Tuesday, March 30, 2010
This blog correlates with yesterday’s blog, and I hope to hear from you regarding your thoughts of the Nightline segment.
This tip stems from an experience that I had on a Sunday afternoon at Wal-Mart: I was in the check-out line behind two older women. The lady checking out was taking a particularly long time to move through the line and leave. Because of the length of time that she spent at the register, I began paying attention to what it was that she was doing.
Well, about 20 minutes later I figured out what was going on. I was frustrated and impatient, but I was also intrigued at the outcome of her shenanigans. She came to Wal-Mart completely prepared with everything that was on her list. She made notes in the margins of her list with the sale prices and the stores that were offering these prices. She presented these ads (from the Sunday paper) to the cashier and she honored each and every one of them. This was a tedious process, but she ended up saving nearly 50% of the cost of her trip. The cashier was so patient and friendly, and she encouraged me to try and do the same.
I have yet to try this technique myself, but I am excited to do so. This little-known technique will keep you from driving from store to store in order to find the best deals and complete your shopping list. Sounds like a winner to me!
Showing posts with label Walmart. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Walmart. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Money-saving Tricks
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Good morning! Today’s blog is a hodge podge of just a few things that I have been doing lately to save myself money, and make my days easier.
When I start my day, I pack my husband’s lunch and I like to have SOME idea of what the dinner plan is. If something needs to be thawed or marinated, I start that process in the morning. With the use of PARCHMENT PAPER, I can make my dinner duties much easier. I bake fish, chicken, vegetables, cookies and oven fries on parchment paper. The greatest thing about parchment paper is that it is easy to tear, non-stick, and once you are finished baking on it, you toss it in the garbage and your dishes are done! The cookie sheet stays clean! Parchment paper is oven and microwave safe and makes my life SO much easier. I haven’t discovered a store-brand of parchment paper, but Reynolds makes a great product. It usually runs about $3 for a roll and the roll will last you quite a while. If you are going to check out the 99 Cents Only Store (see my blog from Monday, March 15th) I found my parchment paper for $.99 for 8 – 15in x 12in sheets! You will love how easy doing the dishes becomes when you use parchment paper.
I noticed that there were two things that we were purchasing regularly, that I could make myself and save a significant amount of money doing so.
The first of these items is pudding. I was putting a cup of pudding in my husband’s lunch every day, and Emily and I would share a cup of pudding on occasion. These packs of ready-to-serve pudding can run anywhere from $1.00 for (4) to $3.00 for (6). When those packages will only last you one week, you find yourself buying pudding every time you run to the store! So, I decided to buy store-brand instant pudding mixes, and make the pudding myself. You can either 1.) buy some tiny containers – I found mine at Target for $1.00 for a package of 9 or 2.) save baby food jars (glass or plastic) to be refilled with pudding. All you need is 2 cups of milk, and the package of pudding mix which runs less than $1.00.
Pay close attention to when your milk will expire, because the pudding will expire when the milk expires! I have found that I can make more pudding for significantly less money if I do the work myself. I can also control whether we are eating sugary or sugar-free pudding, and what kind of milk goes into the pudding to reduce the calories that are in each serving.
The second item that I have chosen to make myself is Gatorade. During the summer with yard work, softball, swimming, and playing, we seem to go through a lot of Gatorade! We usually purchase the largest bottle of Gatorade (one gallon) at Wal-Mart for around $4.00. When I began staying home full-time, we talked about cutting back on expenses such as this. I did a little price-comparing while I was shopping one day, and realized that I could keep the gallon bottle that I had purchased last time, and refill it with water and powdered Gatorade! A can of powdered Gatorade runs about $6.00 and makes about six gallons. So, I could have purchased six pre-made gallons of Gatorade for $24.00 or make my own Gatorade for $6.00. The powdered stuff tastes exactly the same and saves us a TON of money!
I’m sure that we do many things like this as we move through daily life. These are just a few of the most money-saving tricks that I implement on a weekly basis. This blog is not intended to get you thinking about pudding or Gatorade. It is designed to get you thinking about the things that YOU buy and how to save money on them!
Good morning! Today’s blog is a hodge podge of just a few things that I have been doing lately to save myself money, and make my days easier.
