5 Ways to Start Saving Money in the New Year

If your New Year’s resolution is to get your finances in order, these guidelines will help you get started.

In this economy—and especially during this time of year—many of us are facing our very own fiscal cliff. While we may not be able to raise revenue as easily as the federal government can, these five steps may help you reach solvency and put savings in the bank, financial planners say. Join the conversation. Join Oak Forest Patch on Facebook and sign up for the daily email newsletter! Once you’re free of debt and ready to grow your savings, you can look to financial services companies for investment advice, including banks (Bank of America, Wells Fargo and others), insurers (State Farm, Allianz and others) and brokers (Edward Jones, for example). Good luck! By Theresa Waldrop

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Frugal Family

Frugal Family: Deals on Pictures, Pet Food, Celtic Music and Film

A short list of great deals in the area for the money-conscious family.

This week, we scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on baby photos, auto care, movies, Celtic music and pet food. Remember, you are a big part of this column. Let us hear about the deals you've seen. Just add them in our comment box. Remember to check with the merchant for additional conditions: 1. OLAN MILLS PORTRAIT STUDIO IN KMART Yes, we know your baby is the cutest baby ever. Why not get free pictures? Deal: Receive one 8 x 10, two 5 x 7s, and 8 wallet-sized baby portraits free. Print your coupon here. Good through: Sunday, March 6. Valid for children 3 months and younger only. 2. PETSMART Get ready for the purrrrfect deal. Deal: Buy one bag of IAMS Cat or Dog Food (4 lb. cat food or up to 8 lb. dog food) and get one …

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Frugal Family

Deals on Tacos, Computers and Ice Cream: Frugal Family

A short list of great deals in the area for the money-conscious family.

We’re back with a few new ways to save money. Remember, you are a big part of this column. Let us hear about the deals you've seen. Just add them to our comment box. This week, we scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on ice cream, electronics, and pizza. Remember to check with the merchant for additional conditions: BASKIN-ROBBINS Treat a friend to some tasty ice cream and get one free. Deal: Buy one cone, get one free.  Print your coupon here. Good through: March 5, 2011 BEST BUY Free up some desk space by swapping out your desktop for this space-saving laptop. Deal: $349 – Get a Gateway laptop with a AMD C-series processor, 15.6-inch display, 3GB memory, and 320GB hard drive. Good through: February 19, 2011 BEGGARS PIZZA…

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