By Nancy Clement & Dawn Clement

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages on tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

August 28, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) —Want to save money on your college textbooks? Why buy when you can rent? Now you can rent textbooks from Bookrenter for a semester. Check their website to see if the book you are interested in is available--with 3 million titles, chances are good that it will be. They offer free shipping to your door and at the end of the semester, UPS comes and picks it up so you do not have the hassle of re-selling a textbook you no longer need.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

August 13, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Free is cool! For a short time Cali Comfort  Restaurant in Spring Valley is offering a special deal: Kids eat free every Friday for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This special will only be available until August 21, so mark your calendar to be sure you do not miss out. Some other restaurants that offer Kid’s Eat Free meals are in the list written below; many of them are located in East County.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
 
By Nancy Clement

July 30, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) What are your summer plans? Do they include travel or is there no budget for taking a trip this summer? Fortunately, our beautiful San Diego and East County offer wonderful places to have a stay at home vacation, to play tourist while sleeping each night in your own bed. A staycation is an inexpensive way to play and not spend a lot of money on travel, lodging, meals and souvenirs.

 
Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
 
 
“A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken.” - James Dent.
 
By Nancy and Dawn Clement
 
July 15, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- While you enjoy summer, keep in mind some items you can purchase now that enable you to stretch your dollar and save money. Here is a list of non-food bargains: appliances, furniture, gym memberships, men’s suits and paint.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

June 16, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) –Love and marriage can be beautiful for all concerned, but there are some things to consider when thinking about getting married . We consulted an attorney, Jennifer Hughes, to share some ideas on the subject of prenuptial agreements.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

June 4, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Summer has unofficially begun--and the best food buys are perfect for summer entertaining. So plan to purchase now to be prepared to take advantage of savings and be ready for summer visitors. Plus check for deals on items for school, home and office.

By Nancy and Dawn Clemens, Dollar-Wise Divas columnists

May 19, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - Brides come in all ages, shapes, and sizes yet, they all have in common a desire to look radiantly beautiful for their wedding day and to share a special, memorable day with treasured friends and family. So how do you accomplish this on a small budget?

Your first step is to brainstorm with your future husband to make sure you both have the same ideas about what your perfect wedding would look like. Here are some questions to start the conversation.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
 
By Nancy and Dawn Clement

May 7, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – April showers bring May flowers--which has absolutely nothing to do with bargains, but what a colorful spring we are having due to the rains. So now is a great time to enjoy free roadside flowers or go to Lake Murray and see flowers in bloom. The tall green plants with yellow blooms are black mustard plants, so named because of the tiny black seeds. The smaller, compact yellow bushes are crown daisies. Both are non-native plants that grow in many parts of East County. Savor these photos of blooms at Lake Murray--or better yet, enjoy a barbecue at the lake, or at home in your own backyard.  http://www.fototime.com/inv/E212805BF181B90.

 
Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
By Nancy and Dawn Clement
April 20, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – Each month offers bargains and specials savings for you. Food savings seems to be the theme for April; now is a good time to take advantage of candy and decorations due to Easter clearance sales. April is also National Car Care month. With Earth Day fast approaching, we offer you tips to save money and drive green.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

March 30, 2010 - San Diego's East County - Spring is here-- and what a colorful, vibrant springtime we are experiencing due to this winter's rains. Trees and flowers are blooming, birds are singing and building nests, and many of us experience a desire to be outdoors enjoying the springtime beauty. Spring is also a great time to freshen up your home. If you have a hankering to do some spring cleaning, here are some ideas and tips to help you save money on household cleaning products.

March 11, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - One of East County’s treasures is The Water Conservation Garden. Sunset Magazine calls it one of the “Top 10 Gardens of the West.” This is a beautiful and relaxing place to spend a leisurely afternoon. However, it’s also a learning experience!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

March 10, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - Springtime is almost here; maybe this year you want to plant a garden or refresh your current garden. Are you thinking of planting a garden but don't know what to grow or where to start? Fortunately, there is plenty of help for you and the best news is that it is free!  all you need is a little bit of time to followup on information available at the websites listed below. 

 
 


Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement
 
March 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - Timing is everything. Each month offers unique buying opportunities and may be the best time of year to buy. Your savings per unit item may justify the purchase. As luck would have it, there are just a few items that are exceptional bargains in March and they are boats, frozen food, and coats and outwear, and air conditioning.

“Kiss Your Landlord Goodbye” – free seminars Feb. 27 in La Mesa, March 1 in El Cajon

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

February 10, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) -- Uncle Sam wants to give you money to a buy a house, but you must hurry because there is a deadline; you must be in escrow by April 30 and must close escrow by July 1, 2010.

This program is the Homebuyer Tax Credit, and in November of 2009 was revised to include both first-time buyers and buyers who already own a home.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
 
By Nancy and Dawn Clement

February 1, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) - Appliances cost a lot of money. They are notorious energy hogs and older models can really affect your monthly utility bill. Most people just suck it up, however, because of the high replacement costs. It does not have to be that way anymore. There are so many appliance rebate programs out there that one could easily miss a few when making a large purchase - for example, a new clothes washer. With a little research and organization, you can save a lot of money on your purchase. The trick is to "stack" rebates.

Are you facing a health issue and want reliable, up-to-date medical information?

