• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Money Saving Duo

Discovering how to live a glorious life on less

  • Home
  • Freebies & Giveaways
  • Deals & Discounts
  • Budget Tips
  • Family on Mission
    • Travel & Staycations
  • Favorite Money Saving Tools

Duo Update

Backpack Giveaway at Select Verizon Locations!

July 17, 2023 by moneysavingduo

Free Backpack Giveaway Promotional Image

Are you looking for ways to save on back to school supplies? To help, Verizon is giving away backpacks full of school supplies July 30th at select locations across the United States.

This year, Verizon is giving back to local communities by providing free backpacks filled with school supplies. Find out if your community is home to a Wireless Zone and if so, mark your calendars for 1 pm on July 30th.

Find Your Wireless Zone

Filed Under: Duo Update, Freebies & Giveaways Tagged With: back to school, backpack giveaway, giveaway, school supplies

Want to Save Money Fast and Jumpstart Your Emergency Fund? Here’s How to Save $1,000 in 30 Days

May 31, 2023 by Kati Mora

How to Save $1,000 in 30 Days image

Are you trying to save money fast? Saving a $1,000 for your emergency fund is a good goal to shoot for. Whether you are able to make big changes or small, here are some of our top tips to help you spend less and save $1,000 in 30 days:

An image with text that says "How to Save $1,000 in 30 Days" over a hand dropping coins into a jar

Start by looking at your budget

Before you can reach any of your money goals, its important to make sure you look at your budget. Don’t have a budget? Then your goal is to set one. Budgets may seem scary if you aren’t use to having one, but they are a really great tool to help you maximize how you use your money.

Not Sure How to Budget? Start With These Four Simple Steps

Once you have your budget set up, look at where you might be able to cut back spending. Are there any unnecessary expenses that are either eating away at your savings or preventing you from putting money into savings? If so, determine how much you are willing to cut back on those expenses and total those up. Put that amount towards your $1,000 goal.

Once you have cut back on those unnecessary expenses, look for other categories you may be able to spend less in by making some simple changes in your daily routine. You may be surprised at how many of these small changes add up.

For example: If you spend any money on food that you don’t make at home, this could be an area where you could save quite a bit if you are willing to give it a try. Instead of dining in at restaurants or ordering takeout, consider making meals at home and packing leftovers when you can. You don’t have to be the world’s greatest chef to make this work for you – stick with simple recipes and add the money you save to your emergency fund. And who knows, you may find that that this is a habit that sticks.

Cancel the memberships you never use and rethink the ones you do

Every few months, our family takes a look at what memberships we have – especially our streaming memberships – and cut whichever ones we aren’t using as much as we used to. If you are looking to save $1,000 in 30 days, this might be something worth doing if you haven’t considered doing so or haven’t done in awhile. Other examples of memberships to reevaluate include:

  • Gym memberships. If you have a gym membership and haven’t gone in awhile, cancel it.
  • Magazine subscriptions. Cancel magazine subscriptions and other publications that aren’t essential to your life.
  • If you haven’t cut cable yet, now might be a great time to do that. Switch over to streaming and you’ll save whether you choose a free streaming platform or one with a monthly subscription. Just remember, to keep it in budget.
  • Subscription boxes. Whether you cancel or delay your subscription box, this could be another way to save money if you are currently receiving these on a regular basis.
  • Cell phones and Internet. Do you really need the plan you have or can you shop around for a better price? This may be a way to save a little extra money each month.
  • Insurance policies. When is the last time you shopped around for insurance? Sometimes when you shop around, you can find better prices without sacrificing on coverage. If its been awhile since you’ve done this, this might be a great time to start asking around.

Don’t buy more groceries than you need; eat out less and have meals you can make quickly and cheaply at home.

It’s easy to get carried away when you’re shopping for groceries. You may find yourself picking up extra items, thinking you’ll use them later in the week or month. But if you don’t actually use those items, they’ll just go bad and end up costing money!

