1. Pack N Tote Extra Large Grocery Tote

Large and in charge for less than $10. Grocery Cart Helper Bag, Blue

2. Organic Cotton String Bag

This one is great for those who prefer an open and airy bag, not too mention perfect great for the Summer and or for produce. ACME Bags – Organic Cotton String Shopping Bag, Long Handle less than $10.

3. Baggu Collapsible Shopping Bag

Colorful collapsible shopping bag for all of $7.95

4. Original Chico Bag in Blue

The original Chico Bag in blue. $5.95 ChicoBag Original Reusable Shopping Bag, Blue

5. Chico Bag in Green and Purple.

This one is a little extra sexy, so it’s 11.95 and not under $10. ChicoBag Compact Reusable Shopping Bag, Blossom Collection, Cherry Blossom

We live in tough economic times, and as such people are looking for ways to save money.  With soaring gas prices, anyone who drives can save a significant amount of money with a few good tips. Here are ten ways to save money on gas that will not break the bank.

1. Maintain a Constant Speed
On highways and interstates, make sure you use your cruise control to keep a steady speed.  Driving over 60 mph decreases your fuel efficiency. Therefore, do not be a speed demon.  Slowing down WILL save you money on gas.

2. Air Conditioning
If you are sitting in traffic, turn the air off and roll down the window.  However, if you are on the highway, you should still use the air conditioner instead of rolling down the windows (too much drag affects fuel efficiency in a different way).  The best way to save money is to keep the air conditioning off, if you can stand it.

3. Keep up Maintenance
If you have maintenance problems that need repaired, do not ignore them!  You might think that you cannot afford it. However, it will actually save you money in the end, because certain defects with the vehicle can reduce gas mileage (and if a problem gets worse, it’ll be more expensive – car problems don’t just go away like a cold or fever).  You should make sure that you change the oil regularly.  The oil should be changed every 3,000 miles or every three months.  Your air filter should also be regularly checked.

4. Tires
Make sure your tires have an adequate amount of air in them. Keeping your tires inflated can improve fuel efficiency by up to four percent. It also expends the life of your tires, which can save you money.  You should also have your tires aligned.

5. Carpool
If you have other people from your office who live nearby, consider carpooling. You could even possibly share a car with your spouse if they work near your place of employment.  Many offices advertise carpooling on the bulletin board, or you could send out an email to everyone in the company asking if anyone watch to share a ride. This could literally cut your gas expenses in half (or more).

6. Look at your Gas Cap
Many cars on the road actually have broken or defective gas caps…so you need to check yours.  You also need to make sure that it is on securely. If gas fumes escape from your vehicle, it will hurt your fuel economy.

7. Brake Correctly
If you ride with your foot on the brake, it will cost you more in gas.  It will also make your brake pads wear out quicker.  In addition, the most gas is used when you are accelerating, so do NOT speed up and then slam the brakes.

8. Do not Idle
If your vehicle is stopped for more than 25 seconds, you should turn it off.  In addition, you might be tempted to go outside and warm your car up on a cold morning.  This will actually cost you more money in gas.  If you are stuck in traffic or in a long line, turn your vehicle off.

9.  Research Stations
Gas prices will vary among stations. Therefore, you should know which stations have the lowest prices.  Know when certain stations offer discounts, and check websites that list the lowest gas prices in your area.  Some stations offer discounts if you use cash, and some stations offer discounts for using a certain credit card.

10. No Premium!
High octane refers to gas that can be compressed more.  It is not necessary to purchase this type of gas unless your vehicle requires it. Regular gas is around 20 cents cheaper, and premium is not something that will make that much of a difference, performance wise.

Mikaela Watson likes to write about green energy, couponing & Homeequityloan.net.

One thing we all can agree on though, is that there are things we can do on the big day to make it a bit more on the planet-friendly side. Let’s take a look below at a few simple ideas that won’t break the bank.

Eco Snacks And Treats -

What good is a Superbowl party without delicious snacks and treats galore. Take note of online recipes that call for all natural and organic ingredients, this means the food products are sans additives and or artificial flavorings, colors, etc. Just about any recipe can be made with organic ingredients from the main entree to desserts, snacks and or an ornate appetizer tray.

