Weekend Hair Experiment a Success!

As you may have gathered from my blog by now, saving money and time does not always require a physical coupon.

While getting a haircut a few weeks ago, my stylist Kate told me about a product called DivaCurl that could add a nice wave to my hair and potentially allow for me to wash it every 2-3 days.  Intrigued, Kate kindly agreed to style my hair with DivaCurl instead of the standard blowdry style that came with my haircut.  DivaCurl made my hair feel very soft and the smell was amazing.  Instead of buying a set of the product, I decided to head home and see how my hair felt the next day.  Upon arriving, my husband commented on how much he liked the style.  I contemplated overnight whether I would wash my hair the next day or see how well DivaCurl actually held in the curl.  Realizing it wasn't the weekend and I did not really want to risk a bad hair day on a day full of face-to-face meetings, I opted for the earlier - washing my hair.

Then when I went back to see Kate last week for a FREE bang trim (a nice money-saver to extend the amount of time between haircuts), I decided to use my spending money (a small amount of cash my husband and I each get per paycheck to be spent in any way we individually decide, no questions asked) to get a travel set of DivaCurl, complete with a terrycloth DivaCurl towel all for $25.95 (+ tax).  Now, I was armed and ready to give it a test.

Friday before I went to work, I washed my hair just like Kate had showed me... first with DivaCurl No-Poo (Aren't the names great? :) ) and then with DivaCurl One Conditioner.  The scent and feel of everything reminded me how it felt the first time and I LOVED It.  I dried my hair upside down with the towel and then with a little heat from my blow dryer just like Kate had showed me (quicker than a typical day of styling) and headed out the door.

Not only did my hair receive compliments throughout the day on Friday, but with a little volumizer on Saturday (per Kate's advice) my hair was ready for another day of action WITHOUT being washed!  (I had a product on hand, but if you want to stick with DivaCurl products, Kate recommends DivaCurl Mist-er Right).  With the help of a simple inexpensive shower cap I purchased back when I was in college, I was able to bathe, though!  :)

Saturday came and went and I was still debating if I could go 3 WHOLE days without washing my hair.  I was worried my hair would look oily and like I had not washed it in 3 days.  For the sake of not wanting to wonder if DivaCurl actually held up to its reputation, I bit the bullet and skipped the washing of my hair this morning.  Realizing that adding more volumizer today might increase my fear of oil, I opted to try out something one of my sisters suggested earlier this week - baby powder.  I took a little in my hands, rubbed it between the palms and my fingers, and aimed for my scalp.  And... voilà my hair looked great another day!  (I took a few pictures so you can see, too.  See at right.)

So will I use DivaCurl again?  Absolutely!  In fact, the next several weeks are my busy season at work, so I'm going to put DivaCurl to work for me.

Here's to saving time on styling my hair, saving water by having shorter showers, and on using less shampoo and conditioner.  For $25.95 I'm happy with the time and money back in my life!

$1,600 A/C repair cost us $190

One home failure that is as noticeable as the air you breathe is when it's over 90 degrees outside and your air conditioning (A/C) is broken. Enter our A/C a few months ago. We called our home warranty (HSA) and a technician came out to find the culprit. (Read about this job that should have cost us $500.)

This week, a technician came back out to check on the dye test only to discover we had two separate leaks and would need our evaporator coil unit replaced. (That's sounds all official... what does it mean??) When you take the cover off the A/C unit in your basement, you see something that looks like this (see picture at right). These coils are responsible for conditioning your air. (I'm not trained in the specifics of the science, but you can learn more here.)

Since there's not exactly a way to just patch the individual coils, our A/C needs to have its evaporator coil unit replaced. The size of the part needed is quite large, so as you can imagine replacing it comes with an equally-sized price: $1,600. Ouch.

But wait, we have a home warranty! HSA evaluated the repair and called me to say it was approved, but there would be a few out-of-pocket expenses that their policy does not cover, namely disposal of a couple of parts ($50 + $60) and modifying the casing that goes over the A/C unit ($80). We are very happy to be paying $190 (12%) for a repair that should cost us $1,600. HSA does it again!

Our home warranty saves us money, AGAIN!

Sometimes people say "when it rains, it pours!"

In addition to our air conditioner failure, the top rack of our dishwasher was not exactly cleaning dishes. By that I mean, after a wash cycle somehow the dishes on the bottom rack were spotless while the dishes on the top rack were in the same (if not worse) condition of "dirty" when the wash cycle began.

After researching possible root causes and attempting to fix the issue on our own (which did not make any result in spotless dishes), we decided to wait things out to see if the dishwasher would just start working again after a few wash cycles.

Needless to say, weeks later the dishwasher was still not cleaning all the dishes.

