Tips for saving money

The following is a rundown of money-saving tips and ideas collected during the first “Living Well With Less” financial education series.

Energy

Fuel assistance through the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program is available Oct. 1 through May 15. Call 715-395-1651 or look it up on the Douglas County website, http://www.douglascountywi.org/, under the Health and Human Services Department. Applying for energy assistance is the first step to getting weatherization assistance, which is available through Ashland County Housing Authority, 1-800-274-8311.

Food

Ruby’s Pantry provides shares of food for $15 each on the second Monday of the month at Zion Lutheran Church, 2022 E. Second St. and the third Thursday of the month at Christ Lutheran Church, 320 N. 28th St. The doors open at 4:30 p.m. with distribution beginning at 5 p.m. There are also distribution dates and times in Duluth and Cloquet. More information is available on the Ruby’s Pantry-Superior, WI Facebook page or online at http://www.rubyspantry.org/.

Lake Superior SHARE, a food buying club, offers low-cost food packages each month that can be picked up at distribution sites including Solon Springs, Superior, Duluth and Iron River. More information is available by calling 218-727-2088, at the website www.sharefoodclub.org or on the LakeSuperiorSHARE Facebook page.

Sharing One’s Surplus provides shares of food for $25 each on the second Saturday of each month at First Covenant Church, 5161 S. County Road P in Poplar. Doors open at 8 a.m. with distribution beginning at 10 a.m. For more information call 715-364-2738.

Couponing

Websites:

Extreme couponing online videos: http://www.passionforsavings.com/

Money and time saving tips and articles: http://moneysavingmom.com/

Printable coupon database and weekly $5 or less, how to shop for free: http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

Store sales database: http://www.couponmom.com/

Freebies and coupons: http://www.freeflys.com/

The website foodonthetable.com/ mixes store coupons with recipes to provide grocery lists people can print out or email to themselves. The only local coupons featured on the site are for Cub Foods, but the recipes and grocery lists are available no matter what store you shop at.

Where to find coupons:

Newspapers: Northland Shopper, Friday Superior Telegram, Sunday Duluth News Tribune or ask a family member or friend to save you inserts, check local coffee shops, library, gas stations for leftover inserts.

In store binkies and tear offs

Online printable coupons: www.coupons.com/

www.redplum.com/

www.smartsource.com/

coupons.target.com/

Write to your favorite companies

Sign up for freebies (usually come through coupons)

Store coupon policies

Learn each store’s coupon policies and rewards programs first.

For example: Cub Foods accepts expired coupons up to 30 days, CVS takes Extra Care Bucks and Extra Care Card, Target will match manufacturer and store coupon on same item, Walgreens has new Balance Rewards card program, Walmart offers price match and accepts competitor’s coupons off items.

Miscellaneous

Northwest Wisconsin Community Services Agency in Superior provides tax preparation for low-income individuals as well as rental assistance. Contact NWCSA by calling 715-392-5127, stopping by 1118 Tower Ave., or via the website at www.northwest-csa.org/

Dial 211 for a list of essential community services in the area. The site includes information on resources that provide for basic human needs like food, clothing and sheter, work support, support for older Americans with disabilities, children, youth and family support and more.

RX Relief Cards are available online through rxreliefcard.com or at Catholic Community Services, 1416 Cumming Ave., 715-394-6617.

Information on student loan debt is available online at http://loanconsolidation.ed.gov/help/whatsnew.html. An eHow article gives tips on how to pay off student loans early at http://www.ehow.com/how_6666427_pay-off-student-loans-early.html and CNNMoney offers a calculator to determine how much you will pay for your loan at different monthly payment amounts: http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/studentloan/studentloan.html.

Other tips for saving/making money

Add a roommate

Ride the bus

Carpool

Barter or trade services, such as “You babysit for me, I’ll babysit for you.”

Sell old clothing/household items through Craigslist, Ebay or rummage sales

Get items second-hand at Goodwill, Salvation Army, Earth Exchange and other thrift shops or rummage sales

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