Organic Brew -

Drinks. You need drinks on Superbowl Sunday and lots of them. Well we retract this comment a tad as you don’t really need lots of drinks. However good organic brews and wine are available in most liquor stores including Binny’s and other local wineries. Look online first for organic beer reviews, however a few good brands include Peak Organic and Sierra Nevada.

Easy Access Recycling Bins -

This is a simple and inexpensive idea that anyone can try in their home. The idea revolves around strategically placing a few BIG recycling bins in the area where the party is to be held. This could be as simple as using large blue colored garbage cans, baskets or bins with a big recycling sign on it. This way all your guests and party-goers will know exactly where to throw their empty bottles, plastic and other assorted items without having to go look for them.

Have fun on Superbowl weekend and hope YOUR team wins. As for us, we are so rooting for the New England Patriots and pretty boy Tom Brady. Whoever your rooting for, may the day and the festivities be a fun and family filled, planet-friendly event.

Guest article by: Missy who writes for a business fuel card comparison website.

With that in mind, we decided to scour the iTunes store and see what good frugal iPhone apps I could find that would be helpful or useful to women. Below are three of our findings.

1. Text Free Unlimited -

If your cell phone service provider doesn’t have or charges too much to add unlimited texting, then web based texting is your next best bet. This free app allows you to receive and send texts to others at no charge. This is great for those who text a lot and or simply want a low cost option to their cell phone providers texting plan.

2. Scout Mob -

This cool app scours the web for low cost eateries in whatever zip code you search. Are you in the mood for BBQ ribs? Maybe a Mexican joint? Well no cuisine is out of reach with this very cool app. Great for foodies on a budget and or those who love a sweet meal and deal. It’s simple, intuitive and free. Find it on the web via the iTunes store or search via your iPhone directly.

3. Gas Buddy -

Everyone is concerned with the high price of gas and how best to conserve. It’s a viable concern and one that affects us all, whether we drive or not. However if you are a driver and are looking for smart and easy ways to save. Try this free iPhone app that lets you search and compare rates on various gas stations throughout your city and state. A time and gas saver in one. Works as you would imagine, by typing in a zip code or city name and then choosing the gas station you think has the better rate without having to drive 20 miles to get to it.

There are many more frugal iPhone apps out there, but the three profiled above should help you score some big savings. As a woman who looks out for the family’s budget, no doubt this a boon for you. Try one or all since they’re free and let us know how they fare for you.

Article contributed by a guest who writes about personal finance, debt counseling and frugal living. When Missy is not busy cutting coupons and looking for a good deal, she loves to bike and hike in her hometown of Chicago.

You can buy new at a local store such as Walmart or Best Buy, you can purchase online via at Amazon or buy via re-manufactured place such as Cartridge Ink.

If you opt for Amazon, they have them remanufactured at a very good rate, I found one for my Lexmark printer for less than$8 shipped.

On Amazon the customer reviews are mostly positive and for $8, you can’t really lose. If you decide to get your ink online via Amazon could you please come back here and let us know your experience with it? We want to hear more reviews from customers.

Cheers,
Danny

Here are a few tips to shop for fashionable clothes on a budget:

1. Research on prices:

When you are planning to buy clothes make sure that you compare the prices on each dress. You can conduct an online research in order to get the best deal on fashionable clothes and designer outfits. It will help you get an idea where to find clothes at affordable price in accordance with your budget.

2. Opt for discounts:

Discount stores offer good deal but you are required to do an extensive search in order to get the dress that you desire to buy. Remember that these are the best places where you can get designer outfits on discounted price. You can get 25% to 50% off on labeled prices on branded attires. Make sure that you visit these discount stores when you plan to buy clothes next time to do frugal shopping.

3. Get your dress stitched:

You can get hold of a tailor who works for these designers so that you can get the same item stitched. Try to get the latest edition of a fashion magazine, take it to the tailor so that you can get the same dress stitched. You can manage to get the same item at affordable price with the same fit that will make many heads turn in the party.

4. Look for online sales:

You can check the departmental store websites in order to check the sale section. If you buy online then the prices will be less in comparison to the actual shop. You can easily enjoy shopping online at low price. It will not be difficult to find things that you want as all the items are categorized in accordance with its type.

Your trendy image will not suffer because of your financial crisis if you keep the aforementioned tips in mind. Make sure that you shop wisely so that you can spice up your closet economically and also manage to stay in the limelight.

