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What Goes on Sale and What to Buy on Clearance in April

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After really reading the grocery store sales fliers on line instead of just skimming them, I started to notice seasonal sales patterns, especially around holidays,  especially industry holidays like Earth Day. When I shop seasonally,  I’m able to keep my family in fresh fruit and vegetables for less when nothing is growing locally yet.  Shopping the April seasonal store sales doesn’t just apply to food. Many household items only go on sale in April too. It is a good time to start looking for that perfect Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or Graduation gift because the prices will be higher on those items in May and June. If you are a thrift or consignment sale shopper, April is the time to hit the stores! Thrift store donations increase in April when people start their Spring cleaning. For extra savings, pair the sale with a coupon from my  printable online coupon database  (affiliate link) because money saving coupons often follow national sales cycles too! April Seasonal
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42 Ways to Get Free Stuff (without Stealing)

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I like getting a free pen or tote bag at the state fair just as much as the next person.  I appreciate free hotel toiletries so I don't have to deal with them on airplanes. I am pretty darn lucky we have local events with sponsors that offer us little advertising trinkets we find useful and allow us to learn about new products or businesses. As long it is something you can use and you only take your fair share, I don't think it stealing or being dishonest. 
 

Pin this post for later! 
What I do have a problem with is someone who tells you to save money by taking more than your fair share, ripping other people off, or outright stealing something like enough ketchup packets from a fast food place to refill your empty household ketchup bottle. Seriously?

After reading another article about getting stuff for free that is borderline illegal and made me greatly annoyed, I put together my own list of how to get stuff for free that won't get you arrested and let you sleep with a clear conscious at night.

42 Hacks to Get Things for Free!

 
Most of these tips are new money saving habits (habits are fee!), tips to ask for something you find useful and is often discarded, or how to turn something you already have into something you want or need because I know all of you are in dire need of cheese wax candles, right?

The candle burned OK, not great. At least I now know if we have a 
horde of ninjas camped outside the house, have a bunch of waxed cheese, 
and need light, we can make candles.


2. How to Make Candles out of Cheese Wax
3. How to Warm a Winter Room with Free Heat!
4. How Low Does Your Furnace Go in Winter? 
6. How I Get Free Reusable Shopping Tote Bags
7. 5 Easy Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill
8. How to Search for Air Leaks and Drafts

Doing a free DIY energy audit allowed me reduce my electric bill by 32%. 
Not a bad investment for a little bit of my time!

 9. How to Conduct a DIY Home Energy Audit
10.8 Ways to Reduce Household Trash and Save Big 
11.How I Slashed my Electric Bills by 32% without Moving into a Yurt


I reduced my yearly electric bill by 32%!

12. How to Hem Pants Into Shorts
13. Can You Wash a Plastic Bath Poof?
14. 9 New Habits to Keep You Warm During Winter
15. 40 Ways to Organically Repel Japanese Beetles by NOT planting this list of trees, plants, vegetables or flowers.
16. Save Water with Shorter Showers
17. Save Money! Find and Fix Air Leaks and Drafts
18. 9 Things You Need to Do Now to Save Money and Sanity Next Christmas
21. 13 Ways to Lower Your Electricity and Natural Gas Bills
22. Five Repurposed Home Organizers


I'm pretty proud of this flash of inspiration



 What are your free hacks?

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