This time of year brings long, light evenings and perfect weather for summer entertaining. To entertain your friends and family without breaking your budget, consider the following.

1. Eat outdoors:

Of course, cooking outside is always enjoyable but it helps save money also. By cooking outside you avoid creating heat indoors, helping reduce air-conditioning costs. Also, outdoor feasts tend to be more casual; your guests may even bring side dishes.

2. Throw an economical Cinco de Mayo party:

To stay with the theme, serve tacos and margaritas. Decorate cheaply and cheerfully with balloons or flags in bright Mexican colors.

3. Plan a picnic in the park or at the beach:

On a summer weekend, make plans with friends/family to meet up for a picnic lunch. Take turns to provide picnic food or let everyone contribute.

4. Go out for dessert:

Take advantage of those extra daylight hours to meet up with friends later in the evening – find an affordable restaurant with a pleasant patio and meet for dessert and coffee – much cheaper than a full meal with drinks!

5. Keep the sun out of your house and off your patio:

Save on air-conditioning costs by keeping blinds and drapes closed during the hottest time of the day, making your house cool in the evening if you need to be indoors. If entertaining outside, use awnings and umbrellas to keep decks and patios cool and comfortable for your guests.

To save money on outdoor furniture, party décor and food at a wide selection of online stores, go to www.JustAddCoupons.com.

Finally warmer weather is here and it’s time to get your home ready for spring and summer. There are few things more satisfying than that virtuous feeling you get once you have given your home a complete spring clean – brushing away the winter cobwebs and welcoming summer with a clean, tidy, organized living environment.

1. De-clutter:

This is the time to get rid of your unwanted items; decide what can be sold and what can be donated. Advertise saleable items on Craigslist and make a little money!

2. Organize your finances:

Keep on top of paperwork – review your finances and ensure you have the best possible deals on your bank accounts, credit cards etc. Check if you might be paying too much for insurance and cancel any magazine subscriptions that you do not really need. Organize your paperwork so you can always put your hand on any document instantly – you’ll save both time and stress!

3. Clean and service appliances and heating/cooling systems:

Clean, well-maintained appliances work more efficiently and will save you money and energy in the long term.

4. Discover vinegar:

Vinegar is undoubtedly the cheapest – and one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly – cleaning materials you can use. Vinegar is excellent for cleaning just about anything and everything in the home and it gets rid of unwanted odors too. It removes sticky residues, toilet stains and stains on clothing – it’s brilliant for cleaning windows also!

5. Shop savvy:

Watch for promotions and coupons on cleaning and organizational materials to save money while spring cleaning your home.

To save money year round at a wide selection of online stores, go to www.JustAddCoupons.com.

Tax time is rapidly approaching and it fills many of us with dread! Remember there are many ways to save on your taxes and (legally) avoid giving the government one penny more than you should.

1. Be charitable:

Charitable gifts offer a tax write-off. If you intend to donate, or have donated, to a favorite charity this year, make sure you get a tax receipt and file it with your claim.

2. Save for retirement:

Check to see if you are eligible for tax deductions on contributions to your IRA.

3. Renovate and go green:

If you renovated your home during the past year with energy-saving technology, you may be eligible for ‘green tax’ credits. (And you will enjoy savings on your energy bills from the changes also – an added bonus!)

4. Deduct your housing costs:

If you run a home-based business, you can write off a portion of your housing expenses: mortgage interest / rent, property taxes, utilities, insurance, etc.

5. Deduct your health insurance:

Entrepreneurs can also deduct health insurance costs for themselves and their families.

To save money year round, at a wide selection of online stores, go to www.JustAddCoupons.com.

Eating out is almost always a pleasure and if it’s a special occasion or romantic dinner with a new love interest, then saving on the cost may not be the top priority. However, if you like eating out fairly regularly and enjoy trying new restaurants but don’t want to break the budget, the following tips may be helpful!

1. Consider sharing:

Restaurant portions are often overly generous. Consider sharing a starter and an entrée; you will likely have plenty of food and will not only save money but will feel better for it also.

2. Ask for a ‘doggy bag’:

As above, if a portion is too large, get a take-home bag and – voila – you have tomorrow’s lunch for free!

3. Eat early:

If dinner is not going to be the sole focus of your evening out, consider getting an early reservation; many restaurants offer ‘early bird’ specials for those prepared to eat before popular times.

