This blog is about saving money! Finding deals and discounts. So, it is with that in mind that I am going to attempt to build my own solar water heater! I am going to attempt this because, according the site where I’m getting the plans, I can do this for under $70 AND I can save up to 33% off on my electricity bill. ( plus the dude is going to give me a 60 day money back guarantee so I really don’t have anything to lose).  My plan is to get this built ( or maybe one of the other energy saving guides that come with it ) and then report back here on my actual savings.

Stay tuned!

$HIPPING $UX!

Shipping! Shipping! Shipping! It’s that dirty little cost that is added at the end of the checkout process after you have already fallen in love with the item you are purchasing. Some companies pile on a huge chunk of change and hide it in the “shipping cost” area. I recently wanted to buy a shirt and then noticed, at checkout, they were going to charge me $14 to ship me the $15 shirt. LAME! So, I set out on a mission to find a source where “free shipping is king!” I found it! It is called, ironically, FreeShipping.org.

From the site:
Do you dig for the best free shipping codes at all your favorite stores while enjoying the comfort of shopping at home? Pamper yourself and your budget with an exclusive free shipping code from FreeShipping.org!

It is our mission to help you save on every purchase by compiling the most exhaustive selection of stores with free shipping and handling on the Internet. We cater to every online shopping need, with regular discounts from iconic department stores like Macys, JCPenney, Sears, Nordstrom and Kohls to specialty retailers such as American Eagle, Victoria’s Secret, Best Buy, Oriental Trading and Eddie Bauer. And the savings don’t end with clothes. We take care to ensure online deals from over 2,000 stores and outlets are available daily in time for your next purchase, whether it’s something large or just a personal buy.

Our merchants update their free shipping codes regularly, so check back often to find the newest promotions on the products you love.

Currently it looks like they have over 2400 free shipping coupon codes to choose from! Enjoy!

HEY! IF you like this post, please comment! I don’t bite!

Hello All! I just got turned on to Groupon.com….and I like it! Thanks Ally!

What is Groupon?

Each day, Groupon features an unbeatable deal on the best stuff to do, see, eat, and buy in your city. By promising businesses a minimum number of customers, we get discounts you won’t find anywhere else. We call it “collective buying power!”

The “in your city” is what I really like about Groupon.

Visit the site, and then at the top check the city you are in. As you’ll see below, since I am in Dallas, I see a crazy deal for the day for Dallas:

Today’s deal for Dallas is/was: $99 for Six Laser Hair-Removal Treatments on Two Areas of the Body at Texas Laser Clinic in Frisco (Up to $1,275 Value). That is a pretty good deal even though it doesn’t apply to me.

Too bad I didn’t live in:

Boston: $75 for an Executive Room and Dinner for Two at Radisson Castle Nashua (Up to $243.34 Value)
Orlando: $15 for $30 Worth of Casual Fare at O’Charley’s
Colorado Springs: $25 for $75 Worth of Wine from Wine Insiders’ Online Store
Toronto: $25 for $50 Worth of Elegant Eats and Drinks at Bloom Restaurant

Go check it out now and LEAVE A COMMENT if you score a great deal! The best comment this month will win a special prize!

Here is something that is truly useful and truly free….as in 100% OFF COST!

The site is called Mint.com ant it is crazy cool. What it does is it securely syncs up with your bank to give you a very clear, graphical representation of where your money goes. What I like about it is you can create spending limits by category and it will alert you ( via email or text message ) when you are close or exceeding  your limits.  For example, maybe you want to spend no more than $100/month on restaurants. You can set that up and it will automatically track that for you. You can also sync it up to your credit cards and it shows you your balances, payment history, available credit, etc.

And the best part is it is 100% Free! When you get a clear picture of your saving and spending you’ll get ( with advice from Mint.com ) saving opportunities to put more of  your money back in your pocket. Go check it out!

What: Coupon Website
Where: Famous Coupons

At Famous Coupons, users can register for a FREE membership and access thousands of coupons, samples, specials, and more from great brands.

Users are presented with great offers including free trials, discounts, special offers, sweepstakes, freebies, and more. They get to choose which offers they’re interested in – and with so many to pick from they’ll can almost always find ones that they really like!

Click here to visit Offcost.com’s special link to save money on your favorite products and services.

Easy to opt-out at any time!

If you haven’t heard the tapes, get ready for a dooozy! Note to self ( don’t go crazy on the telephone…you might get taped! )

Warning! NSFW ( Language )

If you are like me you are sick of seeing oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. This oil is obviously polluting our environment but also ruining people’s livelihoods who depend on the Gulf to make a living. These people include fishermen and those cities who border the beach and rely on travel and tourism. Where I live I don’t have a daily reminder of what exactly this oil does to the environment (‘cept on TV ) so, I did some checking online and found BPShame.com ( http://www.bpshame.com ). It is a photo gallery of images showing exactly what this oil is doing to wildlife, beaches, marshes, and more.

So, go check it out and pass it along to your friends. http://www.bpshame.com

Alrighty! We got ourselves a winner in the June 2010 Flip HD Video Camera Contest. Now, let’s go get us a winner for August! Everyone that entered before is AUTOMATICALLY entered to win this contest for a Flip HD Video Camera. If you haven’t already entered…go here: http://www.offcost.com/win-a-flip-camera-contest

What: Free eBook with Low Calorie Recipes
Where: QualityHealth.com

If you follow this blog you know I like FREE! So, get it while you can! This is a free eBook from Quality Health.com. This book is a “lose weight book” with tips, exercises, recipes and more. I think you’ll like it. All you have to do is sign up as a member which is again totally free!

Go get it!

The site also has a ton of useful information about Allergies, Arthritis, Asthma, Children’s Health & Parenting, Depression, Diabetes, Eating & Nutrition, Heart Health, Men’s Health, Stomach & Digestive, and Women’s Health.

Currently I’m checking out the Work Week Recipes – Get great recipes for a busy work week.

Alright already…go get your free book before they remove the offer from the site.

What: Planning site for expecting mothers or new mothers
Where: Planning Family.com

If you are “expecting” we just found a great new website that offers you a free planning guide during and after pregnancy as well as a ton of discounts on diapers, formula, clothing, bottles and more ( too much to list ).

From the website: By registering with PlanningFamily.com you will receive stage based pregnancy and baby email newsletters and offers as well as access to free baby samples, baby coupons, baby magazines and more!

So, go check ‘em out and tell ‘em OffCost.com sent ya!

Click here to visit Planning Family.com