Summer’s here! And boy is it the season of savings. Not only can you kiss that pesky heating bill goodbye for a few months, but using the bounty of Mother Nature you can save big on your summer grocery bills too. Here are a few tips for saving cash with a small vegetable patch.

Build Your Own Planter Boxes

If you already have your own tools, building planter boxes is cheap and easy. If you don’t have your own tools, go buy a hammer and a box of outdoor nails and you’re almost there. It’s better to use a drill and screws, but if you don’t already have them, you can make do. Many people use scrap wood to create the four sides of their planters. If your planter is large, don’t forget to cross-brace it because soil is heavy (especially when wet). You can also use scrap barrels or get creative. (We don’t recommend creating a veggie garden in a cast-off toilet, although it’s been done). If you’d like more instructions, check out this how-to guide.
 
The main cost you’re going to have is soil to fill the planter. You’re going to need more than you think and you may resent paying for dirt, but consider it an investment. Be sure to put the boxes in full sun for the best results.

Plant the Right Foods for Your Region

Peppers are wonderful and delicious and tempting… and nearly impossible to grow in Seattle without a hot house. Ask around at your local garden store for what edible plants grow well in your climate. You’ll need a lot less water and will spend a lot less cash if you select the right plants.
 
You’ll save the most money if you can grow your plants from seed. But even if you’re getting started a little late, buying plants still saves you money. Consider this math: you’ll pay around $2 for a strawberry plant that will give you berries for years or $2 for one pint of berries that you can enjoy today. Yes, we know strawberries aren’t vegetables, but who can resist planting one or two hardy little fruit plants.

Experiment with Inter-planting and Vertical Planting

Inter-planting (the practice of getting the most plants possible into one planter) is not only an ancient art, it’s a smart way to maximize your food production in a small area. Here’s an example: plant a pole bean seed in the same hole with your corn seed. The plants will grow up together (the bean wraps around the corn) and one plant gives off the nitrogen the other desperately needs.
 
Vertical planting is equally smart. Peas and beans aren’t the only plants that like to grow vertically. You’ll actually get longer, straighter cucumbers if you give them a structure to grow up (instead of letting them sprawl across your planting bed). Again, ask for advice at your favorite nursery.

Plant in Stages

Remember that most plants have an expected maturity (the date that they’re ready to eat), so plant a few seeds now and a few later. By planning ahead, you’re ensuring that you have fresh crops all summer long (and also that you don’t have a glut of one type of food at the end of the summer). But even if you do find yourself with an abundance of tomatoes or beans or cukes, you could always can them and spread your summer bounty (and savings) right on into the winter.
 
How do you make your garden grow? Share your tips in the comments below.
 

We know you like to save big bucks by making your purchases online, because, after all, isn’t that why you’re here? Sometimes, though, you might have some reservations about what you’re actually going to get when that package arrives at your doorstep. In that case, you might want to take up the increasingly common practice of showrooming.

Showrooming is when a shopper checks out a product in store and goes on to make their purchase for a discount online. How could you pass up the huge discounts available from coupons and promo codes? We conducted a survey and found that two-thirds of respondents admit to showroom, and most of them end up at Amazon.

To see what this is all about, check out our infographic below.

Victoria secret has wonderful smelling perfume! Don’t forget to stop and smell the great smelling perfume at Victoria’s Secret on your way around the mall. Coupon Chief Victoria’s Secret perfume coupon codes can you provide you with great savings on your newly purchased and newly found-out Victoria’s Secret perfume, body spray, cologne, etc. You are sure to find a smell that pleases your nose, and don’t worry –  if you are ordering online, and cannot test the perfume first, Victoria’s Secret perfume is sure to delight you and please your nose – so, no returns needed! Check out the other wonderful savings on lingerie and pajamas as well.

Looking for discounts on military sunglasses? Go no further than the ArmyNavyShop. They have military eye-wear, sunglasses, and goggles.  Probably one of the best places online for tactical sunglasses and shooter’s lenses. If those don’t suit you, don’t forget to rack up on hand-cuffs, shotgun slings, and metal polish. This store has absolutely everything you need to perform well on an episode of “Survivor”.  One of the great unique items that I ran across for this store is the handheld metal detector – a must have for today’s crowded outdoor gathering, especially if security is needed. The camping and survival gear section is populated with tons of useful goodies as well such as canned heat, and then head over to the clearance section in search of camouflage for your hunting or camping experience. Coupon Chief ArmyNavyStop coupons are a great place to start saving for your next journey into the great outdoors – or possibly added Christmas savings for your military family member.

If you own multiple pets, lugging heavy bags of dog food, cat food, and bird food back from your local pet store can be a time consuming hassle. Wag.com offers dog, cat, bird, fish, reptile, and small pet food delivered right to your door. Purchasing in bulk can really save you money here since orders over $49 come with free 2 day shipping – if you add up the time you save lugging huge bags of dog food from the car, it could potentially save a good amount of time as well. Coupon Chief cat and dog food coupons can help you save even more money at Wag.com when you make your bulk purchases. Wag.com also offers a great selection of natural flavors including smoked salmon, roasted bison and venison and more. For your convenience, you can also find IAM’S, Alpo, Dog Chow, and Purina coupon codes through the Coupon Chief Wag.com store.

CouponChief has a wide variety of personal computer discounts and laptop coupons. Computer and laptop discounts are a must have for electronic shoppers anywhere. You can miss out on potential savings of hundreds or more if you don’t take advantage of personal computer discounts and laptop coupons online. Online retailers like HP and ASOS offer percentage off, free shipping, and more. Smart computer shoppers combine their online personal computer discounts and laptop coupons with extended warranties and support packages for the best deals in computers online. Any savvy electronics shopper knows that warranties are worth it. Lose your laptop, spill coffee on your laptop, or completely crash your computer into a boot loop, and you will learn the value of a good support plan or warranty on your laptop. That reminds me! If you have a laptop accident with an uninsured laptop, don’t be afraid to use Coupon Chief GeekSquad coupons for instant laptop-back-to-life savings.

Target is one of the most popular retail stores in the country. Target carries a bit of everything and generally in good quality. If you can’t find what you need at the Target store, check out the Target online store via Target.com. Whatever you need, you can surely find it there. Coupon Chief has new Target coupon codes! Target coupon codes include codes for items like laugh and learn learning puppies and Dora sleepwear. Another popular source of Target coupon codes is Target beauty items. Target, like Amazon.com, generally offers an assortment of coupons and discounts off certain items such as a specific toy, toothbrush, or item of clothing instead of percentages off entire departments or entire purchases. Don’t fear though – you can still check out the best sales and deals via the Coupon Chief Target sales coupons that do not require codes. These coupons often inform you of great percentages off offered throughout the store via seasonal sales or departmental discounts.

Coupon Chief clothing coupons offer great savings and even better – new clothing store shopping ideas. Stores like Footlocker, Kohl’s, Coldwater Creek, and Manhattanite can all be found on one page – Coupon Chief tag: clothing. Clothing coupons are great for women, men, and children. Clothing is one of the most popular items that Coupon Chief regularly features, so many of the best Coupon Chief coupon codes can be found on the Coupon Chief clothing tag page. Apparel savings can really add up. Ann Taylor, Old Navy, Kohl’s and more routinely offer cash back in addition to savings via Coupon Chief clothing coupon codes. Don’t be afraid, shop away! Extreme couponing can often save the savvy shopper up to 90% off his or her favorite brands or stores. Many times the shopper saves as much as she spends with Coupon Chief clothing coupons.

Coupon Chief is a great resource for vitamin coupons. Purchasing vitamins direct from the manufacturer is one of the best ways to find obscure, rare vitamins, herbs, and minerals that your normal vitamin store, pharmacy, or grocery store does not carry. A natural, homeopathic vitamin and mineral supplement may be just what your body needs in addition to your current prescription medication or to aid you in weight loss. Vitamins may be necessary in your diet to support and maintain your health as well. Check out the Vitamin World site for vitamin programs designed to help you reach your personal health goals. Programs include

• Weight Management
• Heart Health
• Brain Health
• Women’s Health
• Men’s Health
• Fitness Regimen
• Joint Support
• Digestive Support
• Aging Well
• Immune Support
• Blood Sugar Metabolism
• Stress Management
• Energy & Vitality
• Healthy Vision

Let Coupon Chief save you money and contribute to your health and overall well-being with vitamin discounts and herbal tea codes.

A great coupon saver should always combine rewards programs with coupons and coupon codes for extra savings. Rewards programs are those store programs, like the one at Kroger, that you sign up for. The rewards programs rewards you in gas, store credit dollars, or percentages off of certain items for dollars spent in the store. These rewards programs can be combined with your favorite coupons in the same order to save you double or even triple the amount that was originally printed on the coupon or store reward. It is best to use coupons that cannot be redeemed with other coupons in this manner. Some Coupon Chief Rewards Program stores include:

• Kroger – you earn one point for every dollar you spend in the store. Rewards come in the form of gas savings, Kroger coupons, savings in store, etc.
• CVS and Walgreen’s rewards program – both offer store credit type rewards along with coupons and special offers
• Office Max and Office Depot – both have store credit type rewards along with discounts and offers for in store merchandise
• Autozone rewards program - Great rewards program with $20 off your 5th purchase
• DSW – great discounts come in the mail for more shoes when you purchase shoes at DSW