4. Avoid the wine list:

Restaurants make most of their profits on the drinks. Have a glass of water with your meal and you will save a huge portion of the bill.

5. Explore the specials:

Be careful with this one; some restaurants offer pricey items on their ‘specials’ board but often there are real bargains to be found.

To start saving money right away, go to www.JustAddCoupons.com.

If you are still recovering from the financial strain of Christmas, then you will want to know some quick fixes for saving money in 2012.

1. Cut down on bank fees:

See if you can get a free checking account or at least one with a lower fee. If you pay the balance on your credit card in full each month then consider one with no annual fee, even if the interest rate is higher.

2. Avoid the coffee shop:

This is an old one, but still a good one, as those lattes really do add up. Try skipping the coffee shop for a month.

3. Consider whether you really need a gym membership:

Running or walking outside is just as good as the treadmill, and you get fresh air! Or buy a yoga or aerobics DVD and practice at home.

4. Shop the sales:

There are terrific bargains to be had in the post-holiday sales, but make sure you’re buying something you really need and not just because it’s on sale!

5. Save on gas:

Check prices at local gas stations; there may be certain days each week when gas is cheaper. Try to combine trips and ensure your tires are fully inflated.

To start saving money right away, go to www.JustAddCoupons.com.

You don’t have to be a scrooge or cheapskate this Christmas to get something thoughtful for everyone on your list – without breaking your budget. JustAddCoupons.com tells you how!

1. Shop online

Have your gifts shipped to out-of-state or international recipients. Save on both time and mailing costs while still choosing something personal for each recipient.

2. Watch out for coupons

Take advantage of special offers to give cut-price experiences to your loved ones this Christmas. They’ll remember you every time they look back on their concert, spa treatment, baseball game, etc. – and you have nothing to wrap or ship.

3. Shop sales

Take advantage of Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals to pick up bargain gifts.

4. Make your own

Giving a homemade gift really says you care and will mean a great deal to the recipient. You will spend time but save money. Give home-baked goods, or a handmade craft.

5. Set a price limit on gifts

Make an agreement with family or friends to keep all gifts under a preset limit. To really save, devise a Secret Santa program where each person in the group buys for just one other person.

Remember that you can save money year round with JustAddCoupons.com!

Saving money starts at home. In this month’s financial tips blog post we focus on easy ways to cut costs in the home while going green. Helping to save the earth as well as your wallet has to be a bonus!

1. Buy compact fluorescent lights (CFLs):

Buying the bulbs costs more initially, but energy savings over a year are significant, they last for years and are definitely eco-friendly.

2. Stop buying bottled water:

Buy a filter for your faucet and not only will you save dollars on your water consumption, you will make a huge difference to the environment – plastic water bottles have become an environmental disaster.

3. Take your own reusable bag to the supermarket:

Many stores now charge for plastic bags, so you may well save a little money. However, you will indisputably help save the environment with this one!

4. Install a programmable thermostat:

Reducing your heating or air conditioning when you’re asleep or away from home will result in savings of up to $200 a year on your energy bills and a healthier planet.

5. Turn off appliances when you’re not using them:

Switching off your computer, and other electronic gadgets at night, instead of just leaving it on ‘standby’ will add up to savings for both your wallet and the environment.

To start saving money right away, go to www.JustAddCoupons.com

Here at JustAddCoupons.com, we’re all about saving money. There are numerous small, simple changes you can make that will reward you with lower bills and more money in your pocket.

Each month JustAddCoupons.com will bring you five tips on ways in which you can save money. This month we focus on ways to save on your telecommunications and cable services. This bill can often be one of the largest chunks of a monthly budget, so if you whittle it down you will definitely notice a difference in your bank balance!

1. Learn how to ‘bundle’:

Major telecommunications providers generally offer landlines, TV, cable and Internet and give discounts if you have all your services with them.

2. Get rid of your landline:

If you mostly use your cell phone, consider whether a landline is really necessary – it’s likely an additional expense for something you never use.

3. Shop around for cell phone plans:

You may want to stick with a provider that a family member uses as there can be discounted family plans, but make sure you do your research before committing to a contract.

4. Try VoiP services:

VoiP services such as Skype are a great way to call family and friends long distance; if not completely free, these services will be a fraction of the cost of a long-distance landline or cell phone call.

5. Be picky with your cable:

Go through your cable channels and be very selective in paring down your choices. Often we pay for more channels than we really need…

To start saving money right away, go to JustAddCoupons.com.