March is Frozen Food Month. It is a good time for families to stock up on their favorite frozen foods. Doing so could make dinner time quicker and less expensive than typical.

According to National Today, Frozen Food was first conceptualized in 1953 by C.A. Swanson & Sons. They made a frozen TV dinner that simplified dinner time. People started eating dinner on trays while watching television.

Grocery Dive reported that since the start of the pandemic, frozen foods are driving sales in grocery stores. “Compared to their pre-pandemic shopping habits, shoppers are citing a desire for experimentation, a need for greater variety and a focus on buying better value” according to a report conducted by 210 Analytics.

If you choose to do your grocery shopping in person, pay attention to the sales in the frozen food aisles this month. There is potential that you could find something new to you and your family. That frozen food could make dinner less boring for a family that has been cooped up indoors for a long time.

You should also check your store’s loyalty card to see if there are special deals for card holders. This can include BOGO sales (Buy One Get One Free) on frozen foods. Bring your loyalty card to the grocery store, or prepare to give the cashier some identifying information that connects the loyalty card to you.

What if you prefer to have your groceries delivered? Check the store’s website for special savings on frozen foods. The frozen foods your family loves the most might be on sale this month. If there is room in your freezer, you can save money by stocking up on frozen vegetables while the price is lower than typical.

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The way we dress during the Covid-19 pandemic is quite different than how we dressed before it. Now is a good time to re-assess your clothing options and make necessary changes. You might be able to save money on clothing.

Working Remotely

Those who work remotely may need to attend some online meetings. You might be able to use the workplace appropriate shirts and sweaters that you used to wear while in the office. It is a good idea to have at least a few pairs of slacks. Your online co-workers probably won’t see them – unless you have to get up to tend to a child or pet.

Some people lost or gained wait during lockdown. Your professional clothes might not fit anymore. You can save money by shopping clearance sales or end-of-season sales. Make sure to review the store’s return policy before you make a purchase.

Take Good Care of Your Clothes

Reader’s Digest says that washing your clothing after each wear may result in over-washing some items and causing them to wear out prematurely. Reader’s digest also reports that hot water won’t necessarily get clothes cleaner, but it can damage some fabrics or cause some stains to become permanent.

It’s time to reconsider how you do your laundry. Using less hot water might help lower your heating bill. You can also save money by using less detergent each wash. Doing so can make your clothes last longer.

Consider Thrift Stores

Do you live in an area where the shops are open? Thrift stores are good place to shop for clothing (and other things) for very little money. Before you go, call the store and find out if they let customers try on clothing. If they don’t, then you should ask about their return policy. Make sure to wash the clothing you buy at the thrift store before you wear it.

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Many of us are staying home as much as possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of going to the grocery store in person, families are having their groceries delivered. This can result in “substitutions” made by your shopper. You might end up with a much larger bag of potatoes than you expected! Here are some ideas about how to use up those potatoes before they go bad and have to be thrown in the trash.

Mashed Potatoes

It is pretty easy to make mashed potatoes. All you need is fresh potatoes, butter, and salt. You can find many recipes online that include additional ingredients, such as cheese, garlic, or leeks. There are even vegan mashed potato recipes.

With a little bit of effort, you can use up an entire ten pound bag of potatoes by turning them into mashed potatoes. Put some of it into small freezer bags that are a good size for an individual serving. Each bag can be used as a side dish for dinner.

Potato Soup

Few things can be more satisfying than bowl of hot soup on a cold day! The main ingredient in potato soup is potatoes. It can be made quite simply, with just a few ingredients. If that sounds boring, then you can add more ingredients to suit your taste.

You can make a meal out of a large bowl of potato soup. Serve some for dinner or lunch, and freeze the leftovers into individual servings. Use them up on a night when you are too busy to cook.

Baked Potato

Baked potatoes are wonderful for many reasons. They are easy to bake, and every member of your family can add their own preferred ingredients on top of it. This is a meal that can make everyone happy!

Baked potatoes can also save you a little money on your heating bill. The kitchen will be nice and warm while the oven is on. This gives you the opportunity to turn off your heat for an hour.

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Christopher & Banks is a women’s apparel retailer. It has filed for bankruptcy and has already begun taking steps to close all of its 450 stores. The company is based in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Christopher & Banks decision was due to debt issues and pandemic disruptions. It relied heavily on foot traffic to bring people to its stores. The foot-traffic has decreased in recently due to competition from big-box retailers, rising online sales, and changing customer preferences.

In a news release, Christopher & Banks stated that they expect to close a significant portion, if not all of its brick-and-mortar stores. It is also seeking potential buyers for the sale of its eCommerce platform and related assets.