When I start my day, I pack my husband’s lunch and I like to have SOME idea of what the dinner plan is. If something needs to be thawed or marinated, I start that process in the morning. With the use of PARCHMENT PAPER, I can make my dinner duties much easier. I bake fish, chicken, vegetables, cookies and oven fries on parchment paper. The greatest thing about parchment paper is that it is easy to tear, non-stick, and once you are finished baking on it, you toss it in the garbage and your dishes are done! The cookie sheet stays clean! Parchment paper is oven and microwave safe and makes my life SO much easier. I haven’t discovered a store-brand of parchment paper, but Reynolds makes a great product. It usually runs about $3 for a roll and the roll will last you quite a while. If you are going to check out the 99 Cents Only Store (see my blog from Monday, March 15th) I found my parchment paper for $.99 for 8 – 15in x 12in sheets! You will love how easy doing the dishes becomes when you use parchment paper.
I noticed that there were two things that we were purchasing regularly, that I could make myself and save a significant amount of money doing so.
The first of these items is pudding. I was putting a cup of pudding in my husband’s lunch every day, and Emily and I would share a cup of pudding on occasion. These packs of ready-to-serve pudding can run anywhere from $1.00 for (4) to $3.00 for (6). When those packages will only last you one week, you find yourself buying pudding every time you run to the store! So, I decided to buy store-brand instant pudding mixes, and make the pudding myself. You can either 1.) buy some tiny containers – I found mine at Target for $1.00 for a package of 9 or 2.) save baby food jars (glass or plastic) to be refilled with pudding. All you need is 2 cups of milk, and the package of pudding mix which runs less than $1.00.
Pay close attention to when your milk will expire, because the pudding will expire when the milk expires! I have found that I can make more pudding for significantly less money if I do the work myself. I can also control whether we are eating sugary or sugar-free pudding, and what kind of milk goes into the pudding to reduce the calories that are in each serving.
The second item that I have chosen to make myself is Gatorade. During the summer with yard work, softball, swimming, and playing, we seem to go through a lot of Gatorade! We usually purchase the largest bottle of Gatorade (one gallon) at Wal-Mart for around $4.00. When I began staying home full-time, we talked about cutting back on expenses such as this. I did a little price-comparing while I was shopping one day, and realized that I could keep the gallon bottle that I had purchased last time, and refill it with water and powdered Gatorade! A can of powdered Gatorade runs about $6.00 and makes about six gallons. So, I could have purchased six pre-made gallons of Gatorade for $24.00 or make my own Gatorade for $6.00. The powdered stuff tastes exactly the same and saves us a TON of money!
I’m sure that we do many things like this as we move through daily life. These are just a few of the most money-saving tricks that I implement on a weekly basis. This blog is not intended to get you thinking about pudding or Gatorade. It is designed to get you thinking about the things that YOU buy and how to save money on them!
Monday, March 15, 2010
99 Cents Only Store!
Monday, March 15, 2010
When I comprise my list for grocery shopping, I usually need to shop three stores in order to complete my list. I could get everything that I need at a discount price by shopping at Wal-Mart, but I have chosen to try and start my shopping at Big Lots and the 99 Cents Only stores before I complete my shopping at Wal-Mart. I have already told you how FABULOUS Big Lots is for discount groceries and baby items. So, today we need to talk about the 99 Cents Only store!
Visit www.99only.com to find the store nearest you!
I was first introduced to the 99 Cents Only store when I moved back to the North Texas area in 2005. My Mom was helping me start my professional life and set up my new apartment. I was a bit overwhelmed with the cost of everything that you need when starting out. For example…a plunger. You never even THINK about needing a plunger until you desperately need one!
So, my Mom dragged me, willingly, to the 99 Cents Only store. This particular store is like a dollar store on steroids! They carry name-brand and off-brand grocery items, storage items, health and beauty products, gift wrap, cleaning supplies, and BEST OF ALL…PRODUCE! Their stock is constantly changing and is different from one week to the next. I typically buy as many fresh produce items as I can at the 99 Cents Only store. A bag of purple onions for $.99. A bag of avocados for $.99. A shrink-wrapped package of cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, etc. all for $.99. Two pounds of jalapenos for $.99. Their prices are just awesome, and I always leave feeling like I’ve just robbed the place! Give it a try – especially if you shop for a lot of children’s snack foods and lunch-packing foods. Their assortment of soda is something that they always carry. Four cans of soda for $.99 and their variety is sometimes overwhelming! Party supplies and gift bags/wrap is another thing that they carry an endless supply of. I could go on and on. Give them a try – the savings will be incredible!
Visit Lindsay Walker's Piano and Voice Studio! You KNOW you want to!
