British Airways Avios Points: Great Value!

A lot of folks in the miles and points world gripe about British Airways and their miles program. Rightly so since they charge HUGE fuel charges on award tickets if you fly British Airways across the Atlantic or other long flights.

Today I was able to get great value from them for next to nothing. I have had an alert on a flight I wanted from American Airlines next weekend. Since they are a British Airways partner I was thinking of using my Avios points for the booking. For a LONG time space was not available on the flight I needed. Until this morning.

Expert Flyer sent me an alert saying the seats I needed opened up! Only 1 week in advance. That was a nice email to wake up too!

I jumped online and booked 2 one way tickets from Miami to Atlanta on the late night flight home on August 5. Thanks to only 9,000 Avios points and $5 I now have another 7 hours on Key West for my birthday weekend! That works out to an impressive 9.93 cents of value per Avios point used.

If I were to buy that same ticket today it would have been $447 per person. Only spending 9,000 Avios points (which are one of the easiest to get!) and $5 in taxes is a fantastic deal in my book. I get more valuable beach hours and no rushing back to Miami to catch my flight. That's a win.

This is a direct benefit of all my research, learning, and knowing all the tricks of the trade.

Top Cash Back

For a while I have been using ebates. A site that gives rebates for orders online at most popular merchants. It was nice getting a quarterly check in the mail for things I was going to buy anyway. I averaged about $35 per quarter or $140 per year!

I have now discovered TopCashBack.com where they offer larger (the largest in fact) rebates from the same places. They are quite flexible and I can keep more in my own pocket. Both are wins in my book!

I will continue to use them and add to my savings account!

Frugal Tip: Dryer sheets part 2!

A little while ago I mentioned using dryer sheets to their fullest by cutting them in half and then using them until they start to fray on the ends.

Part 2 to this is that dryer sheets are good for cleaning soap scum also!

Basically once you are done using the sheets in the dryer store them. When you clean the bathroom(s) in your house you can use them one last time for soap scum. I haven't tried this yet but people claim this is a very effective way to get the scum off.

We shall see!

Frugal Tip: Cut dryer sheets in half and reuse them!

I found this tip on The Simple Dollar and thought it was brilliant. I won't rehash the entire post but here is the general idea:

1. Get a box of dryer sheets (cheapest available)
2. Cut the entire box in half with sheets still in it
3. Dry clothes and keep the half sheets until they have been torn

This may sound silly but adds up over the years. 3 cents per dryer sheet average cost (generic) can be cut by 50% using this method. It only takes a few seconds to cut the box and move on with life. Reusing is also better for the environment.

I am going to start doing this today. Why didn't I think of this?

WOW!: Frugal uses for old phone books

It amazes me what people come up with. This is why I love blogs and the internet. All of the different thinkers out there can share their ideas freely and I can learn form them. This is a great example:

27 Uses for a dead phone book

I usually get these fairly often from the phone company even though I don't even have phone service...go figure?

I would normally just toss them in my recycle bins for the weekly pickup. Not anymore!

Investing in quality -- frugal does not mean cheap!

Today I decided to pull the trigger on a $255 piece of luggage. On the surface that sounds expensive. When you get into the details you can see the real value of the transaction. I have looked high and low for the best piece of luggage for my needs and I believe I have found it. We will know soon if I made the right decision!

I admit it was a leap to drop $255 + shipping on a single piece of luggage. I did a LOT of research before buying the bag and found lots of great reviews. I am still not 100% sure it was the right choice. I checked and I can get a refund if I am not happy with it as long as it is new with all the tags on it. I plan on doing a test packing of the bag first.

I travel a lot for work and have long been unhappy with my carry on bag. I started of with a rolling bag which made me quite unhappy. It now collects dust in my closet. I currently use my Targus 17" laptop backpack for work travel. It is heavy when I fully pack it but I prefer it over my rolling bag. I have also used it on a couple of personal trips and it got the job done. The problem is I am still left with sore shoulders and generally unhappy with it.

Now I have discovered the Red Oxx Sky Train. I can carry it with a handle, shoulder strap, or backpack-style straps. It comes with a lifetime warranty for any damage from any source. It also weighs 4 pounds empty which is very light for a carry-on bag of any kind. From the reviews, pictures, and videos I have seen it looks like what I have been searching for all these years traveling.

Even still $255 seems like a lot of money--because it is! Between the ability to return the bag, the no questions asked lifetime warranty, and raving reviews I felt it was worth a try. My risk is $9.44 in shipping to try it out. I can get a full refund if I don't like it for any reason.