This may be sad news for fans of Christopher & Banks. There is a bright side, however. If the company sells its eCommerce platform, it could mean that the company that buys it might sell continue to sell some Christopher & Banks products.

When a store announces that it is filing for bankruptcy, it is an opportunity for consumers to save money on the sales that are offered. Right now, Christopher & Banks has a limited-time “take an extra 10% off entire site” sale on its website. There is also a 40% sale on new arrivals, and an online-only semi-annual clearance sale starting at $10.

Those who have a Christopher & Banks gift card should make an effort to use it soon. Stores that file for bankruptcy may decided to abruptly stop accepting their gift cards. This is especially true after they find another company that wants to purchase their assets.

Is there a Christopher & Banks store near you? Now might be a good time to stock up on clothing that you can wear while doing online meetings. Call the store first to make sure they are still open.

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Winter weather comes with extra expenses. Will the extra cost fit into your budget? Here are some tips for saving money during the winter months.

Seal Drafts

Cold winter winds can find their way into the smallest crack in a window or gap in a door. The cold air makes your furnace work harder – and that can raise your heating bill. One way to prevent this problem is to seal off the cracks in windows and underneath doors. Some people will purchase insulation kits from a hardware store. A less expensive way is to push rolled up towels into door gaps and window cracks.

Cook Meals at Home

Cold days require hot food! You can save a lot of money by cooking meals at home. Use your oven to make a pizza or a casserole. The heat from your oven will warm your kitchen. Don’t forget to turn down your furnace before you start cooking!

Cooking at home saves money in other ways. It forces you to use up your groceries before they go bad. Throwing out groceries is a waste of money! Cooking at home also prevents you from driving to pick up food at a restaurant and having to spend money to refill your vehicle’s gas tank.

Blankets and Sweaters

You can save money by turning down your thermostat and bundling up in sweaters, warm socks, and blankets. Add some extra blankets to your bed before you go to sleep. You probably have those items at home. Turning down the heat means you will spend less money on your energy bill.

Close the Flue on Your Fireplace

A fireplace can be used to heat your home. But, it only works while there is a fire burning. Close the flue after the fire goes out and before turning on your heater. Don’t let the warm air go out the flue!

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There are some exciting ways to save money on entertainment in 2021. This is great news for people who happen to live in places that are under “stay at home” orders due to the pandemic. Here are just a few ways to save.

Warner Bros. announced that it is releasing all of its 2021 movies on HBO Max the same day as theaters. If you already are paying for HBO Max, then you can enjoy these movies from the safety of your home without having to spend extra money.

The movies include: “Dune”, “The Suicide Squad”, “Matrix 4”, “Space Jam: A New Legacy”, “Godzilla vs. Kong”, “Mortal Kombat” and “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It”.

“In the Heights,” an adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-winning Broadway musical, and “The Many Saints of Newark,” a movie prequel to HBO mob drama “The Sopranos,” which are also among the 17 movies Warner Bros. plans to give a concurrent streaming release.

HBO Max has a deal that right now that will last until January 15, 2021. For a limited time, new and returning HBO Max subscribers will receive 6 months of HBO Max for a total discounted price of $69.99, plus applicable tax. After your six-month discounted subscription period expires, your subscription will automatically renew at the end of each month.

Disney+ currently has an offer where you can sign up for Disney+, only. It costs $6.99/month or $69.99/year. This offer would be good for families that want to watch Disney content, but aren’t interested in also paying for Hulu or ESPN+.

AppleTV+ is free when you buy an Apple device. In other words, if you recently upgraded to the newest version of the iPhone, or bought a new Apple computer, it is possible you that you already have access to AppleTV+ for free. The offer lasts for one year from when you purchased a new Apple device.

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Many things have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Some restaurants have closed. Others are no longer allowed to have indoor dining. You might be in an area where grocery delivery is unavailable or too expensive. One way to save money is to cut down on food waste.

A great way to cut down on food waste is to consider portion size. Does your favorite restaurant allow people to order take-away? The portion you receive is likely to be larger than an adult should eat in one meal. Take the food home and split it into two portions. Refrigerate one portion, and eat the other immediately. Ordering delivery? You can do the same thing.

Turning one over-sized portion of food into two smaller portions means you get two meals for the price of one. Make sure to eat the second portion before it goes bad. Not sure you will remember to eat your leftovers? Pair up with a member of your household and order a meal that you can share. Two people get fed for the price of one.

Saving money on grocery shopping is more difficult if you want to have your groceries delivered to you. The person who shops for your groceries won’t have access to your coupons or your grocery store loyalty card.

