Saving Money Creatively

As you might already know, I am a value whore! In my effort to become even more slutty than usual, I have decided to start saving for a goal.

I want to do something special for Big Chocolate. Something that I did on my own. Not something that I use the money HE earns to do for him. But something from ME. Not really sure what it will be yet, but I want to do SOMETHING Special for the guy that does EVERYTHING special for me.

It’s not really what I’m saving for that matters, it’s how I am doing it and the level of focus I am applying to it. You see, I teach one class and bring in a whopping $800 a month doing it. I help Big Chocolate at the office, which saves us the cost of an employee, but doesn’t really bring anything in. Really when it comes to me personally saving money for something that “I” paid for I am going to have to get very creative.

So here is my plan and don’t laugh at me!!! I am going to maximize all of my points/rebates/Swagbucks. I am going to do it with reckless abandon.

Here are some of the ways I have already saved this month:

Swagbucks - $25 in Amazon gift cards.

Chase Debit Card Rewards – I have already cashed out $65 cash in rewards this year. I had some points carry over from last year, but I have cashed out $125 in the first 3 months with Chase, so I am thinking that I should be able to hit $400 by the end of the year.

Ebates- Order all of my stuff online through Ebates. $5 from a $500 purchase for the office. I’ve got to be better with this one. I forgot to order my OFFICE Max stuff through them and really missed out!

Misc. Store Rewards Programs – Best Buy, Staples, Office Max etc.: $160

Mystery Shopping: $55 reimbursement for shopping a restaurant!

TOTAL: $310

The secret is combining the point earning opportunities:

Buying Groupons through SwagBucks nets you 280 points each time which is about $3. Paying for it with my Debit Card earns me points.

I made a $500 purchase for the office this weekend. I bought through Ebates ($5) I used my Best Buy Rewards ($10) and I used my Debit Card ($5).

When I am earning gift cards or store credits, I am going to use them to buy things I need for the office or home and will reimburse myself into the account I am tucking the money away into.