The Green Frugal

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Money Saving Android Apps

Before we showcase some exciting money saving Android apps, we want to announce that the official Cash4Books Android app will be released on October 19! The app will have a built-in barcode scanner, allowing you to quickly and accurately receive instant price quotes. And since the app is 100% free, you can actually make money using your Android.

Now available! The official Cash4Books.net free Android app.

Now, without further ado here are some of our favorite money saving Android apps!

#1 – Google Shopper

Have you ever had that feeling while you were out shopping that you could get the same product for a little less somewhere else? Wonder no more, thanks to Google Shopper. This money saving app recognizes products by voice, text, barcode scanning, and even by picture! It lets you search online for a better price and read product reviews. Next time you buy a product, you’ll know you’re saving money.

#2 – ShopSavvy

With ShopSavvy you’re always going to get the best price on products you buy. While saving 50 cents on one item may not make a huge difference, think about how the savings add up for 10 products. Now think about the savings for 50 products? I’ll leave the math to the experts, but you can see how eventually these small savings add up over time into big savings.

#3 – CardStar

How many times have you stood in line at the grocery store only to realize that you forgot your rewards card? Suddenly that 36-pack of toilet paper that was on sale doesn’t seem like such a great deal. With CardStar you can enter membership and reward card information for Blockbuster, CVS, Best Buy and many other large retail stores. Once you enter your cards into the app, the store can scan your membership information directly from your phone. You’ll no longer have to carry around all those cards and you’ll never end up with overpriced toilet paper again!

#4 – Mileage

We all know too well about the recent spike in gas prices. Mileage is a great money saving Android app that tracks your gas usage and miles driven. The more aware you are of how much you gas you use, the more likely you will try to cut back on unnecessary car trips. As a bonus, you’ll also lessen your impact on the environment.

#5 – Skype

If you ever made an international phone call, you know how expensive it can be. Fortunately with Skype, calling is free when you call Skype-to-Skype. Furthermore, fees are much lower than those of your standard provider if you call an international landline or cell phone.

Now that we posted some of our favorite money saving Android apps, we want to know about a few that we may not have discovered yet. Do you have any particular apps that you use to save money?

The Cash4Books mobile apps are powered by Vision Smarts barcode readers! Visit www.visionsmarts.com for more information and tell them Cash4Books sent you.

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Cash4Books Employees Volunteer Event with The Tualatin Riverkeepers

On Saturday, September 23 more than 20 Cash4Books employees, friends and family members helped the Tualatin Rivekeepers clean the waters and banks of the Tualatin River. This was our second year participating in a cleanup event on the Tualatin and we were more than happy to help out again this year!

Although the day started out foggy and overcast, the instant we hit the water the clouds parted and the sun shone down upon us. Which was a very good thing, as the large amount of rain we received this year made the water of the Tualatin the color of dark chocolate milk. Without that sun illuminating the murky depths of the river we never would have seen the shopping carts, lounge chairs, couches, the back seat of a car, a teddy bear, an exercise ball, a sawhorse, etc.

As you can see from this photo, there was plenty for us to do. And this is only from about a mile stretch of a river that runs 83 miles!

We want to thank The Tualtin Riverkeepers for their efforts in keeping the river clean and usable for all forms of life (including humans!). We are happy to support them, and if you live in the area we highly recommend you head over to their website to check out and support their current projects.  If you don’t live near the Tualatin, there’s no need to feel left out; there is probably a river near you that needs help too!

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Five Fun Ways To Save Money

Too often we think that trying to save money must mean denying ourselves of things we like. Not only does this make life more stressful, but it actually makes it harder to save money as you have to exert a lot of mental effort to do so. Once life catches up with you and other stresses arise you won’t be able to expend that extra effort and you’ll be likely to slip back into those old not-so frugal habits.  Fortunately, this doesn’t need to be the case; here are some low-stress and even fun ways to save money.

#1 – The Power of the Pig

You probably have not used a piggy bank in ages, but consider channeling your inner child in order to save money. Place a few dollar bills into a piggy bank a couple times a week and you will see the amount grow at a surprising rate over the course of several months. This is one of the more fun ways to save money because you can physically see your savings increasing. If you have children, this is also a great activity to teach them about the value of money and saving.

#2 -Use Your Skills

You’re awesome cooking skills (or computer know-how, or just about any talent that you have) might not be  enough to land you a high-paying, glamorous position as a world-renowned chef, but that doesn’t mean that your talent is worthless. Chances are one of your friends, family members or casual acquaintances would love for you to share your knowledge or ability. You can trade your skill with someone who needs your expertise and receive something valuable in return. You won’t have to purchase as many items and services, plus you get to do something that you love.

#3 – Second Hand Prices, First Class Style 

Few things can match the thrill of finding a stylish item on sale. Just because an item is not brand-new does not mean it cannot be new to you. Check out consignment and second-hand clothing stores for great deals on hot items. If you can find a beautiful jacket at 1/3 of the new price, you can afford to splurge occasionally. Plus, if you later decide that it is not as awesome as you thought, simply sell it to recoup some of the expense of your purchase.

Image credit: Λ W Λ, Flickr.com

#4 – Clear The Clutter

Ok, this one is really more of a way to make money, but it is still fun; hold a yard sale to sell the many items you do not need anymore. It will be embarrassing, but fun to go through your old clothes and other items and think to yourself “Why did I ever buy these bright pink high-tops? I hope there isn’t any photographic evidence of me actually wearing them.” Just remember that you will probably never use these things again, and you can get even earn some money for them. In fact, many old items are back in style now so you can earn decent money from selling them. As a bonus, you’ll gain some extra space in your closet and attic.

#5 – Entertainment Book

Many people love trying out new restaurants, but as hobbies go, this one can be quite expensive. This is where the Entertainment Book can make all the difference. The initial investment is $25 but it is going to pay for itself once you use it a few times. Most large US cities are represented the Entertainment Book and inside you will find coupons for fun restaurants and shops. There are also regional coupon books that have specials for all of your favorite local hotspots. Our favorite out here in the Pacific NW is the Chinook Book, (also available in a few a few other metropolitan areas) which tends to focus on local, “green” businesses.

These are just a few of our favorite fun ways to save money. There are plenty more out there. What do you do to have fun and save money?

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Make Money Traveling

If you asked people what they would do if they didn’t have to work, you can bet most answers would include something to do with traveling. But did you know there are actually ways to make money traveling? These are just a few ways that you can make travel fun and profitable.

Use your writing skill to make money traveling. Image credit: kiwanja, Flicker.com.

Option #1 – Travel writing

Many travel-focused magazines are on the constant lookout for new and engaging articles. While these magazines have high quality standards for content, if you have writing talent and experience, this is a great way to make money traveling. A good place to learn more and gain access to travel writing resources is thetravelwriterslife.com.

Option #2 – Write a blog about traveling or Podcast about it

You may not be able to easily get a job writing for a travel magazine, but you can do the next best thing and start writing for yourself. Many people will be interested to learn about your travel adventures, especially if you can write in an informative and humorous manner. Once you start getting some traffic to your blog you can begin selling travel related products or advertisements. You could also consider writing and self-publishing a travel guide.

If you are more comfortable just talking passionately about where you have been or what you have seen, a podcast may be your best bet to make money traveling. Record a short episode about your favorite traveling experience. Upload it and watch those hits come in; if you can make your listeners feel a connection with your podcast, you can be guaranteed to have them coming back to hear about your most recent adventure. Once you have a sizable fan base, you can began seeking out advertisers or sponsors for your podcast. Visit transtionasabroad.com/navpages/links/best _travel_podcasts.shtml for a list of podcasts that you can listen to for inspiration.

Option #3 – Offer English language tutoring

This obviously won’t work if you are just planning to travel to Boston or New York. If however you are interested in seeing the world, you can cover the costs of your trip and maybe make a little extra by offering your services as an English language tutor. As English has become the dominant language in the business world, the demand for English language tutors has increased. By tutoring you will meet some incredible people and make money traveling.

Do you have an eye for photography? Use it to make money traveling. Image credit: travellingtamas, Flicker.com.

Option #4 – Photography

For the right person who is truly passionate about traveling and photography, travel photography is an excellent way to make money traveling. People not only love beautiful pictures, but also seeing places that they have never visited. Because not everyone has the time or budget to travel around the world, viewing the world through photographs gives them a chance to see what is out there. If you have a knack for photography, it could be worth getting out there and start taking pictures. If there is not a magazine or website interested in running your pictures, start your own website! Check out travelphotographers.net for some more information.

Of course, there are other ways to make money traveling that we did not mention here, and we invite you to join our discussion and let us know some of your favorite ways are that worked in the past.

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Groceries: few people like shopping for them and even fewer enjoy paying for them. While there isn’t a way to get your groceries for free (short of dumpster diving), you do have options. Check out these tips on how to save money on groceries.

Save money on groceries with these easy tips. Image credit: cooksaid.com

Tip #1 – Plan your meals in advance

One recent study showed that 20% of grocery store purchases are unplanned, impulse buys. You can avoid this trap by planning your meals in advance and sticking to your list. Not only will you save money on groceries, but you’ll waste far less food.

Tip #2 – There is nothing wrong with generic 

Most people don’t end up buying generic brands because of perceptions of lower quality. However, you might be surprised to learn that blind taste tests have shown that some customers actually prefer the taste of generic brands. Make a point of giving generic or store brands an honest chance. If you don’t like them, it’s not like you spent an arm and a leg and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Tip #3 – Prepared foods cost extra

If you’re in a hurry, prepared foods are admittedly a great way to save time. However, as prepared foods are generally more costly, a better alternative if you’re short on time is to cook meals in advance and freeze them. While preparing a meal, it’s easy to double a recipe and freeze the leftovers for a later date. As an added bonus, homemade meals are generally healthier than prepared foods. If you need some freezer friendly recipe ideas, a great place to start is Life’s A Mom or Martha Stewart’s Freezer Friendly Foods.

Don't go shopping while hungry. Otherwise you might try something like this. Image credit: funnypicture.in.

Tip #4 – Avoid shopping hungry

This is an oldie but goodie. If you’re hungry while you shop, you will buy more. Everything looks appetizing when you’re ravenous. Make sure you eat a meal (or at least a snack) before shopping and you will find that a lot less ends up in your cart.

Tip #5 – Bend down or tippy toe

Grocery stores and supermarkets usually place the items with the highest markups around chest level. This makes these higher cost items easier to see and more accessible to shoppers. Resist the temptation to reach for what is nearest to you and kneel down or reach up for to find cheaper alternatives.

Tip #6 – Put a little effort into it

Did you know that there are plenty of supermarket chains that offer coupons if you visit their website? Not just that, but if you clip coupons and pay attention to the weekly deals that supermarkets have, you can’t help but save money. A smart shopper saves money on groceries simply by going where the deals are. There are also entire websites dedicated to the art of couponing. Check out Money Saving Mom or Frugal Living NW for daily sale and coupon updates.

Tip #7 – Price match

If you read about a particularly good deal in a store that’s far away, see if one of their local competitors will match the price. This not only saves you money on groceries, but also reduces gas consumption.

These are just seven of the best ways to save money on groceries that we have found, but of course we want to learn about what ways you have found that worked for you. Whether you saved ONE dollar, or twenty bucks, we want to know!