One way to save money on grocery delivery is to find out what different services charge. Pick the one that is the least expensive. Before you shop online, take the time to plan out your meals for the week. Make a list of all the ingredients you need, and make sure you compare prices.

Of course, in order to really save money you will need to put in the effort to eat the groceries before they go bad. Frozen foods and canned goods last longer than fresh foods do.

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Starbucks will close more 100 additional stores in the United States and an additional 200 stores in Canada. The closings will take place over the next 18 months. Starbucks said the closures will be focused in cities, or its “metro business” with lower-performing stores.

Why is this happening? It appears that Starbucks made that decision after assessing how its was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes sense, considering that people’s lifestyles and work habits changed as a result of COVID-19.

Before the pandemic, and the heath and safety measures that stores had to take in order to prevent the virus from spreading, people went to Starbucks for coffee before going to work. Others may have spent their lunch break at Starbucks. There was a time when people who worked from home would bring their laptop to Starbucks, find a table, and work there. Today, stores that serve food and drinks have had to remove indoor seating.

If the Starbucks nearest you closes, you may feel disappointed. On the other hand, this gives you the opportunity to save some money. Order some Starbucks coffee from the grocery store, and brew it at home. Doing so will be less expensive than if you bought it at a Starbucks shop. Or, if you are feeling adventurous, you could seek out a different brand of coffee.

Starbucks also intends to open new small-format stores, in places where the rent is lower. The focus is on drive-thru locations, particularly in the suburbs. In cities, Starbucks is starting to open Starbucks Pickup stores, where customers can place an order that will be ready for them when they arrive. It appears the Pickup stores only offer to-go service.

Another option is to seek out a local small business coffee shop. The cost of their drinks and pastries maybe lower than similar items at Starbucks.

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Thanksgiving day is a holiday in which many people spend time with their families. Some stores will be open on Thanksgiving day, while others will be closed. Here is a look at some of the stores that have announced that they will be closed on Thanksgiving day.

Target announced in July of 2020 that they will close their stores on Thanksgiving Day. “This season, you can count on getting extra-big savings without the extra-long lines, with plenty of opportunities to score the best deals on the hottest items both before and after November 26.” Target recommends you sign up for Target Circle – a free loyalty program that makes it easier to save – for the latest updates on deals throughout the season.

Dick’s Sporting Goods also announced in July of 2020 that it will close all its stores on Thanksgiving Day. It will also close all distribution centers. This closure includes specialty stores Golf Galaxy and Field & Stream.

Best Buy announced in July of 2020 that it will close its stores on Thanksgiving day. They are making some changes beforehand, such as more convenient pickup options at their stores, and making sure BestBuy.com orders arrive at the right time. Customers will be able to shop on BestBuy.com onThanksgiving day.

Macy’s announced in September of 2020 that its stores will be closed on Thanksgiving day. They encourage customers to shop on macys.com and through the Macy’s mobile app, where they will find all of Macy’s Black Friday deals. Macy’s stores will be open on November 27, 2020.

Trader Joe’s announced on October 12, 2020, the following: “Trader Joe’s Stores will be CLOSED on Thursday, November 26, 2020 for the Thanksgiving holiday. Be sure to pick up your bird and all the fixings before the holiday! We are thankful for you.”

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October is often the month when people start trying to figure what their budget looks like for Christmas. This can be difficult for those who were unable to put away money this year due to unexpected difficulties related to COVID-19. Fortunately, there are things you can do to save money on Christmas 2020.

Avoid traveling. Christmas is a time when people want to be with their family – including those who live far away. It simply isn’t safe to do that in 2020 because of COVID-19, especially if you have family who are at high risk of catching the virus. Instead of traveling, consider “visiting” your relatives through Skype or Zoom. Doing so won’t cost as much as booking a flight and a hotel room!

Shop locally. The post office and all the companies that do shipping will be overloaded in the weeks before Christmas. Families who are used to ordering gifts online, and having them arrive before Christmas, cannot rely on it this year. For best results, shop locally. Choose small businesses that could really use some help. You may be required to wear a mask when inside the store.

Make use of the plastic Christmas tree that is in your garage or shed. You have already paid for it, so it won’t cost you anything to re-use it. Most of the ornaments and decorations will probably still be in good shape. Take the time to check on strings of lights to make sure they still work. Do some price checking before choosing the store that you will buy new Christmas lights from.

Use up last year’s wrapping paper before buying more. It is very easy to forget that you stored away some rolls of Christmas wrap when you were taking down the tree after the holiday was over. Another option is to cut apart brown paper bags and use them as gift wrap. You can decorate the bags with paint or marker first, and let them dry, if you want a holiday design.

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