It’s better to plan your meals ahead of time and only buy what you need for those meals–no more, no less. If there are certain ingredients that would be useful in other recipes but aren’t needed right now (such as garlic or spices), add those things onto a separate list so that you remember to buy them later on down the road when needed again by another meal you are planning to make.

Be smart about shopping for groceries and essentials like toilet paper, paper towels and detergent.

If you’re like most people, your grocery bills can add up quickly. The good news is there are plenty of ways to save money on groceries:

  • Make a list and stick to it. This is an incredibly helpful way to stay in budget when shopping for grocery and household essentials.
  • Use cash back apps on your phone. We have a whole list of apps that we use to save money when grocery shopping. Many of them allow us to cash out through our PayPal account while others let us cash out for gift cards we can use for later purchases. Either way, this can be a helpful way to put more money aside for your emergency fund.

Consider what assets you can let go of

Saving is great, but sometimes its still not enough to kick start your emergency fund – especially if you don’t have much wiggle room in your budget to begin with. If this is you, it may be time to consider letting go of some of your personal belongings that you are comfortable parting with. Can you sell them on Facebook marketplace or host a garage sale? Selling items that are still in relatively good condition can be a great way to jumpstart your emergency fund.

Start a side hustle or consider whether its time to ask for a raise

Another way to bring more money into your account on a regular basis is to either start a side hustle or consider whether its time to ask for a raise. Both options can potentially bring in more money on a regular basis to your account and you can set this aside towards your emergency fund. Side hustles are great if you just need a short term infusion of cash – like if you’re trying to quickly put aside an extra $1,000 in 30 days. Asking for a raise may result in more money coming in on a more consistent basis and if you haven’t asked for one in awhile, maybe now is the time.

You can save money fast by making small changes

You can save money fast by making small changes to your spending habits. For example, canceling the membership you never use or adding cash back apps on your phone are easy ways to make more room in your budget for funds you can put towards your emergency fund. Don’t have a lot of margin to begin with? Consider selling some of your personal items you are comfortable letting go of or starting a side hustle that works with your schedule. Any of these steps can help you work towards putting money aside for something unexpected.

Conclusion

You don’t have to be an expert to save money fast. Identify ways you can reduce what you spend and reallocate that money to your emergency fund. If that’s not enough to reach $1,000 in 30 days, you may need to look at ways to bring more money in. This could include picking up a side hustle or selling some of your personal items you are ready to say goodbye to. Either way, these steps can help you reach your goal of saving $1,000 in 30 days, and have a better idea of how much money comes in and goes out each month–which means you can start saving even more!

Filed Under: Budget Tips, Duo Update, Save Money Tagged With: money saving tips, save $1000 in 30 days

Make Mom Smile Without Spending a Fortune: ‍ Low Cost Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

April 23, 2023 by Kati Mora

Big Heart Tea Co Sampler

As Mother’s Day approaches, you may be finding yourself scrambling to find the perfect gift to show our appreciation for the amazing mom (or moms!) in your life. However, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on gifts to show mom you care. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of low-cost gift ideas that will make your mom smile without breaking the bank.

Kati and the boys on a Sunday at church.

Why Low Cost Gifts Matter

While it’s easy to think that the cost of a gift is proportional to how much you care, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, the most thoughtful and meaningful gifts are the ones that cost very little. In fact, a low-cost gift can be even more special because it shows that you put thought and effort into finding something that your mom would love, even on a tight budget.

Additionally, with the current economic climate, many families may not have the financial means to spend a lot of money on gifts. By choosing a low-cost gift, you can still show your mom how much you care without adding to any financial stress.

Budget-Friendly Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Although it may seem like you need to spend a lot to show mom you care, we’re pretty sure no mom wants you to go into debt or break your money saving goals to celebrate her. In fact, there are many ways you can show mom you care regardless of budget. Need a little inspiration? From thoughtful, no-cost gifts to a few of our favorite ideas costing $30 or less, we’ve got your back this Mother’s Day season.

Kati with the girls as she volunteers at the Daddy Daughter Dance.

