifty little pocket for stashing receipts, coupons, flyers, etc.

Moms are so busy this time of year, shopping their hearts out for the kiddos. Why should they get all the goodies? Well, one lucky reader will win a Mom's Busy Year Planner of her very own!

Do any and all of the following for your chance to win:

-Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite back to school memory.

-Follow Free 2 Be Frugal on Facebook

-Follow Free 2 Be Frugal on Twitter

Hi there, frugal friends! Here's your frugal tip of the day...

To ensure an efficient running dryer, try shortening your dryer vent. It only needs to be long enough to go between the dryer and the wall (a few feet should do it). Any longer and that hose is destined to be damaged by obstructions, and that means having a dryer that doesn't get the job done.

Proverbs 27:12

I love a good free magazine subscription, don't you? I've been subscribing to Remedy Life for longer than I can remember. It's a fab resource for online info about healthy living. And it allows for opportunities such as free samples, good deals, and participation in health polls.

Frugal tip of the day, comin' right at ya!

Does your family have bad habits that increase your utility bills? Like forgetting to turn things off? Try this! Strategically place sticky notes at eye level in the rooms of your home reminding your peeps to turn off the light, fans, etc.

Is it tip of the day time again already? Why, yes it is! Here ya go...

Have you ever wondered if the price you're paying for prescriptions medications is the best price in town? How on earth can you find out, short of stopping into every pharmacy in town yourself? Luckily now there is a web site where you can do just that --PillBot!

How many coupon inserts will there be this weekend? Click above to see!

With back-to-school on the horizon, I thought it would be a great time to check out a solution to help my kiddo stop losing all his personal belongings! Last year was his first year in elementary school. Yep, the much-anticipated kindergarten. I learned quickly that anything without his name on it fell victim to finders, keepers, losers, weepers. My not-so-smart solution turned out to be merely a Band-Aid for the dilemma. I wrote his name on everything with permanent marker. Over time (and exposure to rainy days) those names faded 'til they were gone.

And then Mabel's Labels graciously sent me a starter pack of their ingenius classic sticky labels with my son's name on them. They promised to be extra-durable, so I figured we would give them a whirl. And they are water-proof. How smart is that?

School hadn't started yet when I got them so we used them on the goods he hauled back and forth to day camp this summer.

The outcome?

Every label remains stuck to his belongings. 'Nuff said.

Mabel has a whole lotta other labels, too. They're not just for backpacks. Back in the days when he was a toddler and preschooler and was allergic to dairy and soy, I would have loved to have had these Allergy Alert labels. Mabel's Labels are, in my opinion, a little pricey for the average mommy at $18.50 a sheet, but then again replacing lost items is not too cheap either.That said, I would be willing to fork over the extra cash for them in the future.

Free 2 Be Frugal was approached with an opportunity to participate in the Software Review Program. And since my husband is a fairly big computer geek (um, I mean, aficionado) I agreed! We are a household of gadgets and gizmos and software galore. It's his hobby and his job is centered around it. So basically, computers are our life. We own 4. Don't ask.

The first software we were sent to check out was Fix-It Utilities 11. What the heck is that, you might ask? It's a one-click PC cleanup tool. You see, computers start running slower and s.l.o.w.e.r and s...l...o...w...e...r when they get bogged down with viruses and spyware. So you need a sort of "tune-up" for your computer to get it back up and running to it's full capacity.

Enter Fix-It Utilities.

Our overall impression of this particular software was pretty good. Hubby gave it 4 stars. And he's rather picky about software, just so ya know!

-Easy to install

-Very user-friendly

-It works fast

-Our system boots up much quicker now

-Doesn't work so well in machines with Windows XP installed on it (it did work extremely well on our computers with Windows Vista and Windows 7 installed on them though)

I should add that the software allows you to perform 3 installs, a pretty good value, since it retails at only $49.99 (though I've seen it for much lower on various web sites).

Ready for your money saving tip of the day?

Everyone knows that homemade foods are not only better for you, but they cost less to make than buying those processed versions at the store. But who has time to make everything from scratch? Not this working mama!

However, I would like to encourage you to pick one convenience food item you buy regularly and try to make it yourself at home. Maybe instant mashed potatoes. If you were willing to forego this convenience, it could save you upwards of $60 a year!

