As of 12:30PM CST:

Gold: US$$606.80 (down)
Silver: US$11.03 (down)
NYMEX: US$70.85 (down)
DJIA: 10,909.83 (up)

Gold-to-Oil: 8.564573042 (up)
Silver-to-Oil: 0.155681016 (down)
Gold-to-Silver: 55.01359927 (up)
DJIA-to-Gold: 17.97796638 (up)

Gold Futures:
Vol Int: 184,042
Buy: 13,878

Silver Futures:
Vol Int: 48,893
Buy: 2,623

History Graph:

Discuss this gold market recap at the gold investment forum.

I’ve been very happy and very successful in using coupons to schedule my month. I’m finding much more time in my days (as much as 7 hours a week saved) just by prioritizing what I need to do based on how it can save me money doing it in a particular order. I’m also saving over US$12 a day just by using coupons and by focusing on specials (daily specials or TV advertisements). The only problem I had is that savings from coupons and specials were not real savings — I “saved” money only to have more money to spend frivolously.

Now I’m changing my tune and finding a new definition of “saving money” with coupons and sales — not quite a new definition since it is closer to the old fashioned definition. Now, when I “save” money on a purchase, I really save it. After the purchase is complete, I review the receipt for the preferred customer savings and coupons. I highlight these savings when I get home and I toss the receipt into a folder. When I go out and buy bullion, I tack on to my usual purchase the full amount of savings I found in my purchases. This turns a coupon’s virtual savings into true savings: bullion savings. That US$12 a day I’m saving translates to about 6 ounces of gold a year!

I’m also looking for other ways to focus on true savings, such as rebates. I am one of the worst people ever when it comes to rebates. I’ve literally thrown away hundreds of dollars in 2005 alone by not mailing in those forms. Now I have good reason to do so — instead of getting back paper dollars to spend needlessly, I will throw that rebate check into the folder and use it to convert the worth-less paper into bullion savings. The incentive of getting gold and silver for my rebates might actually get me responsible in mailing the forms in properly. We’ll see, though; I promise to follow up the next time I have a rebate to redeem.

If you go shopping and realize a price reduction because of a coupon, a preferred buyer card or another incentive, it really isn’t savings unless you’re saving it. If you turn around and blow that new-found money on junk, you’re right back to where you were before you clipped coupons — even worse, you now have more junk you have to take care of, find room for, and use. You also lost valuable time shopping for the junk you might never use. Consider doing what I do — convert your paper savings into real bullion savings each time you add more real money to your savings portfolio.

Discuss this article at the gold investment forum.