Thinking long term I will probably be better off with the new bag. My current Targus bag cost me $60 and has lasted me roughly 4 years. The seams are starting to show wear and could break soon. This sparked my search for a new bag. After reading about many different bags I discovered I hate wheeled bags due to their wasted space and needless added weight. Backpacks are my thing.

If I decide to keep the bag I will be making a big investment. The good news is that it is an investment for life since I can get it replaced any time for any damage what-so-ever. As long as it holds what I usually carry comfortably on my back I am sold. It is legal carry on size so I will never have to check it even if I over pack the bag. I am all but certain I made the right decision.

The moral of the story is that cheap does not equal frugal. A frugal person invests in what will last the longest and end up being the cheapest over the long haul. I can buy several $50 bags as I go and deal with frustrations of damage every few years or I can buy this once and not have to worry about it. Don't be afraid to invest in quality. It always pays off in the end.

Making the most out of gift cards

I seem to get quite a few gift cards each year from friends and family. This year was no exception and I got a pretty big stack this time around. I also got some cash which is still believe is the best gift for me. I'd much rather top up my savings than have to go shopping somewhere.

This year I got:

• $25 Amazon.com gift card
• 2x $25 Longhorn/Darden gift cards
• $50 Lowes gift card
• $25 iTunes gift card
• 2x $15 iTunes gift cards

I have already used the Amazon card to get a few things I needed around the house. All small items but saves me $25 in the end. I spent one of the Longhorn cards for lunch with the girlfriend last weekend. iTunes I used for a couple of games/apps and will save the rest for shows or movies in the future. Great now that I have an iPad!

I am hanging on the the Lowes card for now in case I need something to do some work around the house. It will be the least useful one at this point but worst case I can use it to buy household supplies or maybe even for work expenses on the road for which I will get reimbursed in cash. I could also pick up some tools if I need them.

Overall I will make good use of these gift cards. I have already turned my iPad into an on-demand second monitor for my macbook and we watch a couple shows on it too. I am ready to travel with it to see what else I can do! The other cards will get absorbed eventually. I keep their presence in the back of my head will get the value out of them soon!

Food Costs are dropping!

I am happy to report my plan for taking lunch to work and cooking at home are working out!

I am saving a good deal of money by taking my lunch 3-4 days per week and doing the majority of my meals at home. It is also a good way to force myself to use up the stuff that will spoil while I am in Asia and not waste the already spent money. Frugal is 50% being a smart shopper and 50% using what you already have.

I enjoy cooking and am using that as my focal point. I make mostly inexpensive food at home but throw in a nice meal now and then to counter balance and take place of a meal out. I grab steaks on sale and shrimp from time to time also. Variety is key in food otherwise it is just a chore.

I am trying to keep variety in my work lunches by using leftovers and sandwiches in rotation. I wouldn't be able to stick to this if I had the same thing 5 days a week. This is the best compromise for me.

Work/Fun Travel This weekend: Niagara Falls/Rochester, NY

I have a work trip on Friday to fly up to Buffalo, NY. I will spend the day on the US and Canadian side of Niagara Falls then over to Rochester, NY for the night and a Saturday meeting. I will be home Saturday night.

Unlike most work trips I will get to see some of the country and take some (hopefully) great photos with my DSLR camera. I am a fan of waterfalls so this works out well for me. The free day Friday is in exchange for a Saturday meeting. Very fair since I am paying $0 out of pocket for this trip.

I am also staying in a 4 star Hyatt in Rochester thanks to priceline.com. Landed it for $70 for the night also on the company dime. This will be the highest star rated hotel I have stayed at to date. I am normally OK with just about any old hotel on my own dime. I'd rather save the money for food, sites, drinks, and more travel down the road than have a $400 per night room.

Finally getting my new sunglasses!

I never thought it would be this difficult!

One of the few things I do not skimp out on are sunglasses. I always get polarized lenses and top quality stuff. It is pretty much a requirement when I like to travel to beach destinations. I also drive a lot when I travel for work and like to protect my vision as much as I can.

I found a pair of RayBan sunglasses that I wanted nearly 3 months ago. My Oakley pair fell apart numerous times and the super glue has stopped working. I needed to replace them. I ordered from a website that had a great price and good ratings. They were $100 less than the local retail store for the same pair!

Fast forward to today and they still have not shipped. After several emails back and forth between the company I finally cancelled my order. I found the same pair on eBay from a highly rated seller in New York. I bought them and a day later I had a tracking number. They are due to arrive tomorrow!

Being patient has saved me over $100 in the end. It was annoying going without sunglasses for the past couple of months but that is now water under the bridge. I am getting the sunglasses I want, for the price I want, and can ensure a great time on the beach in Thailand as a result.

Frugal Labor Day Weekend

We have a long weekend here in America starting today. Monday is Labor Day when most of us don't have to work. I welcome the extra day off as we have been slammed at work for the past 2 months. I still have to travel again next week!

I have no real plans to speak of for the weekend except that I don't want to spend a lot of money. In fact I am making it a goal to not eat out at all this weekend unless it costs less than $5. I have had to reduce my "fun" budget by 25% since losing my roommate. I will be hanging out with friends, grilling out, watching some football, and having a few beers. I also have plenty of other stuff to catch up on at the house.

With only 2 months to go before going to Asia I am trying to save all I can for the trip. I will have a couple of unpaid days off so if I can scrape together another $100 or two to fill the gap it will help. Since I will be visiting some more expensive places this time around I am trying to hit my savings target for the trip also. You realizes the sacrifices you make now to afford the trip are more than worth it once you get there!

I am also toying with an idea for saving some money on food while being a little bit healthier. Starting Sunday I want to try to eat food only bought from the farmer's market. I will be traveling Thursday/Friday next week but I can still make it work. Cooking with fresh ingredients tastes better anyway! I think I can pull it off and will give a shot and see what happens!

More Frugality: Yet Another New Goal!

In my never ending quest to get out of the work force and into living life as I see fit I am constantly examining my habits and adjusting wherever I can to cut costs. All major items have been reduced as far as I can get them so now I have to sweat the small stuff.

I am challenging myself to further cut my food costs and household costs. I am trying to use only half of my per diem money while traveling for work and am looking seriously into taking my lunch to work when I am home. Right now I go out for lunch but am going to experiment with bringing food from home instead. I doubt I can do it 100% of the time but any savings I can get I will take!

I am also looking more into using items around the house for other purposes so I don't have to go out and buy them. I am saving food containers to reuse as well as old shirts/clothes to turn into rags for cleaning. I am being more watchful of food expiration dates and using them up. All steps in the right direction!

At the same time I am starting to make healthier eating choices and that means bringing lunch will force me into healthier meals while at work. This is a good thing as my food choices when I eat out for lunch can be less than healthy most of the time. I watch what I eat at home and I need to extend that into lunch. This ultimately will reduce health problems and related costs.

Being more frugal does not happen overnight. It takes careful examination of habits and making deliberate changes and sticking to them. You have to form the new frugal habits by force and will power. Saying "no" is the first step in the right direction when it comes to spending money. Train yourself to think "How can I do this cheaper or for free?"

Christmas Travel Booked! ...and why I am ditching Delta Skymiles

I decided to start shopping early this year. Since I am using 99% of my vacation time for Asia I have nothing left for my Christmas trip home. Driving doesn't make sense since I will only be home for 3 days. I decided I would fly down and try to use miles to book it. I made it happen but not how I would have liked.

I first searched for award seats to my home airport. Delta wanted 40,000 miles round trip. Really? For an empty 37 minute fligh? I'll pass.

Next I looked at what it cost to buy outright. $220.00 for the fare. Very reasonable for a holiday weekend to and airport where Delta is the ONLY airline that flies there. I turned my 40,000 mile ticket into a 20,000 mile ticket using their Pay with Miles option. Using 20,000 miles took $200 off the fare. I paid the remaining $20.

In the end I got the times and flights I wanted and it only cost me $15 more and 5,000 less miles than a standard award seat. A very good deal in my opinion and makes the already stressful holiday much easier. I don't have to do the 5-hour drive each way alone, no unpaid time off work, and no traffic to deal with.

This is one of several award ticket searches on Delta where I cannot find the low level award seats. As far as I can tell they are virtually non-existent unless you want to take very inconvenient flight times or long layovers. In my eyes the value of Delta Skymiles are dropping rapidly. Hence my earning switch to Star Alliance/United.

As a quick comparison I just did a dummy award ticket search for Atlanta to Bangkok on my departure date of November 5. Delta still wants the "medium" price. On Continental/United I found 14 options all at the low price level. Amazing the difference! Granted I could call Delta and look for Korean Air availability but that is tough too. And requires calling in. It took me 30 seconds to find the 14 Star Alliance options.

Hence I am ditching Delta miles as much as I possibly can. I will still fly them and earn them but won't expect a lot from them. I just hope I can get lucky enough to find low level seats and use them someday. I plan on burning the miles as I go since I suspect they will continue to lose value. I am not the only one. People are leaving Delta in droves because of this exact problem. Their low level awards are borderline false advertising.

