Saving pennies

So today I've decided that if I'm going to take this HUGE step to be a real adult (more on that later when it's official) then I need to do everything I can to a) make more money and b) spend less money.

As a teacher, it is already pretty hard to make more money, but I am working on ways to do it. I would love for my Etsy store to be a way for me to make lots of extra money, but right now it's just earning me a few extra bucks a month. I would like to make at least one sale a week. Slowly, but surely ...

I'll also start tutoring during the summer, which is good money, but it isn't eight hours a day like my full time job. One of the great things about teaching is the summers "off", but I can also choose to stretch my paychecks out for 12 months, so I'm actually getting paid in the summers, even for the weeks that I'm not in the building.

Last summer, I opened a new bank account at Bank of America and I signed up for the "Keeping the Change" account. It has been great for me! It's an easy way to save anywhere from a penny to several dollars a day. If you are someone that has a hard time saving, but uses your debit card a lot, I recommend it.

And just recently I found on one of my bargain shopping sprees, the cutest adult "piggy banks". They just look like jars and have a cork lid. On the front, they are painted with sayings like, "For my Shoes", "Trip to Vegas", "Gambling Money", "Harley Fund", and "Home Sweet Home". I splurged the $4.50 it took to purchase the jar that says "Hopes and Dreams" and as stupid as it sounds, it's helped! Every time I walk past it, I try to add something to the jar ... change or any spare dollar bills I have. Now I have the money saved for something important!

So, this is my plan ... make more money and spend less money.

One of the easiest ways to spend less money is to use coupons. They are out there for people to use ... so why am I not using them every chance I get? At school, we do a fundraiser by selling Entertainment Books. They are $20, but they are SO worth it. If you happen to shop at Price Chopper, they have six $5 off coupons, so right there you have made it worth the purchase. My goal is to use as many of these coupons as I can before they expire in November. If I'm going some place to eat or shop anyway ... I might as well get some good deals!

This is my question:

Are there local websites where you can easily find deals of the day/week/month or print out coupons to your favorite local places? If there isn't ... that is my next blog idea! Don't go stealing it from me! :)

If you know of places to find great deals ... PUH-LEAZE comment so you can help me (and others) out!