Nearly everything comes in convenient snack pack sizes these days. While their size may be small, their price is certainly not. We make it a habit here in the Not Made Of Money household to make our own snacks. With just a little bit of advance planning, we have our snacks but not their convenience prices. Here are some ways I save money on snacks:

1. Make the baked goods from scratch. I recently shared some thoughts on muffins. I bake cookies and cupcakes too. When baking any item, I double the recipe and freeze them for use later in the week.

2. Buy full size fruits and veggies and cut them into smaller sizes. I do all the prep when I get home from the grocery store. Carrots, celery, fresh cut broccoli are all washed and put into baggies and are ready to go when snacking hits.

3. Buy the large size bags of chips and pretzels and divide them into single size servings. I place the appropriate serving size into a small baggie (snack bags work well for this because they get filled to the top)! Stick pretzels are 42 sticks each, chips are 13 chips per serving, and Cheerios are 1-1/2 cups per bag.

4. Purchase cheese in wedges and cut them into cubes. I place each serving into a single size container, and place it in the fridge. Much cheaper than the string cheese packages.

5. Watch for “buy one get one free” sales on snack food items. I regularly look for the special sales at my local grocery stores on snacks in the larger sizes. When I find those on sale like different brands of chips, crackers, or pretzels, I stock up!

A few years ago we sold our house on our own with no real estate agent, you know, with the big “For Sale By Owner” (FSBO) sign out front of the house. In preparation for this, we did a number of things to get our then 10-year-old house sold. Of course, the market was red hot ( a seller’s market) at that time here in Florida which was of tremendous help to us. Here are the steps we took in selling our house ourselves:

1. Cleaned up the inside and outside of the house. This including a small amount of remodeling including new counter tops and floor tile in the kitchen, and new carpeting in the living room. We painted the outside of the home and put in some new landscaping. The house looked really nice when we were finished with the improvements.

2. We researched similar homes in our neighborhood to determine the optimum selling price. We wanted to make sure we priced our home correctly. (If you are not sure how or what to price your home at consider hiring a home appraisal company).

3. Hired a home inspection company for an inspection of our home. Four items were found by the inspection company, and we had these items corrected before we put the house on the market. We saved the receipts from these repairs and attached them to the inspection report as proof that the repairs were made.

4. Hired a real estate attorney. He gave us the basic information regarding a real estate contract and handled our matters from a legal standpoint.

5. Located a title company with the most knowledgeable and courteous title insurance agent. She was willing to take the time to answer our questions and gave us great tips and help along the way.

6. We purchased a number of for sale signs that we placed on the main roads leading into our subdivision. We borrowed one really nice, professional looking “For Sale By Owner” sign for the front yard from a neighbor who had sold their home three months before.

7. We advertised everywhere we could and told everyone we knew that our house was for sale. We showed the home by appointment only and required a letter from their mortgage company stating they had been approved for financing before we showed them the house. We wanted to show the house only to serious buyers. We also required them to fill out a form showing their name, address, and driver’s license number.

8. During the course of a few weeks we received several offers. We accepted the best offer and contacted our attorney who drew up the contract. We notified the title agency who then handled all the other paperwork. The title company set the closing date and all we did was show up, sign all the papers, and receive the check for the proceeds.

We’ve all been faced with purchasing something only to find out it doesn’t meet expectations. Knowing how to complain effectively can affect the outcome. Here are 5 steps we use when making a complaint:

1. Begin by returning the item to the place of purchase. See if you can return it for a refund, exchange it or have it repaired. This is where keeping a receipt becomes important. Many stores simply will not refund or exchange without one.

2. Be courteous and direct. Tell the customer service rep exactly what the problem is and what you want them to do. Ask to speak to the manager or supervisor if the problem is not being solved.

3. If the place of purchase will not help you, call the manufacture directly. Communicate to the manufacturer what the problem is and what you want to happen. If a phone call does not work, then write a letter to the president of the company and let him or her know about your problem and how you would like for it to be fixed.

4. Write or call the Better Business Bureau to file a complaint.

5. Write or call the Consumer Affairs Department in your State Government and file a complaint.