No Spend Day!

Today I have reached one of my "back burner" goals of having a day where I spend no money. I finally achieved that today! I have gone a full 24 hours without spending any money of my own. It is nice to see a day go by without dollars coming out of pocket. I hope to have many more days like this.

Even though I did eat out today I use gift certificates to cover the cost. One to get coffee which was a gift from the office and the other is a Quizno's punch card for sandwiches that I picked up a while back. This covered my food needs for the day and I had leftovers for dinner. Using what I already have instead of spending more is the most frugal choice one can make.

I have taken many steps toward making this possible. I have a well stocked fridge and pantry so I can cook several meals without having to go grocery shopping. I always keep some Lean Cuisine to help curb buying takeout since they are very easy. I also make it a point to go out a lot less. My biggest money battle is sticking to the food and entertainment budget. I am seeking out new hobbies to keep me busy. Cooking is a big part of that since I love all kinds of food. That will be my biggest challenge to achieve.

I am taking leftovers to work tomorrow for lunch and also am making a pot roast at home in the slow cooker so I can get at least two meals worth from that as well. Planning ahead with food almost always saves time and money. I am slowly getting into that habit so I don't have to cook everyday. Change in habits takes time and effort!

Back on the road: A few little travel tips!

I am in the Baltimore/DC area today and tomorrow for work. I flew up this morning and will be meeting with a client tomorrow before heading back home tomorrow night. Luckily this is work travel so I get to earn miles, per diem, hotel points, and other little benefits. It is also a nice change from the office for 2 days.

When I am on the road, especially for work, I find little ways to save money. Since I have to eat out almost 100% of the time while on the road I have gotten creative. Here are a few ideas that I use regularly:

• Hotel bar/restaurant: Sometimes pricey, sometimes not. Today my hotel is offering 50% off appetizers between 4 and 7PM. Not bad! Being solo I can get a meal for under $10 based on the menu prices. Bonus I don't even have to drive!
• Find a hotel with cheap restaurants nearby. Do a little searching on yelp and google to see what is close. I also use my phone when actually there to narrow down my options based on distance and price. Sometimes I find some great local places I would have missed otherwise.
• Carry coupons: I have a few that I keep in my bag for chains like Chipotle, Subway, Quiznos, etc. If I happen to be near one I can stop in with coupons and spend less. The less I spend the more of the per diem I get to keep!
• Grab snacks from the grocery store at home and bring with me in my carry on bag. I don't have to stop for expensive gas station snacks. I have them with me already! Worst case I eat them when back home. I like crackers, nuts, and candy bars as they take little space and don't weigh much.
• Hotel Room: I always try to get one with a fridge/microwave and free internet access. It is nice to have the option of going to a grocery store if I want. If I am gone for more than one night this is even more important. Free internet allows me to be entertained and get things done while away. 

Traveling for work doesn't have to drain the wallet. In my case I actually make money off the per diem and also earn extra miles for the business expenses that get reimbursed to me. All of this adds up over time and allows me to travel overseas for awesome vacations to Asia and beyond. Make the most of it!

Tip: Avoid the US Mail if possible!

First off I want to say the mail has its uses. Good for sending letters, documents, checks, and so on. On the flip side they do a horrible job with packages and their tracking is horrible.

Long story short I ordered a new Garmin GPS unit to replace the one I stupidly left in a rental car. I put in my home address for billing and work address for shipping so I could be present to sign for it. I put the wrong zip code on the shipping address. It got sent out anyway--via US mail.

It is now nearly 3 weeks later and the item eventually went back to the shipper. I credit this problem to a few things:

• I made a mistake. I will take some of the blame.
• The website I purchased from did not cross-check the city/state and zip code. The zip code I entered was for a different city! A lot of online retailers do this check in background and ask you if something looks off.
• The post office couldn't make any changes. They just sent it back. If I make a mistake with Fedex or UPS all I have to do is call to get the address corrected. For almost a week the tracking said it was in "Atlanta, GA". I called the postal service and by the time I got a call back the item was already returned the the person didn't tell me any information I didn't already have.

Bottom line is I will use the mail as a last resort. They are the most archaic and inefficient shipping service in the world. I would rather pay more for UPS or Fedex and know it will get there within a reasonable amount of time and have someone to call if things go wrong somehow. If I have no other choice then I will mail it but I will purchase delivery confirmation or even certified mail to be sure it gets there. The people who work at the US Mail have zero incentive to improve and that is why it is so bad in the first place.

Shipper/Receiver beware! US Mail is a gamble at best!

Saving Money on Cruises: Watch the small stuff!

