Discover Your Bliss

Save money on your cell phone, credit cards and gas

Would you like to find out how to save money on your cell phone bill, credit cards and gas - for free?  Welcome to BillShrink.com.

BillShrink is a free cost-savings tool that continuously works to save you money
on your everyday expenses.  All you have to do is answer a few questions about your usage, where you live, etc. and Bill Shrink will do the rest - searching cell phone carriers, credit card companies and gas prices for the perfect fit for you.

In many cases, you don't have to switch carriers - it matches your habits to what you need so you're not paying for a bunch of extra services you never use. 

True, it might be more beneficial for you to switch carries or cards and Bill Shrink will show you all of your options. 

Bill Shrink is a free service that also continues to give you updates on newer plans and options that can continue to save you money after your initial search. 

They've also got a good blog with money-saving tips. 

How can you use only what you need?  How does cutting out what you don't use support you overall? 

I'd love to hear your comments and experiences.

Should I rent or buy?

I found this cool site that let's you "play" with the idea of renting verses buying a home. 

Go to homefair.com and click on "Rent vs. Buy" and a finance calculator comes up and you can plug in your answers. 

If you don't know how to answer a specific question, then just click on the question mark and it will give your more information so you can continue to plug in your figures. 

Knowing this information might make you feel more secure in your decision, although you should also consult with a good mortgage broker.  If anyone needs a good one - I know one that rocks! 

What are the pros/cons of renting verses buying?  What are your goals in life and how does renting or buying support those goals?

I'd love to hear your comments and insights.

Unique Los Angeles is back - cool, one-of-a-kind stuff

If you're always looking for the unusual, one-of-a-kind gift or simply a one-stop-shop for all things cool - you've got to check out Unique Los Angeles. 

What's Unique Los Angeles?  Here's a description straight from the horse's mouth:

UNIQUE LOS ANGELES is an exciting two-day shopping event that showcases independent design talent at great prices. The event brings together over 230 of the best designers, artists and merchants. We believe in supporting the community while stimulating the local economy, we thrive on individualism, and we hope to introduce independent design to the masses. There are deals and discoveries a plenty!

The event is Saturday, May 2 - 11am-7pm & Sunday, May 3 - 11am-5pm. 

I'm so excited to go and I had so much fun last year. 

If you'd like to follow the event on Yelp, then click here. 

What's something that's cool and unique that you love?  How does something being one-of-a-kind raise your energy? 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Save Time & Money with Multi-Meals

Do you ever find yourself hungry and not in the mood to prepare something?  You might want to give multi-meals a go. 

A multi-meal is like multi-tasking for the kitchen.  Basically, you prepare more than one meal at a time - this way you save time and money at each meal.

For example, if I'm cutting up ingredients for a salad then I make sure that I make two salads - this way I have my next meal prepared with little or no extra time. 

This double preparation saves me both time and money and saving time and money makes me happy. 

Where can you add multi-meals into your day?  Week?  Year? 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Oprah's Earth Day Free Stuff & Discounts

Oprah's Earth Day show ended with a bang of discounts and a freebie for all. 

Just in case you didn't watch the show, I wanted to let everyone in on the coupons and offers.

Click here for Oprah's Earth Day offers.

The first offer is a free lunch tote from Wholefoods - so you better print out your coupon pronto before they're all gone. 

The second offer - is nothing but spectacular - a 20% off coupon for any purchase from SIGG.  Oh my gosh - I love SIGG bottles.  I started using one in March 2008, combined with putting a water filter on my kitchen since and haven't had to buy bottled water since - talk about saving the earth!

The final offer is a 20% off coupon for any purchase from To-Go Ware.  Here's the kicker on this coupon - I tried to visit the site last night and it had too much traffic and wasn't available.  I tried going there this morning and it didn't even load.  Hopefully, they'll have their technical difficulties worked out in time for everyone to get a chance to use their Oprah Earth Day coupon. 

All of the products are meant to encourage everyone to choose reusable products instead of disposable and save the earth of the tons and tons of trash in our landfills and oceans. 

How does choosing to make a difference by using re-usable items feel?  What's one thing you can do to support the earth in breathing a healthy breath? 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Save Money on Southwest Airlines

I know I've talked about this before - yet I want to mention it again because it's such a money-saving practice - save money with Southwest Airlines.

One of the coolest features that Southwest offers is the "if the ticket goes on sale after you've purchased it, just log and we'll credit you the difference" feature. 

I usually log in and purchase the days and times I need to travel, then check back periodically to see if the rate has dropped, then log in and re-purchase the ticket at the lower price and the difference goes into my Southwest Airlines account to put toward future travel.