We called our home warranty and were connected with a company that works on our brand (Bosch) of dishwasher. Our home warranty sent a service request to that company and also gave me their number. After not hearing from the company within 24 hours, I called the company myself. Still no response. So, I called our home warranty back and we were approved to contact an out-of-network vendor to work on the job. We found a local Bosch repair company and quickly made an appointment. After arriving yesterday, the technician was able to diagnose the failure within minutes -- something about a broken water valve. The technician then called our home warranty to explain his findings and they approved him to do the work. The repair was made. Total cost? $183.28. We paid $75.

Do I need to ask why don't you have a home warranty yet?

A few home warranty pointers...

We've learned over the years with our HSA home warranty that failure with something in our home does not immediately mean call and report the issue. Let me explain... sometimes issues can be repaired with simple quick fixes by homeowners. For instance, a few months ago when our air conditioning was acting funny, we rinsed the water pipe (the one between the unit and the drain) to ensure a clog in the pipe was not the reason for the air conditioning failure.

After trying to remedy the issue ourselves and waiting to see improved performance, it is THEN after seeing NO improvement that we phone our home warranty. The fact of the matter is, we have to pay our deductible (which for our policy is $75) each and every time a technician comes out (even if there is no issue to be found).

Discount YOUR Drinks at Chuck E Cheese and McAlister's Deli!

If you like to drink soda, tea, etc. when eating out, you can save by going green with Chuck E Cheese and McAlister's Deli.

Chuck E Cheese

When joining family to play ski ball a few months ago, I decided to spend the extra $0.99 to get a special Chuck E cup. Then, during our most recent visit I brought along my cleaned cup and told the cashier I wanted to use it to hold my drink (thinking I was being environmentally friendly). Surprisingly, the cashier explained that after the initial $0.99 investment, with the reusable Chuck E cup refills are FREE!

I love finding unadvertised discounts!

(Pardon the teeny, tiny photo!)

McAlister's Deli

Tonight we joined family for a birthday celebration at McAlister's Deli. Instead of paying almost $2 each to enjoy McAlister's famous sweet tea, we spent $6.99 for one their new Tea Tumblers which came filled with any drink of our choice (we got sweet tea of course). My hubby and I shared the tumbler and got unlimited sweet tea, and now we have a reusable cup, and will receive all refills at $0.99! (By sharing the cup and getting the tumbler, after our next visit the cup will start paying for itself.)

If you go to Chuck E Cheese and McAlister's consider going green by getting their special cups which comes with special savings!

Why don't you have a Home Warranty yet?

Before buying a home, I heard several horror stories about homeowners who had to lay down thousands of dollars to repair something in their home. Luckily, we have chosen to continue the 12 month home warranty policy underwritten by the seller of our home, which has prevented us from paying full-price for several costly home repairs.

Instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars a year in home repairs (our 70-year-old-plus home has had several unprecedented issues during our inhabitance including leaking bathroom plumbing, air conditioning and furnace failure, broken dishwasher components, and water pressure issues) a few hundred dollars underwrites year-long coverage (which can be paid monthly or once a year depending on the company you go with) and then each time we have a service technician out to assess the situation, we pay $75. And, as long as the issue is a mechanical failure or due to a defect (see specific definitions on active policy) the issue gets repaired and we keep our money (beyond the $75 deductible) in our pocket.

A recent example...

With the summer heat and recent switch to A/C, we were surprised to find the thermostat reading much higher than what it was programmed to be. We contacted our home warranty (HSA) and were connected with an in-network vendor quickly (essentially you call the home warranty and they link you with a business that they work with and have approved). The vendor came out and assessed the issue. We only paid our deductible of $75 for a $500 dye test/recharge! This repair alone is worth the benefits of having an home warranty.

In the home buying market? Ask for a home warranty!

Have you been living in your home for years and you don't plan to buy a new home soon? Don't worry, many home warranty companies offer individual families the ability to purchase their own policy.

A little research and a few hundred dollars might be worth your sanity and decreased financial stress.

iPhone 4 at 50% off!

You know that feeling of excitement you get when you uncover a GREAT discount? Like, when you get to the cash register and what you thought was already on clearance for a mere $5 ends up scanning for $1?

That's the same kind of feeling I got when my husband figured out how to upgrade his first generation iPhone (which now had broken speakers on the fritz after 4 years of use) for an iPhone 4 for $104.89 (including tax + shipping).

How?

The answer is really easy... buy from the refurbished area of AT&T.com.

Thanks, hubby!

Awful tornadoes. Get involved.

After recomposing myself from yesterday's windy, rainy attempt to drive home from work, (I spent 30 minutes taking shelter in the women's restroom of a QT less than 15 minutes from my house because my tiny white car was getting blown around on the highway and the view from inside my car contained clouds with tails) I got to thinking... "Instead of feeling sorry for myself, what can I do to help?"

If you live close to a disaster area (as I do... the city of the Good Friday storm is where my sheltering QT is located) how can I get hands-on involved? A simple Google search connected me with several opportunities through the American Red Cross.

In addition to giving cash, what are some creative ways to invest? I can make use of unused gift cards that are just taking up space in my wallet by selling the unused balance for a donation to charity via Plastic Jungle. While I don't see any disaster area organizations on the list, I could convert my unused gift cards into cash and give the cash directly to a charity dedicated to this vital need.