Available in the colors cyan (we love it in Cyan) and matte black, the third version of Lumia smartphones by Nokia was designed specifically for the US user. Powered by the Windows 7.5 Mango operating system, this cool phone features advanced functions that set it aside from other smartphones.
The huge 4.3” AMOLED clear/black display screen, 7 hours of 3G talk time, Wi-Fi/web browsing capabilities, 60 hours of music playback, USB charging and its sleek appearance is enough to gain fans, but this AT&T exclusive phone features so much more. Below are just three of the many cool features found on the Nokia Lumia 900.

Three Cool Features Found on the Nokia Lumia 900:

4G LTE Technology: Up to 10 times faster than 3G, the Lumia 900 features the 4G LTE technology that makes downloading and browsing faster and more effective. Great for data heavy videos, music streaming, TV shows, podcasting, etc.

8 Megapixels Main Camera: This 3x digital zoom front facing camera with dual LED flash and Carl Zeiss Optics allows for accurate and error free picture taking and also features one click photo sharing.

Communication/Social networking: The ability to stay connected to work, family and friends via Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, SMS, email and chat makes this smartphone a fun powerhouse to keep up with your busy and global social network.

We can’t deny the Windows 7 operating system is one of the more exciting aspects of the phone, along with the fact that it’s available in the cool Cyan color as well. Although of course, we would never choose a phone based on color. Right?

Guest article by: Rachel who works for an online car hire Florence service company.

For a limited time, you can snag a $25 iTunes gift card for only $17.50 a HUGE 30% off discount that’s being offered up by daily deal site Saveology. An iTunes gift card can be used to purchase music, movies and or games for use on the iPhone, iPad or iPod. Great for teens, men, women, and well anyone who owns an Apple device.

Whether this is a buy for yourself, a family member or a friend – now is a great time to score a $25 iTunes gift card for only $17.50 at Saveology.

Our Credit System

Some analysts blame the current credit system for creating our economic crisis and for compounding it even now. Let’s face it; you need a good credit score to borrow money, get a credit card, purchase a vehicle or buy a home. You even need a good score to be hired at an increasing number of American companies.

With the current unemployment rates, many Americans can’t find work and don’t have the credit score required to borrow money from a bank. Finding themselves being squeezed out of a middle-class lifestyle, many people turn to bad credit loans to keep afloat while trying to boost their credit scores.

We need to evaluate our current unhelpful credit system and open it up to the millions of Americans who now find themselves on the fringe of our credit-based culture.

Our Global Economy

The American middle-class is also declining due to the increasingly global economy. Politicians decided that opening up our economy to the whole world would be financially beneficial for both America and American workers.

However, it turns out that middle-class workers are competing for jobs with folks living in countries without any minimum wage laws and few federal regulations. While the global economy has turned out to be good for large global corporations, the middle-class laborers are finding it difficult to find jobs and support their families.

Lower Wages

Most current job openings are in the retail and the service industries. Americans lucky enough to snag one of those jobs typically find themselves working for lower wages. It’s hard to maintain a middle-class lifestyle when you make minimum wage. Many families have to bridge the gap between their earnings and their lifestyle somehow. Usually they get new credit cards or take out a bank loan. But what if you don’t have good credit? You either get a bad credit loan or let your family go hungry.

Cost of Education

One of the goals that dominates middle-class ideology is to help your children have a better standard of living than the one you had growing up. For this reason, many Americans strive to provide their children with great educational opportunities.

But the cost of financing higher education has risen sharply, causing quite a financial strain on middle-class families. Once again, you need a great credit score to qualify for educational loans. Parents with poor credit scores often take out bad credit loans.

Health Care Costs

The cost of health care has also risen sharply while the number of Americans with health insurance has dropped radically. Without health insurance, many American families are just one catastrophic injury or illness away from slipping out of the middle-class and right into poverty.

Conclusions

As income inequality increases in America, the middle class is disappearing, leaving an increasing number of families either very rich or very poor. The middle-class is in danger of disappearing entirely and once it is gone, it is highly unlikely to ever return. Are you ready for America’s two-tiered class system?

The $2 subs included in the promotion are: the meatballs and the cold cut sandwiches. This is a sweet deal and most US locations are said to be participating.

I advise you go the Subway website and find your local Subway restaurant and then call and see if they’re participating. Then go and score yourself a $2 sub.

via Subway