Q: When you're checking out, the cashier often asks for your e-mail. This is so the store can send you coupons and updates on sales. However, these e-mails often get lost in your regular e-mail. Create a separate e-mail address to give out at the register. Check this address when you're planning a shopping trip. It's a simple change, but sometimes making a list can help you bargain shop. Try to make a list of the items you actually need before going on a shopping trip. Then, stick to that list strictly. You may end up overspending on impulse purchases without a list. Whether you're grocery shopping, clothes shopping, or shopping for anything else, write out what you need ahead of time. You're more likely to seek out bargains if you have to find a discount. If you set a strict budget for yourself, and make sticking to it a priority, you'll end up buying cheaper items. This can also help prevent impulse buys. It's fairly easy to make a budget. To start, write down your total monthly income. From there, subtract necessary expenses like cost of living and any monthly bills. The amount that you have left is how much you can reasonably spend on extras throughout the month. From here, break down how you spend money into categories. Jot down things like food, entertainment, clothes, and so on. You can then choose a reasonable budget for how much you should aim to spend on each category. Stick to your budget, even if it's hard at first. If you budget $200 a month for food, do not go over that budget. While ordering takeout after a stressful work day might seem tempting, if it's not in your budget it avoid it. Many people don't realize they'll be more adept at bargain hunting if they shop in the right mindset. Shopping when you're stressed or tired could lead you to make quick purchasing decisions instead of looking for the best price. Shopping when you're hungry could lead you to stocking up on cheap convenience food over something substantial. Make sure you're in a good mood before going shopping. If you're feeling stressed, tired, or hungry, take some time to unwind and eat before heading out the door. Oftentimes, simply setting a timeframe can make a big difference in your purchasing decisions. If you give yourself an endless amount of time at the supermarket, you're more likely to wander through the aisles browsing. Browsing can lead to impulsive and regrettable purchasing decisions. Set a timeframe for yourself and stick to it. Give yourself, say, an hour in the grocery store to grab your items and head out. However, one caveat is that you shouldn't limit your time too much. If you don't give yourself enough time to shop, you may start to feel stressed out or otherwise pressured. Remember, a bad mood can also lead to impulse buys. Time how long you would normally spend at the grocery store when sticking to your list. This will help you gauge what a reasonable timeframe is. Give yourself about that much time to shop as a rule. People tend to spend less money when they're paying in cash. You think less about how much money you're spending when you're paying with a card. Cash forces you to acknowledge how much you've spent. Withdraw money from your bank account before a shopping trip. Try to pay in cash as much as possible. Keep in mind paying with cash is not always possible. If you're going to be making a purchase well over $100, you may want to use your card. It can be dangerous to travel with that much cash on you. Shopping with another person can be risky. You may talk one another into buying items you do not really need or want. With clothes shopping especially, a friend might love a particular blouse on you and convince you to buy it. You may regret this down the road if you felt lukewarm about the garment. If you want to bargain shop, it's best to head to the store alone. However, one exception is if you have a friend who's particularly good at finding discounts or using coupons. You may actually want to take a friend like this shopping a few times to get the hang of hunting for bargains.
A: Have a separate e-mail for coupons. Make a list. Set a budget. Shop when you're in a good mood. Set a timeframe for shopping. Pay with cash. Shop alone.

Q: Loose leaf cultivars are the brightly colored, nutritious lettuces often sold in a "spring mix." These lettuces tolerate warmer temperatures and a shorter growing season than other varieties, so they are usually scattered directly in the garden. Head lettuce should generally be planted indoors instead. Hot weather triggers "bolting" in lettuce, halting leaf growth and introducing a bitter flavor. In hot climates, such as the southern U.S., you'll need to plant the lettuce as soon as possible, or look for a heat-resistant variety. You should plan to plant the lettuce as soon as the ground is workable. Choose an area with soil that drains well and gets plenty of sun. Use a soil tiller or a spade to break up the soil and remove rocks, sticks and roots from the area. Lettuce is hardy, but there are certain conditions that won't allow it to grow properly. Make sure the soil isn't too soggy, and that it has plenty of nitrogen. Make sure the soil is humus rich as well. Talk to someone at your local nursery to discuss ways to enrich the soil in your particular region to make it excellent for growing lettuce. Mix in compost or a balanced fertilizer into the bed at least one week before planting. Optionally, you can apply a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer alongside the plants after about three weeks, when leaves are four inches (10 cm) wide. Lettuce is cold-hardy, so you can usually plant them directly in soil about two weeks before the last expected spring frost, or up to six weeks in advance if protected by cold frames or tunnels. Broadcast the seeds over tilled soil, then scatter about 12 inch (1.3cm) of soil on top of them. One seed packet will cover about 100 feet (30.5m). Water the seed bed thoroughly after planting. Stagger the planting at one or two week intervals to get harvests throughout the season. Keep in mind that most lettuces do not grow well in hot temperature, so the last planting date depends on your local climate and the needs of your lettuce cultivar. For best results, use heat-resistant varieties or plant in shade for the final sowings. If the leaves look wilted, they need to be watered. Give the lettuce a light sprinkling every day, and any time the leaves look a little limp. When harvesting looseleaf lettuces, use scissors or a knife to remove the mature leaves without harming the rest of the plant. You can start doing this as soon as the leaves reach the size you'd see in a grocery store. Remove the whole plant after a few weeks, or the plant will turn bitter and start to seed. Harvest in the early morning for the crispest leaves. Pinching off the center of the plant will extend the harvest period. Store lettuce leaves in the fridge for up to ten days, keeping them in a plastic bag with a couple paper towels.
A:
Choose a loose leaf variety for outdoor planting. Prepare the planting bed. Fertilize the bed. Broadcast the seeds. Keep the lettuce watered. Cut away mature leaves.