Jonni McCoy's Money-Saving Suggestions

Jonni McCoy, leading expert on shopping and frugal living and author of the acclaimed Miserly Moms, Frugal Families, and Miserly Meals, shares tips on how every family can save money in their day-to-day spending habits.

Jonni McCoy, leading expert on shopping and frugal living and author of the acclaimed Miserly Moms, Frugal Families, and Miserly Meals, shares tips on how every family can save money in their day-to-day spending habits.

• Plan ahead. How will you get to your destination?  Will you bring a cooler for most meals or eat in restaurants? How much and what will you pack? Do you have a basic list of items so you don’t forget anything?
• Don’t empty the wallet to fill your tank. Keep a Shell Platinum MasterCard® from Citi® Cards on hand to get leverage for vacation expenses. When Shell sent two experts on a 5,000 mile road trip with nothing but a car and a Shell Platinum MasterCard, they earned $38 of Shell gasoline by using the card to pay for all of their hotels, food, and Shell gasoline purchases. To calculate total savings go to http://www.877myshell.com/ and see all the free gallons you’ll earn while on the road.
• Save money on meals. Bring food to store in mini-refrigerators and utilize any complimentary breakfasts or happy hours with hors d’oeuvres. Make sure you call and specifically ask about possible deals at hotels, car rental companies and airlines.
  

• Gift giving ideas. Shop in advance of holidays or events and, during sales, buy extra gifts ahead of time.  Make creative and personal gifts, such as baking sweets, to save a lot of money. Save seeds from your garden and give with a gardening tool attached. Give themed gift baskets for your favorite movie lover, bath lover, college student, etc.
• Simple decorating. Fill a basket with pinecones (you can spray-paint the pinecones gold or silver) and string simple white tree lights around and through the basket. Use evergreen boughs and decorate them with tree lights or ribbon. Display your holiday cards as decoration: use a pretty basket or string ribbon through punched holes in the cards and hang.