Have you ever heard of the Nielsen Home Scan Consumer Panel? It's a program that lets everyday folks like you and me voice our opinions and share what kind of products we like to buy. If you're chosen you'll receive a scanner gun to scan all your purchases. You earn points for participating! And those points are redeemable for things like electronics, toys, gift cards, and more.

What's all this you keep hearing about Swagbucks? What's all the fuss?

Sign up and use Swagbucks to do your searches instead of your old search engines. Why? Because with Swagbucks you can earn points and points turn into goodies. My favorite goody to redeem points for is a gift card, without a doubt! I have earned over $1,000 in gift cards for places like Amazon, Starbucks, and Restaurant.com.

I'll admit, I was skeptical when I first heard about it. But this is the real deal. Frugal gal's honor! Your goodies are shipped to you free of charge. No credit cards are involved. You don't have to subscribe to anything to order anything. Just search and win!

Time for a tip of the day!

Do you or someone in your household have pants that no longer fit properly? Don't toss 'em! There's a way to save them and make them fit once again.

Yep, I am talking about the Perfect Fit Buttons. Now I'm not normally an as-seen-on-tv kinda shopper, but this is a darn good invention!

Before you judge me and think I spent $40 or even the "generous" $10 they now cost online, you should know that I bought these babies at Dollar Tree. I was so skeptical, but I figured for a buck it was worth a try. And it was totally worth it.

Now go--get thee to the dollar store and fix your pants!

The back to school countdown is on and my son has outgrown all his clothes. Yikes! My son is an only child so we are not fortunate enough to have hand-me-downs. So I am always on the lookout for gently used clothes from a variety of sources (Freecycle, Craigslist, ebay, yard sales, thrift shops, etc.) 'Cause retail prices on clothes scare me, to be honest. I cannot believe the prices they are asking for garments my active little guy is sure to beat up fast!

Have you tried thredUP yet? It's the online community where moms can "meet" to swap toys and clothing for their kiddos. All the buzz I've been hearing has me thinking that I need to get in on this!

If you've never tried thredUP before, your first box is free (you pay shipping only). If you're a seasoned swapper with them, you can enjoy 30% off today and tomorrow! To start swapping and saving, click the box above.

School is around the corner and that is the time I like to start a new calendar (both at home with a wall calendar and on the go, with a purse planner). Fall means new schedules for everyone in our household. Keeping track of all those practices and lessons and meetings can be tough.

Now through Friday, Vistaprint is offering free photo wall calendars to their customers! All you pay is shipping.

Photo calendars also make great gifts and with the holidays coming up, you might consider creating a custom photo wall calendar for someone on your "nice" list.

Time for your frugal tip of the day!

Summer is coming to a close and soon all those lovely fruits and veggies will be just a distant memory. But they don't have to be. Head over to the farmer's market and buy up plenty of your summertime favorites and freeze them or can them for later use.

My favorite? Strawberries and blueberries! I will so enjoy having them for baking when they are long out of season. Mmmm, and for a nice smoothie!

Have an amazing photo that you'd love to turn into a piece of art? Canvas People has an extraordinary offer on 8x10 photo canvases! Right now you can order one for free--all you pay is shipping. That's a $50 savings for a very cool way to immortalize your adorable little one or pet.

I recently created a masterpiece of my own with a photo of my son. Pics to come soon!

Simply click the image above to start creating your work of art!

Ready to get your money saving tip of the day?

Are you trying to lose weight or become more fit? Many people find it helpful to keep a food journal to track what they are eating. My Fitness Pal is a free program that can help you do just that! You can even use it as a free app on your smart phone.

Proverbs 22:2

Back-to-school time is here (or will be soon, depending on what neck of the woods you live in!) And that means stocking up on cereal. Good sales on breakfast foods are upon us! Stretch those savings with coupons for all your family's favorite Kellogg's cereals.

Click above to get your coupons.

Time for your tip of the day.

Did you know it takes 21 days to make something a habit? If you'd like to form a new habit, be it blogging each day, exercising daily, or omitting a money-wasting habit, there is an easy way to do it!

Simply print out one of these free printable habit calendars and mark off each day you manage to do the new task. If you mess up one day, simply X out that calendar and start the next one on the sheet. Once you have achieved 21 straight days at it, you will have a new habit!