I have done some research and founds way to make my cruise vacation cheap and not a budget buster. Thanks to Google and some cruise forums I picked up a few tricks a newbie like me wouldn't think of. I found that on cruises it's the little stuff that adds up fast. Here are some tricks/hacks to save money:

• Skip Excursions: They are usually 2x or more the normal price for the same activity. Find an excursion you like the do some research online to find a local place to do it. It will be cheaper and probably less crowded!
• Drinks: They like to charge a lot for drinks. Aside from moderation you have to remember that the price quoted has an automatic 15% tip added! Depending on the cruise line sodas might also cost money. Bring bottled water with you!
• Skip the upscale dining options unless it is a special occasion. I read reviews of my ship and most people liked the free ones better! That saved me $25 per person!
• Know the fee structure. Taxes and fees go on top of the advertised price (just like airline tickets). Know what the fees are for, if they can be avoided, and look at the all-in price. Shop around!
• Buy the cheapest room on the ship. As it fills up you sometimes get upgraded to a nice room so they can get more people on the boat! This is not always true but being frugal I will roll the dice. I don't plan on spending a lot of time in my room anyway!
• Buy souvenirs at local shops, take your own pictures to print later, and comparison shop. The boat is loaded with expensive trinkets and other ways to take your money. I prefer to support local businesses at my destination. It's also much cheaper that way.

I will put theses ideas to practice this coming weekend when I get on board and figure out the real situation. I plan to keep a log of my costs so I can tally up with the $79 cruise really cost in the end. I do have a budget of how much I can spend and want to see if that is feasible. I will report back here when I return!

When it pays to outsource chores and tasks

Being frugal is about saving money. Most people associate it the being cheap. The true spirit of being frugal is being selective on what you spend your money on while getting the most out of what you do buy. Everyone has a point where time becomes more valuable than the money saved. I am a fan of "spend on what you are passionate about and skimp on the rest."

Personally I choose to outsource oil changes since I can find coupons that make the total cost of the service less than buying my own oil alone. I get to not get dirty working on my car and it is also cheaper. Now that is a frugal choice! I had to get my home pressure washed for insurance purposes. I priced out renting the equipment and found that for $20 more I could pay a company to do it. It was worth $20 to me to not have to get on a 20' ladder and save me hours of work.

On the other hand I do a lot of other home maintenance myself. Changing air filters, cleaning, etc. are all more financially savvy to spend time on. I have done some minor repairs and air sealing to help reduce my monthly utility costs. Having done the remodel on my house myself (with my Dad's help) has taught me a lot and saves me money in the long run.

Everyone's situation will be different. We all have different skill sets where it is more cost effective to outsource a particular chore versus doing it yourself. The best way to decide is to run the numbers and see if it makes sense to you and your budget.

Small actions that add up: staying frugal

I always keep an eye out for things that help me get ahead a little bit. Recently I have run out of "big items" to boost my net worth so now I look for smaller items. I have decided to share some of the little things I do to get ahead on a constant basis.

Examples:

• Free after rebate electronics: My most recent are bluetooth headsets. I got 5 that cost me 5 cents total after rebates. I sell them on ebay for basically free money!
• Focus Groups: I am in a lot of focus group databases and get calls weekly. When I get lucky and qualify and the time fits my work schedule I make easy money. I made $40 tonight for 20 minutes + free Arby's sandwiches!
• The Grocery Game: I have mentioned this before and it still pays off. This is a paid site that more than pays for itself for me. It has cut my grocery bill by at least 40% per month.
• Selling stuff any way I can: I am purging my house of useless (to me) stuff. I am dumping stuff on ebay, craigslist, and to anyone who will buy it. Electronics are easiest and books and DVDs do ok too. So far I have added $100 to my emergency fund this month!
• Shop around for everything: I own a home. I have furnished it with stuff that was mostly free or next to it. If I need something I check google/amazon for a price starting point. For furniture and the like I hit up thrift shops. Clothes at goodwill. You get the idea!

Anywhere I can earn an extra buck or save a buck on something I needed anyway is another dollar towards financial freedom. People are rich because they watch their money--not because they spend it.  If you see someone in an expensive car they have no money--it's all tied up in maintaining that depreciating asset. Frugal for the win!

GREAT Article on Food Storage - a frugal hack!

This article is great! I have done a little of this but it has some ideas on reusing food packaging that hasn't crossed my mind before. I like it because 1) you save money and 2) you recycle the stuff you already have and reduce waste and landfill buildup. That is a win-win I will take any day!

Kudos to the Get Rich Slowly staff on this one!