DIY Mother’s Day Gifts

  • Homemade coupon book: Create a personalized coupon book filled with things like breakfast in bed, a day of cleaning, or a special movie night that mom can “cash in” whenever she’d like.
  • Hand-painted vase: Purchase a cheap glass vase and use acrylic paints to create a one-of-a-kind design.
  • Handwritten recipe book: Collect your family’s favorite recipes and handwrite them into a notebook or recipe card set for your mom to cherish.

Thoughtful Yet Inexpensive Mother’s Day Gifts

  • Handwritten letter: Write a heartfelt letter to your mom expressing your love and gratitude.
  • Virtual experience: Plan a virtual movie or game night with your mom to spend quality time together, even if you can’t be in the same place.
  • Charitable donation: Make a donation to a charity that your mom cares about in her name.

Mother’s Day Gifts Under $30

If you have a bit more wiggle room in your budget, consider these gift ideas under $30:

  • Tea sampler: For the tea-loving mom, purchase a sampler set of loose-leaf teas for her to enjoy.
Buy on Amazon
  • A beautiful puzzle: For the mom who loves to problem-solve, purchase a beautiful puzzle for her to work on. There are many gorgeous artworks to choose from these days, so you are sure to find one that she’ll love.
Buy on Amazon

Mother’s Day Gifts Under $20

For those on an even tighter budget, these gifts under $20 are sure to make your mom feel loved:

  • A candle featuring mom’s favorite scent: Let your mom create her own personal oasis with a gorgeous candle that features her favorite scent! Many can be found for under or around $20, like this one from Voluspa.
Buy on Amazon
  • Portable Coffee or Tea Mug: Whether you get mom the tea sampler as mentioned above OR just this mug, what we love about it is its flexibility. It comes with everything you need for coffee or tea and can keep mom caffeinated all morning long.
Buy on Amazon

Mother’s Day Gifts Under $10

Believe it or not, you can still find meaningful gifts for your mom under $10. Consider these options:

  • Bath bomb set: Purchase a set of bath bombs for a relaxing and indulgent gift.
Buy on Amazon
  • Succulent plant: A small succulent plant is a great way to add some greenery to your mom’s space without spending a lot of money. Plus, you might find a funny succulent plant pot like this one below for under $10 as well!
Buy on Amazon

Free Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Sometimes, the best gifts are the ones that don’t cost anything at all. Here are a few ideas for free Mother’s Day gifts:

  • Quality time: Plan a day of activities with your mom, such as a hike or picnic.
  • Acts of service: Offer to do chores or run errands for your mom to give her a break.
  • Homemade meal: Cook your mom’s favorite meal or bake her favorite dessert.
  • Words of affirmation: Consider writing a poem or creating a homemade card to tell mom how much you love her. If you have little ones, this can be a great way for them to get in on the gift giving as well.

How to Make the Most of Your Gift on Mother’s Day

No matter what gift you choose, there are a few things you can do to make sure your mom feels extra special on Mother’s Day:

  • Add a personal touch: Include a handwritten note to make your gift feel extra thoughtful.
  • Spend quality time: Whether in person or virtually, make time to spend with your mom on Mother’s Day to show her how much you care.
  • Show your appreciation: Make sure to express your gratitude and appreciation for all that your mom does for you.

Wrap Up Your Gift With Love

No matter what gift you choose, remember that the most important thing is to show your mom how much you love and appreciate her. With these low-cost gift ideas, you can make your mom smile without spending a fortune.

Conclusion

Mother’s Day is a special time to celebrate the amazing mothers in our lives. While it’s easy to get caught up in the commercialism of the holiday, remember that the most meaningful gifts are often the ones that cost very little. By choosing a low-cost gift and adding a personal touch, you can show your mom how much you care without adding to any financial stress. Happy Mother’s Day!

Filed Under: Duo Update, Save Money Tagged With: gift ideas, mother's day

Make a Plan to Save on Groceries with this Grocery Budget Calculator

February 19, 2023 by moneysavingduo

If you are looking to save money on groceries, this grocery budget calculator might be a good place to start.

Looking for other ways to save money? Be sure to check out our top money saving apps to use at the grocery store and Iowa State University’s Extension and Outreach website for more great tips and strategies.

