From dresses and tuxedos to flowers, photos and limo services, high school students (and parents) could end up dishing out a ton of cash on junior and senior prom. Heck, you could throw an entire wedding for the same price.

Since teenagers have more important worries, like finding the perfect date, coming up with the cash should be the least of their concerns. With a touch of savvy planning, students can find smart ways to keep prom costs under control.

Follow these eight savvy tips to feel like prom royalty without blowing your budget:

1. Borrow Accessories
Dig through your grandma’s or mom’s jewelry box to find retro costume jewelry or a vintage clutch to pair with your dress. You could also ask your sister, cousin or friends if you can borrow a fabulous pair of earrings or necklace for the special evening. If you decide to invest in jewelry, make sure it’s a style you can wear for many years to come.

2. Find Frugal Frocks
Every teenage girl wants to look like a princess at prom, but blowing your budget on a formal gown you will wear only once isn’t a smart purchase. Consider a simple cocktail dress that will serve double duty for post-prom celebrations, like college formals and weddings. Browse consignment shops and thrift stores for fabulous vintage frocks at prices that run as low as $20. Or, search sale racks at stores like Nordstrom and Dillards, which offer a large discount dress selection. Don’t forget to compare prices online and search for dresses and women’s shoe coupons to score even better deals from sites like CouponSherpa.com.

Dreaming of a designer dress? Sign up for flash-sale sites like Hautelook & Daily Candy Swirl! to receive daily deal alerts on popular fashion brands for savings of up to 70-percent off.

3. Do Your Own Grooming
Extremely formal up-dos are no longer popular, so consider doing your own hair. If you’re old enough for prom, you’re probably capable of handling your own makeup and nails. You could also swap services with friends. You could easily save up to $200, and ultimately look more like your real self. Include your mom or aunt, who may also be able help curl your locks and your lashes. Gather ideas from online photos or magazines and be sure to practice the hairstyle before the big night.

4. Use Simple Floral Tricks
Make your own boutonnieres and corsages, or order them from your local grocery store. Often, their prices for flowers are 40-percent less than a traditional florist. Go for a more minimalist look, like an elegant single rose or flower with greenery.

5. Chuck The Formal Photos
Professional prom portraits cost anywhere from $25 to $75, depending on the size and number of prints purchased. Unless you marry your prom partner, that expensive photo will likely end up at the bottom of a box. Nor do formal photos really capture the memory of the night. Instead, share camera duties with friends for an honest record of the evening. Photo prints at CVS or Snapfish cost as little as $0.15 per picture and offer the option to create digital photo albums for a more memorable and less expensive keepsake.

6. Compare Tuxedo Prices
Tux rentals will set most students back $75 to $100 or more. That’s why it’s important to comparison shop. Don’t be afraid to barter for a better price. You may even be able to negotiate a cheaper rate if you recruit several friends to rent in bulk from the same store. Be sure the shop provides all the needed accessories, including a shirt, vest or cummerbund, handkerchief, shoes, tie and belt to eliminate spending extra on these suiting essentials. Better still, skip expensive extras and fill in with your own stuff for a free-spirit look.

7. Lose the Limo
Most limos have four-hour minimums and require tipping, which could result in a bill of $400 or more. Divided among several friends, the cost can be affordable. However, party buses that hold more people than limos are a fun and more affordable option, so search around for prices and negotiate among several companies. Also, consider the possibility of borrowing a nice car from a parent or relative.

8. Buy Gift Cards at Discount Prices
From pre-party decorations to such prom essentials as dresses, shoes and flowers, students can buy gift cards and save as much as 30-percent. You’ll find them at sites like GiftCardGranny.com for such major retailers as Target, Macy’s, 1-800 Flowers, and many more.

The post How to Save Money this Prom Season appeared first on The Mom Maven.

The class was a huge success, we filled the class room with men and women who wanted to learn how to be better stewards of their money. I learned so much I couldn’t wait to get started. Now we are a few weeks down the road and I wanted to let you know how easy this is to do and how much I save on my shopping trips.