There is a free resource available for you, The Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library is available to residents in the Grossmont Healthcare District. This is a state-of-the-art, hybrid library that offers information both through online computer databases and through books, medical journals, newsletters, DVDs, and more. The library's welll-trained, friendly staff will help you find the information you are seeking. In addition, they host a monthly Senior Discussion Group about a health topic and a monthly movie, and will begin computer classes in March.

 
By Dawn and Nancy Clement
 
Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

December 28, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)-Is getting more organized on your To Do List for 2010? If it is, then get a jump-start by creating a Household Binder. This will help everyone in your household find information quickly and make running a home easier and more stress-free. You can assemble one in just a few minutes if you have all the items gathered together before you start a three-ring binder that will hold standard 8 1/2 X 11’ paper, one with pockets to store items like pencils or stamps, and a list of items you want to include. Some ideas about what to include are:

By Nancy Clement

December 22, 2009 (La Mesa and Spring Valley) -- Start the New Year off right by walking your way to health!

Live Well invites you to come and “Take a Walk with your Community” at a fun-filled event that features a 30 minute hosted walk, free entertainment, refreshments and a special guest. This special event will occur simultaneously at both Harry Griffen Park in La Mesa and Lamar Park in Spring Valley from 9 to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 30th.

Cowles Mountain is the site of a Kumeyaay Indian solstice site and the Canyoneers are conducting a free walk up the mountain on December 21 at 6 am to view the sunrise on the first day of winter.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
 

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

December 17, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) - We all know the holidays can get extremely expensive. Not only do people buy many gifts to give away, they also spend a good chunk of change on gift-wrap for those gifts. There are ways you can save on gift-wrap, however. You just need to get a little creative. You can even use the money you save to buy more presents!

 
December 3, 2009 (San Diego's East County)--eNature’s ringtones are a way to bring a unique ring tone to your phone. There are many free ring tones available from elk to turkey. Have fun with this freebie and learn what our nation’s treasures sound like in the wild.  http://wild.enature.com/ringtones/

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Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

December 3, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) – Ready or not – the holiday gift-giving season is here!  Our gifts to you are ideas and tips to help you spend less money and feel more relaxed and peaceful during this special time of year. It is important to remember why we are celebrating, and to not be caught up in a whirlwind of consumerism.

November 25, 2009 (El Cajon) --La Dolce Belladonna, located in Fletcher Hills, is proud to be a participant in the Locks of Love Program as an approved hair salon that performs free haircuts by licensed, professional hair stylists.
 
To qualify for a free haircut, a person must have long hair and be willing to cut and donate it to a child who has lost his or her hair due to an illness. Very few salons in San Diego offer haircuts free;t this is the way La Dolce Belladonna Spa says thank you to those who donate their hair to benefit children in need. 

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
 
By Nancy and Dawn Clement
 
November 26, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)-The term “Black Friday” dates back to the late 1960's and refers to the Friday after Thanksgiving – the start of the traditional Christmas shopping season, and the day most store ledgers hit “the black” (show a profit). Retailers nationwide get a jump-start on the season by having sales on Black Friday.
For many stores, this means opening their doors at midnight after Thanksgiving. If you are a night owl, that is the time to go (before all the sale items are picked over).

 

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!
 
By Nancy and Dawn Clement
 
November 23, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) - San Diego has excellent theater, and ticket prices are low enough (even free!) that everyone can enjoy great shows.

WSDG&E® is exchanging up to three old holiday light strands for an equal number of complimentary color light-emitting diode (LED) holiday light strands to customers throughout San Diego County. SDG&E® and its community partners are hosting eight light exchanges throughout the County, ringing in energy savings and increased safety for the holiday season.

Take advantage of some of the hidden benefits of being a veteran!
 
By Nancy and Dawn Clement
 
November 5, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)- This week’s column is a special thank you to all the active duty, veterans, retired military and their families in the East County and San Diego region. Veteran’s Day is not just another time for stores to hold special sales, it is a day set aside to pause and collectively honor our military service members and their families.

 
 
 
San Diego, CA, November 5, 2009 – As a thank you to Veterans and Armed Services Personnel, Veterans Day, November 11 has been declared a “Fee Free Day” for Cleveland, San Bernardino, Angeles and Los Padres National Forests.

 
Does the thought of going house-to-house Trick or Treating make you feel uncomfortable? How about mall Trick or Treating?
 
Mall Trick or Treating is an easy way to take the little ones for out for an evening of fun. On Saturday October 31st, two local malls--Grossmont Center in La Mesa from 4 to 6 PM and Parkway Plaza in El Cajon from 3 to 5 PM--are the places to be in East County to be for a frightfully good time.

Share creative ideas to assist people of all ages with tips to save money and improve their lifestyle!

By Nancy and Dawn Clement

October 22, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)-Costumes are not about how much money you spend. You could spend hundreds of dollars and still have a less-than-exciting costume. What make a costume great is a little creativity--along with a few accessories. For example, take a man in an ordinary suit, slick back his hair, give him a pencil thin mustache and a string tie, and voila – Clark Gable! Take the same man, in the same suit, give him a wide tie, spectators, and a waist chain, and you have a Mobster. The clothes you wear are a mere canvas on which to paint your costume.

If you need a little inspiration, check out these sites: