This month’s All You magazine cites Redplum, saying that the average couponer can save $1,000 each year by clipping offers for just 20 minutes a week.

For the time invested over a year, that’s the equivalent of making $58 an hour. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never made $58 an hour doing anything!

Happy coupon clipping!

I love air conditioning. Oh, do I love air conditioning. Ice cold air conditioning. Ideally, 68 degrees during the day and cooler at night.

This year, I turned the air conditioning on in March and it hasn’t been off since, but I have gotten better about conserving and keeping our electric bill in check.

Here are some tips* to help you enjoy the air conditioning while keeping your electric bill in mind…

• Ceiling fans can make a room feel 3-8 degrees cooler and cost less than a penny an hour to run!
• Each degree below 78 raises your energy bill 3-4% so be mindful of the thermostat and keep those ceiling fans on high!
• Close registers in unused rooms and closets and keep the doors to those rooms shut. No use cooling a room you’re not using.
• Turn the AC off when you’re not home. I know there is a heated debate on whether turning the AC off or down uses less energy, but here’s how I think of it – your home can only get so hot while you’re gone, if you leave the AC it removes a houseful of heat over and over again, if you turn the AC off, it only has to remove one houseful of heat when you get home.
• Make sure to change the AC filter frequently. A dirty filter makes the AC work harder, using more electricity.
• Keep your AC unit shaded, it will consume 10% less energy.
• Close the curtains and blinds on the sunny side of the house to keep the heat out.
• Reduce heat from lighting, appliances, and cooking. Use compact fluorescent bulbs, use the microwave instead of the oven, turn off computers and televisions when not in use, and switch your dishwasher to air dry.

Do you have any money saving summer tips? Leave a comment!

*We are renters, so these are quick and easy tips that anyone can implement at any time.

CBS News recently ran an article on Generic vs. Brand Name products, mainly highlighting which generic products are just as good as name brand.

I always try to utilize coupons to make brand name items just as budget friendly as generic, but when I can’t I don’t hesitate to buy generic or store brand products. The article got me thinking about which generic products I regularly purchase and which name brand products I am loyal to.

Not an exhaustive list, but here’s how my shopping cart usually looks:

Things I will buy generic:

• pasta
• (most) canned vegetables
• canned tuna
• ketchup
• milk
• paper products
• cereal
• butter
• pain relievers
• allergy medicine
• bread
• crackers
• ice cream

Things I absolutley positively will NOT buy generic:

• Qtips
• Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
• Campbell’s Soup
• Hidden Valley Ranch
• Hunts canned tomatoes
• Sargento shredded cheese
• Eggo Waffles
• Baked Lays potato chips
• Philadelphia cream cheese
• Miracle Whip
• Coca-Cola
• Hershey syrup
• Daisy sour cream

So, where are your brand loyalties? Do you buy any generics that you think are better than brand name?

Since moving to a warmer climate (Chicago to Austin), my husband and I spend quite a bit of time outdoors. We had a rainy spring (and start to summer) so the mosquitoes are out with a vengeance and we use bug spray quite liberally.

Good grief is that stuff expensive!

So, I did a little digging and came up with some natural mosquito repellents that are budget friendly, smell much nicer than OFF, and even have some added health benefits!

• Essential oils such as cinnamon, lemon eucalyptus, citronella, and castor are natural bug repellants. Add 10-25 drops of essential oil to two tablespoons of carrier oils (such as olive, sunflower, or other cooking oils) or alcohol (like witch hazel of vodka) and spritz!
• Ingesting garlic (especially for prolonged periods) can make you naturally bug repellent! My husband used to take garlic pills while in the army for just this purpose!
• Get your daily dose of Vitamin B1 (aka thiamine) and not only will your hair, skin, and eyes thank you, you’ll also be free from mosquito bites!
• If you spend a lot of time on your patio, make sure to plant flowers and foliage that keep away bugs. Geraniums, Marigolds, Rosemary, Citronella grass, and Catnip all contain oils that keep mosquitoes at bay.
• Equal parts pure vanilla extract and water in a squirt bottle also makes a great insect repellent. Just make sure you’re not wearing a white shirt!
• If you don’t mind reliving your childhood, Vicks Vapor Rub makes an excellent mosquito repellent thanks to it’s eucalyptus oil!
• I’ve seen several mentions of combining baby shampoo and beer and applying to your lawn and shrubs with a hose-end sprayer. Definitely worth a try!

One of my favorite indulgences is cut flowers. I love to have a vase of flowers in the kitchen, on my desk, and on the bathroom counter.

Unfortunately, a bouquet of flowers isn’t in the weekly budget so I when I do get flowers, I need to make them last. Here’s a few tips to make cut flowers last longer – I’ve tried a few of them and they all work so far!

• Add a splash of bleach to the vase water to kill germs.
• Fill the vase with half lemonade and half water.
• Put a crushed aspirin in vase before adding flowers.
• Add a copper penny to water to make stems stand up straight and blooms last longer.
• If you’re cutting your own flowers, cut them in the cool of the morning for the most moisture.
• Cut flowers and trim stems with clean and sharp scissors or knives – dull cutting tools crush the stem, closing off water supply.
• Store flowers in the fridge over night – ideal temperature is 40-50F.
• After a few days, add a teaspoon of sugar to vase water to perk up flowers – clear soda works, too!
• Remove flowers as they die – they emit ethylene gas that wilts healthy flowers.

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Want to make the most of your coupons? Start stacking!

What’s coupon stacking? It’s when you use a manufacturer’s coupon and a store coupon on the same item.

Check your store’s coupon policy to see if they allow coupon stacking. I do my grocery shopping at HEB and was disappointed to learn that they don’t allow stacking.

Target coupons are my favorite to stack because their coupon policy is so generous, they issue high value coupons regularly and have in store promotions for gift cards.

Just last week I had $0.75 off manufacturer coupons for Scubbing Bubbles, plus $0.50 Target coupons, plus I got a $5 gift card for buying 3 Scrubbing Bubbles products!

You can find great Target coupons in magazines, so keep your eyes peeled!

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If you love to go out and experience new things in your city, keep an eye on Groupon.

Every day, Group features a cool business, tasty restaurant, or fun activities in major cities across the United States at a serious discount.

Just last week, I bought a $40 gift certificate to The Melting Pot for $20 and my husband and I enjoyed a memorable meal to celebrate out 3rd anniversary.

Make no mistake – Groupon isn’t about necessities. It’s about making the most of your disposable income!

Do you have a Thrifty Tip? Share your tip with everyone at I Am a Money Magnet!