Birthday Present minus the Wrapping Paper

My nephew's birthday was just a few weeks ago. (Happy Birthday, Gavin!) Instead of buying a toy, see what we got him on my latest article on Mama Moderne.

Can items come in "too big"?

While shopping this past weekend, we ran across this giant mailbox at a hardware store. Aside from its ginormous size, the price was actually under $50.

About an hour later while at Costco we happened upon a giant teddy bear. We're talking the size of my 16-year-old niece size teddy bear.

Is it really necessary to sell such items? Can items come in "too big"?

If you'd rather respond to the flipside... who would enjoy a mailbox this size? a life-size teddy bear?

A Few Minutes of Price Comparison is Worth Money in Your Pocket

This week Ace Hardware featured a deal for $2.99 for up to 5 bags of potting soil (pictured here). In talking with my dad - a fellow gardener - we learned that Hackmann Lumber sells potting soil for $1.99 per same-size bag and there's no purchase limit. In this scenario, we'll be getting our potting soil from Hackmann Lumber.

Likewise this week Shop 'n Save featured the following special in their ad (pictured here)... through April 23 if you purchase any gift card multipack you receive a coupon for $5 off your next purchase. We love iTunes, so we took a moment to compare prices to other retailers. If purchasing a $30 iTunes gift card pack (as pictured in this ad) during this week's special at Shop 'n Save we would save 17% ($5), whereas if we purchased an iTunes gift card from Plastic Jungle we would save $1.50 off a $25 gift card (7%). Through the end of today (4/23), the Shop 'n Save deal is a greater savings. Though, the Plastic Jungle discount is available year-round as long as a supply is available.

What do you do to price compare?

Are piggy banks still relevant?

When I was at Target earlier this week, an endcap of piggy banks caught my eye. At first, I thought, "Oh, how cute." But a few seconds later my mind was all a sudden screaming, "Wait a second! Where is the relevance for these today!?" I began thinking this as I noticed some piggies had "vacation fund" painted on their side.

Do people still long for a place to store change and dollar bills?

How would you use a piggy bank if you had it?

Are piggy banks treasured by adults the same as children today?

Mystery Shopping

In an effort to share good, honest practical resources with you, I'd like to share my latest article on Mama Moderne, "Cutting Expenses Without Cutting the Fun"

Food Co-Op Fun!

After hearing a lot of great things from friends across the country who participate in a food co-op, I did some research (talked with a co-worker and searched online) and surprisingly found several locations in my area, including http://www.communityhelpingscoop.com/.

We selected and paid for our order online last week (paying securely via PayPal). Today between morning and late afternoon thunderstorms, we stopped by a pick-up location on the drive home from work to pick up this beautiful collection...

Pictured:

Apples - Fuji

Oranges - Cara Cara
Bananas
Mangos Tomatoes

Clam Grape Tomato

Tangelos

Minneola Celery
Lettuce - Red Leaf
Broccoli
Mushrooms - Baby Portabella
Onion - White Medium
Cucumbers
Parsley
Sweet Potatoes

Aside from being healthy food, the best part is ... we only paid $23!!!

We can opt in for another "basket" (co-op lingo for a variety of produce) every 2 weeks.

We're in!

Brown Sugar find!

I happened upon this giant bag of brown sugar yesterday while at Costco. Being a family that enjoys a fair amount of baking, I opted to spend the $4.79 for the 7 pounds of brown sugar with resealable bag. I figured, brown sugar is usually 2 for $5-ish at the grocery store, so the bulk size seemed like a better deal.

Questioning whether we could use it all before any of it "goes bad", I'm happy to report that according to C&H sugar's website, "Sugar, properly stored, has an indefinite shelf life because it does not support microbial growth."

It IS a better deal, indeed!

Going to the movies?

As long as you can plan at least 1 business day in advance, you can save 30% + 10% on your movie tickets!

Here's how:

(1) Purchase a Fandango electronic code for 30% less than face value from Plastic Jungle. The code should arrive in your email's inbox within 1 business day.

(2) If you're a DiscoverCard user, login in to your online account and click "See Retailers" next to the "ShopDiscover" option. Find and click "Fandango" among the options. Then click "Start Shopping" to get 10% cash back.

(3) Make your selection and use your electronic code at checkout.

*For those who are new to Fandango, this site sells tickets to movie theatres across the country.

*Sometimes Fandango charges a ticketing fee for purchases on its site, one of our local theatres -- AMC Theatres -- has a membership club which provides a waiver of this fee to its members.

It all started with 4 free gallons of milk.

My journey to discover streamlined systems for couponing started in late 2009. Due to the popularity of Facebook comments on my family's weekend trip to pick up 4 free gallons of milk from the grocery store, I'm now taking our journey to yet again another medium -- a blog. Consider this the extended version (special pointers and commentary) on Taking Clipping out of Couponing. You ready?