Filed Under: Budget Tips, Duo Update, Favorite Money Saving Tools

Our Ultimate Money Saving Grocery Shopping App List

February 11, 2023 by moneysavingduo

Money Saving Grocery Apps

This post contains referral and affiliate links meaning that if you sign up for one of the apps discussed below, we may be compensated for that referral. The views expressed our ours alone and we do use these apps regularly for personal use. 

Looking for ways to reduce your grocery bill but don’t want to mess with the headache of coupons in the checkout line? If you have a smart phone, there is a better way. Take a look at our favorite apps that will help you save money with little extra effort.

Money Saving Grocery Apps

Over the years we’ve worked hard to get our grocery budget down and even with rising prices, we’re still keeping our budget under the USDA’s Low-Cost Food Plan recommendations with a family of six. These apps let me save even more by providing cash back or rewarding me with gift cards I can use on future purchases.

Related: Grocery Budget Calculator

Ibotta. If you’re only going to download one app, this would be the one I’d suggest. I’ve cashed out the most often with the Ibotta app and I really appreciate how easy it is to use. Unlike other apps, Ibotta will often have “no brand” offers on things like milk, bread, eggs, produce and general receipts. This means you can get cash back for buying some of the basics.

Want to give Ibotta a try? Sign up with our affiliate link and you’ll get $10 cash back when you submit your first receipt. 

Checkout 51. Checkout 51 works similarly to Ibotta in that it features various cash back offers on specific products. Offers are updated every Thursday and are often available in limited quantity. To be honest, the products featured typically aren’t the ones our family buys on a regular basis and sometimes the quantity required to purchase seems rather high, but every now and then we are able to find items and deals that do work for us.

Checkout 51 has also offered cash for watching videos in the past, but hasn’t done so recently; however, you can earn extra cash back at the gas station and by taking surveys through this app.

Want to give Checkout 51 a try? Sign up through our affiliate link and you’ll get $5 when you redeem your first offer. 

Receipt Hog. Another one of my favorites is Receipt Hog. With this app, you don’t have to select individual items to claim rewards. Instead, you simply upload your receipt and receive coins for each one you upload. There is a limit on how many tokens you can receive each week, but I’ve only ever reached that threshold once. And every week you upload at least one receipt you’ll get a chance for extra coins by earning spins on the slot machine. You’ll also get additional opportunity for more coins as you level up.

Occasionally Receipt Hog will give you bonus points for answering questions about a recent purchase. as well.

Want to give Receipt Hog a try? Sign up here. 

FetchRewards. This is another very easy app to use. Simply select which special offers you want to claim and select the brand names you typically purchase. When you scan your receipt you’ll get points for the items in your cart that fit under one of those brands or meet the criteria for your special offer. Every receipt you upload from the grocery store automatically gives you 25 points regardless of whether any specific items are present. Every 24 hours you’ll also be eligible for a receipt bonus you snap a photo of. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to apply to digital receipts just yet. Points can be redeemed for a variety of gift cards.

Want to give FetchRewards a try? Download at www.fetchrewards.com and use our referral code PD1CE to get 2000 points just for starting.

ShopKick. If you enjoy scavenger hunts, this app is for you. You can get “kicks” for walking into certain stores and for scanning bar codes on various items. This means it is possible to get rewards without having to actually make a purchase; however, if you happen to purchase the items you scan, you’ll get even more kicks to play with. Kicks can be exchanged for gift cards… or a Vespa. We’re always curious if anyone has scored enough kicks for that. We tend to use our kicks to redeem gift cards.

Want to give ShopKick a try? Use our referral code SHOP307617  when you download it and you’ll get 250 kicks once you scan your first item or complete a walk-in. 500 kicks = approximately $2.

Drop. This app is a little unique in that you don’t have to upload any receipts. Instead, you link your credit card and choose 5 stores or restaurants you frequent. Whenever you use your linked card to make purchases at those places, you’ll receive a certain number of points for every dollar you spend.

