Back-To-School and Retail Sales Likely Down for September

This may indicate good sales this holiday season.  If there are, how about buying only what's on sale and cutting back this year?  Use your extra money to pay off credit card or other debt or just appreciate not having buyer's remorse in January. 

Coupons; Are They Worth It?

I like bloggingawaydebt.com's post on April 28th about the show Extreme Couponing on TLC. The reality is that many coupons are there specifically to get you to buy something. The merchant or product provider knows that many people will fall prey to the "deal." You end up buying what they want you to buy. Not because you need it, but because they are giving you a deal. One of the important aspects of Living Below Our Means, is understanding exactly what it is that we need. Heading off to the store without a list or plan is stupid. Heading off with a coupon for something we don't really need is financial suicide. If you plan ahead, create a list of what you really need for the week based on the grocery adds sales flyers, you are going to typically save more than you would with a coupon. If the coupon is for something that is already on sale and something you truly need or can use that week, then it’s a bonus. Use coupons to your benefit, not the benefit of the merchant or the product provider.  Extreme Couponing…