A favorite promotion of many different retailers is the “buy one get one free” sale. I suspect they like the promotion because it encourages shoppers to pick out several items and everyone likes to get something “for free”.

Used correctly a “buy one get one free” sale, or BOGO, can be a very powerful savings tool. You can get the items you need at half of their regular prices. What could be wrong with that? Here are a few of the ways that I’ve put them to use.

Shopping for children’s clothing
Do you have two kids that need new shoes? Maybe you’re in the hunt for new winter coats for the family. BOGO’s are perfect for these types of situations. You usually have to pay for the more expensive item and get the less expensive one for free.

Pooling your shopping needs
If you only have one child, you may think that BOGO’s won’t work for you. Don’t be so quick to discount them, though. Maybe a friend with one child can go shopping with you. Reach out to friends or family members who have children around the same age as your kids and see if you can help each other out.

Stock your pantry
When food items are offered in a BOGO promotion, I almost always buy them. Staples like flour and sugar are wonderful items to stock up on, but don’t overlook more perishable items can be good buys too if you will use them before they become stale. One of the biggest ways I save money on our grocery bill each month is utilizing Publix’s weekly BOGO sales. I can score especially good deals when combining these sales with coupons.

Plan ahead for future needs
I’m a big fan of purchasing multiples of items and putting one away for future use. Art supplies are always nice to have in storage. Extra stocks and undies are great, too. Just be careful to leave some room to grow when you are selecting clothing items.

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The following article is a guest post by Jay Harris. Please see his bio at the end of the article.

Although we would all love showpiece-quality homes, not all of us have the budget for a professional interior designer. Even if you decide to start with something small like designer window treatments, the minute you throw the term “custom” into the mix, dollar signs start popping up everywhere!

Fortunately, you can make your windows look like they were touched by an interior designer without actually having to pay one. With some insider secrets and some out-of-the-box thinking, you can have your window boxes dressed to the nines in no time.

Fabrics for Highlighting Function and Form

In the way that couture gowns and tailored suits look expensive because they were literally made for the person wearing them, you can apply the same philosophy to your windows: even though they look custom, they don’t have to come with a custom price-tag.
When dressing up your windows, lightweight and loosely woven fabrics reign supreme. This is due, in large part, to the way the light filters through them from outside.

But always remember to add a lining. With lightweight materials hanging over a light source, you run the risk of being able to see the back of the fabric when the light shines through. Therefore, like a good slip can make or break a starlet’s red carpet walk, so can a window lining prevent you from seeing anything other than the front of the fabric you have so painstakingly picked out!

Measure Twice
The most important tip to keep in mind is to measure twice, cut and drill once. When customizing your own window treatments, the amount of fabric you need depends on the type of treatment you plan to use and also the way you plan to hang them to cover your windows. Here are some of the basics:

Roman Shades:
First, decide whether you want an inside mount or an outside mount.

For inside mounts, the shades are mounted within the frame of the window (inside the casement). This type of mount provides a clean, custom, built-in look and is a way to leave attractive trim or woodwork exposed and the maximum amount of wall visible around the window. However, if your window frames aren’t deep enough (minimums range from ¾” to 3″ deep, depending on the type of shade), you should consider an outside mount.

To measure for inside mounts: measure the inside width at three locations (top, middle and bottom) and take the smallest of the three numbers – this is your ordering width. Next, measure the inside height at three locations (left side, middle and right side) and take the largest of the three as your ordering length.

Outside mounts are attached to the wall, ceiling or trim/molding surface surrounding the window and are most commonly used when your windows are shallow or when you wish to hide a less attractive window. One bonus to using an outside mount is the optical illusion effect of a larger window, so this is a good choice if your windows are on the smaller side.

To measure for outside mounts:
Measure the entire width you’d like to cover (the window itself plus the casement or trim) plus extra to allow for light seepage (1-1½” per side, 2-3″ total), giving you the ordering width.
Measure the overall height you will cover. This is the ordering length.

Drapery:
Drapery hangs from rings attached to a rod that is mounted above the window frame and extends beyond the sides of the window itself. Whenever possible, to make the entire treatment area look larger and to allow for maximum light and window views when the drapes are open, extend over the edges of your windows as much as 6-12″ per side.
When measuring for total width, measure the entire width you want to cover (which includes the extra per side allotment) and account for the fullness of the fabric. For grommet and ripple fold drapes, use width x 2.0 for your total width. For pleated drapes (pinch and tailored), take the width x 2.5.

For measuring the length:
Be sure to take into account the distance from the hardware to the fabric (determined by the size of the rings you use to hang your drapes);

Hang the drapes as high as you can to create a more dramatic look and enhance your ceiling height;

When you will be leaving them open and want to hide uneven floors or add to the custom look of your drapes, add an extra 1-3″ of length that will “break” on the floor;

When you will be opening and closing them frequently, leaving drapes approximately ½” off of the floors will protect the hems and allow for easier maneuvering.

Now that you are more fully equipped to tackle this DIY project, what types of window treatments are you leaning toward? Do you have any other ideas for cutting costs without sacrificing quality?

Author Bio:
Jay Harris is a Home Depot sales associate and contributes regularly to Home Depot’s blog, where he provides advice covering everything from roman shades to casement windows.

I think we’ve all been there at some time or another. We pay our bills and wonder “where did all the money go?” In these tough economic times budgets are stretched to the limit. Here are some practical tips that can help you save money and stay focused on your budget:

1. Have a clearly defined budget.
The best way to stick to a budget would be to have a clearly defined one, that means it needs to be written down. Know how much you want to spend on everything every month. Call it a spending plan to make it more fun. Prepare your plan for spending and then stick to it. In case you overspend on something, make up for it by cutting back elsewhere.

2. Careful with those credit cards.
Carry only one or two credit cards (or better still, none) with you and use them as sparingly as possible. Only charge those purchases you can pay off fully in the next month.

3. Utilize Rewards programs when available.
Get a card with a rewards program so that whenever you use your card you end up earning points which can be redeemed for discounts or freebies.

4. Shop during sales.
Make it a habit to shop only at sales. My goal is to never pay more than 50% of the retail price. Buy your Christmas and birthday gifts when clearance sales are going on. Target and Walmart have huge discounts on toys after Christmas, so stock up for the following Christmas and for birthdays throughout the year.

5. Buy secondhand to save money.
Put your mother’s ‘old is gold’ advice to good use. Garage sales, second hand cars, electrical equipments, cell phones etc are great as long as you manage to find them in good condition.

6. Eat the majority of your meals at home.
Eating out frequently is a huge waste of money. Not only do you pay exorbitant prices for the food, but with the taxes, tips and everything included, it does add up to quite a bit. Eat at home as much as possible, and save yourself loads of money.

7. Carpool to work or when dropping your kids off at school.
Avoid taking the car if you only have a few blocks to go. Walking or public transportation can be great alternatives.

8. Make a grocery list every time you go shopping.
It seems like such a simple thing to do, but having a written grocery list can help to keep your budget in check. Prepare your menu ahead of time and make your grocery list from that.

9. Look for deals, coupons, and specials before you buy anything.
Look for deals and promotional offers before you buy anything. Apply this principle wherever possible- right from plane tickets to when ordering pizza.

10. Avoid shopping on impulse.
Give yourself a day to think before you indulge yourself in something expensive. You may change your mind if you rationally think about whether you actually really need it.

11. DIY is a great way to save money.
Learn to do basic repairs around the house. Start a garden in your backyard. Paint the walls yourself instead of hiring someone.

12. Set reminders to pay all your bills on time.
Late fees and extra charges on your bills are unnecessary expenditure and are best avoided.

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