5 Deals to Cut the Cost of your Mortgage, Clothes, Services, and Birthday Freebies

Living frugally is all about finding discounts wherever you can. I believe in getting great deals every day because when you do the math, the little purchases – lunch out, a new top, a tank of gas - really add up. Here are five great deals I hope will save you money.

1. Are you struggling to pay your mortgage? Find out if you are eligible for lower payments under President Obama’s mortgage modification plan using a handy calculator from MainStreet.com.

Those who qualify will also find out what their new payment would likely be. To be eligible for consideration, the property must be owner-occupied, the unpaid mortgage balance must be less than $729,000, the mortgage must have originated on Jan. 1, 2009 or earlier, and you must be having trouble paying the mortgage.

2. Shoppers can return Land's End items bought through the catalog or over the phone at Sears, which turns around and sells them at bargain basement prices. When you wait for a Sears sale on top of these regular markdowns, you can find amazing deals.

My Uncle bought a smart-looking sporty red coat for $22 after it had been marked down twice from $100. He also bought a $18 mock turtle neck for $3. What a bargain!

3.  You can now get the Coupon Clipper magazine, which comes in the mail every few weeks, online. The online mag has more than 50,000 coupons for many types of purchases, including restaurant tabs, beauty products, medical and dental treatments, home improvement items, professional services, and more. You can search the site by city across the country, including Sacramento, Portland, Dallas, Tampa, New York and Chicago.

4. OrientalTrading.com is a great site to save money on party decorations, many of which are sold near wholesale. I checked a few prices for Easter decorations and the site had very competitive prices on many items, including a plush Easter bunny for $3.

Oriental Trading claims to be "the nation's leading direct marketer of value-priced novelties, toys, and party supplies." They guarantee 100 percent customer satisfaction and claim to beat a competitors price by 10 percent if you have proof of a lower price elsewhere.

5. If your birthday is coming up check out Free Birthday Treats, a web site that lists everything you can get for free on your life anniversary. The easy to use site lets you search for freebies by adult, child, pets, or state. You can also search by freebie type, such as travel, entertainment, food, and retail. Feel free to add a deal to their list.