On an OKC to DEN flight I recently purchased, I applied my $44 credit from a previous purchase and only had to pay $50 for my ticket to Denver in June.  Pretty cool, huh? 

You can also install the "Ding" feature to your computer for added hidden deals on certain destinations (according to which airports you select). 

Southwest is also having a sale right now so many regular deals are at rock bottom prices.  Sweet.

How does finding a deal support you?  What would it look like if you could save money on all of your purchases?

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries.

Want To Save Money on Beauty Products?

What's the secret to saving money on beauty products?  Shop where the pros shop.

• Beautycrunch.com - up to 75% off makeup
• Alconeco.com - beauty tools at a deep discount
• Beautysteals.com - big-bucks skin care - on sale
• Luckyscent.com - find $3 mini bottles of posh perfumes
• Raybeauty.com - pro hair tools at excellent prices

Many of the steals and deals are on special limited time colors or kits - yet there are deals to be had.

At BeautySteals.com, I found the tinted moisturizer I use, yet it wasn't in my color - so you have to be careful when ordering - double-check the color, shade or details to make sure you're getting what you want. 

Either way, these web sites offer great deals, steals and new items and colors to explore.  You can keep up your beauty routine and save some money all at the same time. 

Bonus beauty tip:  If you frequently purchase facials, massages or manicures (just to name a few), then you might score a bargain by buying in bulk.  Talk to the salon where you get these services to find out what kind of deal might had.  Some salons will give you a free service is you create a standing weekly appointment or pay for multiple services at once. 

Bottom line...you never know what you can get until you ask.

What's something you're willing to request?  What's your biggest fear about asking?  Your biggest hope?

I'd love to hear you comments and discoveries. 

Simplify Your Life Tip - Save Money, Gain Joy

The regular "Tuesday Quote to Ponder" is changing to "Simplify Your Life Tip - Save Money, Gain Joy." 

Yesterday's Oprah show focused on how families can make a few changes to simplify their life and as a result, save money and gain joy. 

Sound good? 

Tip number one:  Replace one monthly outing that uses money (going to the movies, shopping for shopping's sake, going out to eat, etc.) and replace it with something that's free and full of connection. 

For example -if you go out to eat 10 times a month - make one of those nights a "stay at home night."  Invite your friends, family or just keep it simple with your significant other. 

Play boardgames, go to a park, create a build-a-pizza night where everyone brings one ingredient for the pizza (fun and economical). 

Focus on connection.  See what happens. 

Simplify your life - save money, gain joy.

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Get Cheaper Exercise Shoes and Clothes

Have a specific type of running shoe that you like in a particular size?  Want to know when it goes on sale?  Check out shopittome.com/running

Here, you can sign up for email alerts for sales on your favorite items.  Doesn't cost a thing and could save you a ton of money and time. 

Now you can spend all of your extra time saved by this service exercising.  What bliss (well, for some like me - since I love to exercise). 

How does it feel to have a personal sale shopper?  How do services such as these enhance/detract from your life?

I'd love to hear you comments and discoveries. 

3 More Ways to Save Money: Grocery Stores & Restaurants

Ready, set...save money.  Sound good?  Read further. 

If you'd like to find more ways to save money at restaurants and grocery stores, then check out these interesting sites:

• restaurant.com  - a great place to find coupons and discounts to restaurants, culinary schools and baby coupons.
• thecouponclippers.com - service offering coupon clippings for a small fee.  The cool thing is, you can shop by product and in the end save up to 40-60% on your grocery bill.  A coupon for $1.50 off Biz costs 15 cents and a $3.00 off coupon for Iams pet food costs 20 cents.  They currently offer 57 coupons just for oral care and 10 coupons for juice.  There's also buy one get one free coupons and rebates.  In the end, you could pay a few dollars to save a bundle on your grocery bill.  And don't forget at some grocery stores you can get double value for coupons $1 and under. 
• mygrocerydeals.com - this site can not only save you money - it can also save you time and headaches.  You know all those weekly ads and circulars you receive for grocery stores and the like?  This site puts them all together then shows you (according to your zip code or city) where the top deals are - pretty cool, huh?  Plus the site is independent, so no ties to a particular store taint the findings.   

Saving money is blissful - especially in today's economic climate.  Who knows - maybe you'll get in the habit of saving money and it will become second nature to you. 

How does saving money feel?  Excited?  Depressing?  Hopeful?  What's one gift you can see (outside of saving money) when you find new ways to save money? 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries.