Blog Posts by Cheapism.com

By Raechel Conover, Cheapism.com

How much have you budgeted for back-to-school shopping? For nearly eight in 10 parents, the answer is up to $500 for each child, according to a recent survey by online coupon site RetailMeNot. But back-to-school shopping doesn't have to be such a drain on your wallet. Cheapism talked to Trae Bodge, senior editor of The RetailMeNot Insider, to get some strategies for acquiring all the necessary supplies for less.

Get your kids ready for school without breaking the bank.

Comparing Prices. With today's technology, it's much easier to compare prices before you buy. Bodge recommends using sites such as Red Laser, PriceGrabber, and Nextag to find the best prices. Consumers can also use online tools to find coupon codes and deals. According to Bodge, RetailMeNot saves customers an average of $20 per purchase and offers a smartphone app so shoppers can access deals and coupon codes on the go. At Cheapism we've rounded up other shopping apps that help you find the lowest prices.

Related: Smartphone

By Raechel Conover, Cheapism.com

We've all seen them and maybe even floated with one in the pool. Kids, however, are far more creative: they use them to squirt water, build shapes, and stage mock sword fights. In case you haven't guessed, we're talking about pool noodles.

We found 10 uses for a pool noodle that have nothing to do with swimming.

These simple pool toys are made out of polystyrene foam and are pretty light on your wallet. Big Lots lists them on its website for $3.50 a pop, and they're likely to be on sale right now because retailers are closing out summer merchandise. You'll probably find good deals at the local dollar store, as well. But as odd as it may seem, pool noodles have a second life outside of the pool. So stock up when the price is right and put a pool noodle or two to work around the house.

Related: Sewing machine reviews

1. Make a wreath. One of the beauties of a pool noodle is its flexibility. Bend it in a circle, slice one end at an angle and the other end at the opposite angle. Match up the ends and secure

By Kara Reinhardt, Cheapism.com

Farmers markets tend to be thought of as the province of the well-to-do, peddling things like $12 heads of organic lettuce and edible chrysanthemum leaves. But with more than 7,000 farmers markets across the country, according to the USDA, surely their appeal must extend beyond cost-blind locavores. Indeed, the few studies of farmers market prices we've found show that consumers on a budget can actually save on locally grown fruits and vegetables this time of year.

Can you save money by shopping at the farmer's market?

A 2011 survey by consulting firm SCALE Inc. found that farmers market prices were equal to or cheaper than supermarket prices about three-quarters of the time. The primary exceptions were free-range meat and eggs, which cost an average of 10% more than free-range products at grocery stores and 47% more than conventionally raised products. The items in the study included apples, bell peppers, zucchini, potatoes, butternut squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, chicken, eggs, ground beef, and

By Louis DeNicola, Cheapism.com

Was running or jogging your favorite form of exercise before you had a baby? Don't let motherhood keep you from tying up the laces on your running shoes. With a rugged, three-wheel jogging stroller, you can bring your child with you on a run. It's true that top-of-the-line models top $300 or even $500, but Cheapism has found three comfortable, safe, and smooth-riding buggies for as little as $160.

Related: Jogging stroller reviews

• Jeep Overland LimitedThe Jeep Overland Limited (starting at $175) has a 16-inch fixed front wheel that keeps the stroller stable while your child rides in the reclining seat. The fixed wheel makes cornering in tight spaces tricky, but the upside is a better experience for serious runners. This relatively lightweight unit (26.4 pounds) also boasts a handbrake for added control. Extra features include a removable sound system and a pedometer. The child's seat can recline into five different positions and has an adjustable canopy.

By Kym Pham, Cheapism.com

Summer is the season for bright, glowing skin and bare, happy feet. These seven DIY skin care tips will help smooth, brighten, and even heal where needed. Better yet, they're cheap, easy, and natural. Just don't forget the sunscreen when you venture outdoors.

Rejuvenate your skin with these DIY ideas.

Exfoliate the dead cells. To exfoliate beyond the dead cells and get down to the healthy new layer underneath, Makeup and Beauty Blog says all you need for DIY skin care is a box of sea salt. Massage it into your skin with a circular motion before hopping into the shower. Rinse thoroughly and apply plenty of moisturizer after you dry off.

Related: Best sunscreens

Minimize pores. You can't do much about the size of your pores but you can visibly minimize them. All it takes, according to Organic Authority, is a DIY skin care scrub of 1 tablespoon warm honey, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 3 drops of lemon juice. Every other day apply the scrub on clean skin to generously porous areas and

By Michael Sweet, Cheapism.com

One of the easiest, cheapest, and best ways to improve your PC's performance is to add more memory to your system. Installing cheap PC memory sticks isn't difficult to do, and it only takes a few minutes. But pumping up your PC from 1GB or 2GB to, say, 4GB or 8GB should give your system a noticeable speed boost.

Breathe new life into your PC with a memory upgrade.Find the right memory for your PC. Memory sticks aren't universal. You have to find the right type and speed of cheap PC memory for your computer. We recommend downloading and using the Memory Adviser Tool to determine the type of memory that's compatible with your system. After running the scan, the results will appear on a web page, with compatible memory types listed on the left. You'll see whether your PC supports DDR2 memory or DDR3 memory and what speeds you can use (for example, PC3-8500). Older systems probably use DDR2 whereas newer PCs use DDR3; DDR3 memory has a faster data rate than DDR2 and is not backward-compatible with

Vanilla is the perfect base for a summer sundae. By Elizabeth Sheer, Cheapism.com

...Ben & Jerry's Vanilla, the almost unanimous choice by a panel of 14 who participated in a blind tasting organized by Cheapism. But before anyone starts hollering that this is no cheap ice cream, the No. 2 pick was Breyer's Natural Vanilla, which probably deserves the title of best cheap ice cream. Indeed, it was the brand that kept the Vermont ice cream maker from earning a perfect score.

One warm afternoon we gathered together our panel of extremely willing volunteers with goal of identifying the best cheap ice cream. We included only national brands in the tasting and settled on vanilla because it's ubiquitous and, according to the International Dairy Foods Association (IFDA), the most popular ice cream flavor. The brands tested included Edy's Rich and Creamy Grand Vanilla (known as Dreyer's on the West Coast), Breyer's Natural Vanilla, and Turkey Hill Original Vanilla. Because frozen yogurt has been making a big splash lately, we also

By Louis DeNicola, Cheapism.com

We're about halfway through what could be one of the hottest summers on record and many lawns are looking baked, brown, and maybe a bit too long. Getting the grass green again might require a water bill to rival Sea World's, but keeping it trimmed requires only a reliable lawn mower. Prices for mowers can vary from as little as $100 to more than $1,000. Cheapism has done the research and found four low-cost models that are easy to start, maneuver, and maintain. Here are the top picks:

Related: Best budget lawn mowers

• Black & Decker MM275The lightweight, easy-to-use Black & Decker MM275 (starting at $169) is best for smaller lawns. It's an electric model with a cord, so you can't stray farther than 100 feet from an outlet. The 18-inch blade can be adjusted to cut the grass at any one of six heights from 1 to 3.5 inches. This model claims legions of admirers who have posted positive reviews online.

• Toro 20371The gas-powered Toro 20371 (starting at $299)