If you want to learn how to start couponing I recommend checking out CouponDivas.com and Hip2Save.com. Both of those sites have great tutorial videos to help you get started. If you are looking for a great community with a treasure trove of coupons check out ConsumerQueen.com.

Here is this week’s CVS shopping trip.

Item                                         Reg Price Sale Price         Coupon            ECBs   earned

Ziploc Sandwich Bags        $3.59               $2.50               $1.25

Ziploc Freezer Bags            $3.29               $2.50

Irish Spring Body Wash     $4.99               $3.00               $0.50

Irish Spring Body Wash      $4.99               $3.00               $0.50

Soft Scrub Body Wash         $4.99               $3.00               $1.00

Soft Scrub Body Wash         $4.99               $3.00               $1.00

Soft Scrub Body Wash        $4.99               $3.00               $0.75               $5.00(when you spend $15)

Gatorade                             $1.99               $0.88

Gatorade                             $1.99               $0.88

SoBe Life water                  $1.59               $0.88

Renuzit Crystals                  $6.99               $3.99               $2.00

Kotex U Tampons                 $5.29               $4.99               $1.00               $4.99

Totals                                          $49.68             $31.62             $8.00              $9.99

$5.00 off $25 or more coupon that I printed at the kiosk

$2.98 in ECBs from previous trips

Total $17.31 and $9.99 in ECBs for next trip 65% off the original price plu lots of ECBs for next trip!

Are you a couponer? How did you do at CVS this week? If you are interested in starting and have some questions please leave them in the comments, if I don’t have the answers I’ll find them for you!

The post MomMaven Saves at CVS 7-26-10 appeared first on The Mom Maven.

“With the economy still slow and many Americans on a strict budget, retailers are going to be offering a lot of great deals this holiday season,” said Luke Knowles, co-founder of Coupon Sherpa, a comprehensive resource where consumers can find online coupons, printable coupons and grocery coupons along with a free, downloadable iPhone application that provides access to mobile coupons. Ask Coupon Sherpa is the site’s blog that publishes money-saving tips. “Black Friday is an ideal time to take advantage of deep discounts.”

Among the tips in the Ask Coupon Sherpa article about Black Friday are:

Buy the newspaper: There’s a reason the Thanksgiving Day newspaper is the fattest newspaper of the year. Advertisers annually stuff this paper with coupons and circulars advertising their best sales. You can increase your savings with online coupons. Just make sure they can be used in combination with in-store sales or newspaper coupons.

Do your research: If you have your eye on a particular item, surf the price-comparison Web sites and record the prices for reference while shopping. Don’t forget to add any fees to the price. Some stores allow you to place an order online for in-store pickup the next day. You’ll still want to hit that store pretty early, however, and bring your printed-out receipt as sales clerks may not focus on filling online orders when pressed by throngs of shoppers.

Develop a game-day plan: Draw up your shopping list and establish your priorities before you hit the stores. Decide which stores you want to shop and in what order.

Are all parts included? Is the sale item stripped down or sold with all necessary parts? For example, some stores will low-ball the price on a computer printer but not include a printer cartridge, which can run to a pretty hefty figure. As a matter of fact, you should always check the price of printer cartridges before buying a printer. A $50 printer isn’t a great deal when the cartridges cost $50 each and run out quickly.

Hitch a ride: Parking on Black Friday is a nightmare and can waste precious time. This is one instance, however, when biking or taking the bus doesn’t make sense as your arms will be weighed down with packages at the end of the day. Ask a friend or relative to drop you off and pick you up.

Stick to your list and budget: In the tumult of Black Friday, it’s easy to wander off target, so make sure you stick to your list. And NO personal shopping. Wait for post-Christmas sales to treat yourself.

Coupon Sherpa is a comprehensive resource where consumers can find accurate and up-to-date online coupons, printable coupons and grocery coupons along with a free, downloadable iPhone application that provides access to mobile coupons. With the iPhone application, consumers can present the coupons (on their mobile devices) to the respective store’s cashier and receive the applicable discount. Merchants can post an unlimited amount of coupons on the application for free. For more information, visit www.couponsherpa.com.

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