When I comprise my list for grocery shopping, I usually need to shop three stores in order to complete my list. I could get everything that I need at a discount price by shopping at Wal-Mart, but I have chosen to try and start my shopping at Big Lots and the 99 Cents Only stores before I complete my shopping at Wal-Mart. I have already told you how FABULOUS Big Lots is for discount groceries and baby items. So, today we need to talk about the 99 Cents Only store!
Visit www.99only.com to find the store nearest you!
I was first introduced to the 99 Cents Only store when I moved back to the North Texas area in 2005. My Mom was helping me start my professional life and set up my new apartment. I was a bit overwhelmed with the cost of everything that you need when starting out. For example…a plunger. You never even THINK about needing a plunger until you desperately need one!
So, my Mom dragged me, willingly, to the 99 Cents Only store. This particular store is like a dollar store on steroids! They carry name-brand and off-brand grocery items, storage items, health and beauty products, gift wrap, cleaning supplies, and BEST OF ALL…PRODUCE! Their stock is constantly changing and is different from one week to the next. I typically buy as many fresh produce items as I can at the 99 Cents Only store. A bag of purple onions for $.99. A bag of avocados for $.99. A shrink-wrapped package of cucumber, zucchini, tomatoes, etc. all for $.99. Two pounds of jalapenos for $.99. Their prices are just awesome, and I always leave feeling like I’ve just robbed the place! Give it a try – especially if you shop for a lot of children’s snack foods and lunch-packing foods. Their assortment of soda is something that they always carry. Four cans of soda for $.99 and their variety is sometimes overwhelming! Party supplies and gift bags/wrap is another thing that they carry an endless supply of. I could go on and on. Give them a try – the savings will be incredible!
Visit Lindsay Walker's Piano and Voice Studio! You KNOW you want to!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Infant Formula
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Today’s post might be a bit of a controversial one. Inevitably, this topic seems to be a hot-button issue for a lot of people. Every expectant mother makes the decision whether to breast-feed or formula-feed their babies. There is a lot of research out there that supports breast-feeding as being the best decision for babies. This may be the case, however, it was not the right decision for me. I did not have the desire to nurse, and I knew that I would have to be very patient, diligent, and driven in order to succeed with nursing. I knew from the beginning that it was not the right choice for me. After I made that decision, I had to decide what the best formula choice for Emily would be. It was an “eenie-meenie-miney-mo” choice between Enfamil and Similac. I chose Similac, but I noticed that, as a member of both Enfamil and Similac’s mailing lists, I received much more valuable savings from Enfamil in the mail. Occasionally, I walked out to the mailbox to find a sample size jar of formula inside! SCORE! I stuck with the name-brand formula until she was about 7 months old, and then felt comfortable to switch to a more cost-effective brand. I, of course, made this transition with the support of my pediatrician. The guidelines are simply to find formula that contains DHA and ARA for babies’ brain and eye development. As long as these ingredients are present, the formulas are the same, except for the label, and of course, the price! By purchasing name brand formula, you are likely to spend nearly DOUBLE what you spend on store-brand formula. Parents Choice formula was my personal preference, but I also purchased formula from Sam’s (Member’s Mark), and Target (Up and Up) on occasion. The store brands are also coming out with more and more varieties of formula to meet your needs such as Lipil formula, and formula for sensitive bellies. Whether you intend to nurse your baby or formula feed your baby, you will probably make the transition to formula sooner or later. Do NOT feel pressured to buy expensive, name-brand formula until you have tried it for yourself. When you read the ingredients on the back of the cans, they are the same! Just another way to keep costs down!