Bonus – once you’ve claimed 5 deals, you get to score bonus points by playing a Snake game! Aaron was made for this app.

We chose Target, Bath and Body Works, Starbucks, McDonalds, and Chipotle for our five core destinations. But other offers have come in since we initially signed up for this app. You can also get points for taking surveys in the app and by playing a basketball game twice a day.

Want to give Drop a try? Use our referral code x4u82 to sign up and get 10,000 points (equivalent to $10) when you link your first card.

Have used any of the above apps to get cash back or redeem gift cards? Which is your favorite? We’d love to hear about it in the comments.

Filed Under: Duo Update, Favorite Money Saving Tools, Save Money Tagged With: cash back, grocery shopping, money saving apps

Our Favorite Survey Apps That Will Pay You Money – No, Really!

January 9, 2023 by moneysavingduo

Money Making Survey Apps Graphic

Please note: This post contains affiliate/referral links which means that when you click through them, we may be financially compensated for directing you there. We just thought you should know.

Looking to earn a little extra money in your free time? If so, you may be interested in a few of our favorite survey apps!

Money Making Survey Apps

Whether you’re sitting in a waiting room or are looking for something to do on your down time, there are plenty of ways to make money on your phone. From cash back apps to survey apps, Kati has brought in just under $2000 in 2022 by utilizing these resources on her phone. Want to get started? Here are the apps Kati has been using and would recommend.

Checkout 51

You may have seen us recommend this app on our Essential Cash Back Grocery Apps post. In fact, this app is a multifunctional one – you can get cash back on grocery purchases, gas and yes – SURVEYS! Cash out when you hit $20 and receive the funds through PayPal. Please note – this app seems to take the longest to hit the $20 threshold of all the apps mentioned here.

Survey Pop

This has quickly become one of Kati’s favorite apps! It features short surveys and has a withdrawal threshold of only $5. Choose to receive your payment through PayPal, a Visa gift card, or a gift card to your favorite retailer.

Sign up with our referral code (6QAAYJ) and you’ll get a $1 survey on sign up.

Drop

This is another app that serves multiple purposes. You can securely link your credit cards to earn points on everyday purchases and play games like Snake and Basketball to earn points daily. Drop also features surveys and you can cash them out for a variety of gift cards – including those to Amazon, Walmart, and various restaurants. This app has helped us pay for a lot of this year’s Christmas gifts.

Want to give this app a try? Sign up through our referral code (x4u82) and you’ll get 10,000 points ($10) once you link a credit card.

Pogo

This is the newest app we’ve added. Its also a multifunctional app, providing points for a variety of reasons including everyday purchases, surveys and location rewards. You do need to link your credit card to use this app. What we love about this app is that even if you don’t finish a survey you’ll still get points rewarded. Additionally, the cash out minimum is only 3000 points ($3 dollars) via PayPal.

Want to give this app a try? Sign up through our referral code (QJN3Z8) and earn an extra 250 points once you hit 1000 points on the app.

Do you have a favorite app you use to earn money by taking surveys? Share in the comments!

Filed Under: Duo Update, Favorite Money Saving Tools Tagged With: survey apps

Next Page »

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Backpack Giveaway at Select Verizon Locations!
  • SOLD OUT: iFLY Hardside Checked Luggage Fibertech 28″, Ocean Sunrise – only $49 (Regularly $109!)
  • Bubba Ombre Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle with Straw only $9.98 (Regularly $17.99)
  • OUT OF STOCK: StyleWell Kids White Unicorn Decorative Basket – only $32.86 (Regularly $139!)
  • EXPIRED: Equip Nylon Hammock – only $8.97 (Regularly $25.97)

Advertisment

Daily Boutique Deals

Advertisement

Disclaimer: We are not financial or investment advisors – just regular everyday people sharing tips we’ve learned through our own lived experiences. This information is provided for general educational and entertainment purposes and may not apply to your specific circumstances.

Archives

  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018

Footer

Follow our blog with Bloglovin
  • Meet the Fam
  • Join Us on Facebook
  • Submit a Local Deal

Copyright © 2023 · Wellness Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in