Today’s post might be a bit of a controversial one. Inevitably, this topic seems to be a hot-button issue for a lot of people. Every expectant mother makes the decision whether to breast-feed or formula-feed their babies. There is a lot of research out there that supports breast-feeding as being the best decision for babies. This may be the case, however, it was not the right decision for me. I did not have the desire to nurse, and I knew that I would have to be very patient, diligent, and driven in order to succeed with nursing. I knew from the beginning that it was not the right choice for me. After I made that decision, I had to decide what the best formula choice for Emily would be. It was an “eenie-meenie-miney-mo” choice between Enfamil and Similac. I chose Similac, but I noticed that, as a member of both Enfamil and Similac’s mailing lists, I received much more valuable savings from Enfamil in the mail. Occasionally, I walked out to the mailbox to find a sample size jar of formula inside! SCORE! I stuck with the name-brand formula until she was about 7 months old, and then felt comfortable to switch to a more cost-effective brand. I, of course, made this transition with the support of my pediatrician. The guidelines are simply to find formula that contains DHA and ARA for babies’ brain and eye development. As long as these ingredients are present, the formulas are the same, except for the label, and of course, the price! By purchasing name brand formula, you are likely to spend nearly DOUBLE what you spend on store-brand formula. Parents Choice formula was my personal preference, but I also purchased formula from Sam’s (Member’s Mark), and Target (Up and Up) on occasion. The store brands are also coming out with more and more varieties of formula to meet your needs such as Lipil formula, and formula for sensitive bellies. Whether you intend to nurse your baby or formula feed your baby, you will probably make the transition to formula sooner or later. Do NOT feel pressured to buy expensive, name-brand formula until you have tried it for yourself. When you read the ingredients on the back of the cans, they are the same! Just another way to keep costs down!
Diapers!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Since I became a Mom 14 months ago, I’ve had several friends ask me if I had any helpful hints or secrets to offer up. The biggest secret that I am constantly having to restrain myself from telling people in a given store on a given day is…BUY CHEAP DIAPERS! I have tried a LOT of styles and brands. When we were expecting, both my husband and I were Public School teachers. My school hosted a baby shower for me, and his school hosted a diaper pounding for him. Diaper pounding is just an old-fashioned way of saying that everyone participating brings the expectant parent diapers or wipes. If you are ever offered a shower, ASK FOR A DIAPER POUNDING! They are awesome! We didn’t buy a single diaper for 8 weeks and we lasted even longer than that with the wipes. So, having said all of that, we have tried a lot of different kinds of diapers! The diapers that held the most “matter” without leaking, and stayed in place were the Parent’s Choice at Wal-Mart. They are also significantly less expensive than their name-brand equivalents. The Up & Up brand of diapers at Target are also superior to any other diapers we have found. However, I have an issue with big, silly prints on the diapers as if my kid even cares about what her diaper has on it. Winny the Pooh?! Seriously? My kid can’t even see her butt, so the only person who gets “enjoyment” out of the pictures on her booty is me, and I don’t like seeing Eeyore poking out beneath a sheer onesie! The Parent’s Choice brand diapers have a small, gender-neutral pattern around the top of the diaper that does not seem to show through clothing. The Up & Up brand diapers have GIANT blue and green dots on the whole diaper. These dots DO show through her clothes, making Parent’s Choice my all-time favorite diaper when she was 6 pounds and now that she is 25 pounds. Don’t let people pressure you into buying the newest, most fabulous product on the market. Stick with the Parent’s Choice or Up & Up diapers!
Since I became a Mom 14 months ago, I’ve had several friends ask me if I had any helpful hints or secrets to offer up. The biggest secret that I am constantly having to restrain myself from telling people in a given store on a given day is…BUY CHEAP DIAPERS! I have tried a LOT of styles and brands. When we were expecting, both my husband and I were Public School teachers. My school hosted a baby shower for me, and his school hosted a diaper pounding for him. Diaper pounding is just an old-fashioned way of saying that everyone participating brings the expectant parent diapers or wipes. If you are ever offered a shower, ASK FOR A DIAPER POUNDING! They are awesome! We didn’t buy a single diaper for 8 weeks and we lasted even longer than that with the wipes. So, having said all of that, we have tried a lot of different kinds of diapers! The diapers that held the most “matter” without leaking, and stayed in place were the Parent’s Choice at Wal-Mart. They are also significantly less expensive than their name-brand equivalents. The Up & Up brand of diapers at Target are also superior to any other diapers we have found. However, I have an issue with big, silly prints on the diapers as if my kid even cares about what her diaper has on it. Winny the Pooh?! Seriously? My kid can’t even see her butt, so the only person who gets “enjoyment” out of the pictures on her booty is me, and I don’t like seeing Eeyore poking out beneath a sheer onesie! The Parent’s Choice brand diapers have a small, gender-neutral pattern around the top of the diaper that does not seem to show through clothing. The Up & Up brand diapers have GIANT blue and green dots on the whole diaper. These dots DO show through her clothes, making Parent’s Choice my all-time favorite diaper when she was 6 pounds and now that she is 25 pounds. Don’t let people pressure you into buying the newest, most fabulous product on the market. Stick with the Parent’s Choice or Up & Up diapers!
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