Sunday, June 6, 2010
As Summer Vacation begins, many of us are making packing lists, booking flights, and rental cars. Well, I should say many of YOU, because I’m lame and have no vacation plans.
However, most of you know that I don’t usually keep my mouth shut about most things, so why start now? If you are planning a trip, there are a few things that could help keep costs down while you’re away.
Eating expenses can get a little out of control if you don’t watch what you’re spending. This is especially true if your vacation is strictly for pleasure and not to visit family or friends. Help cut back on eating expenses by packing a few grocery items that can substitute for meals and snacks. Packing a cooler is a little bit more work, but it will save you significantly in the long run. For example, pack granola bars or something similar that is small, inexpensive and easily replaces breakfast. Juice boxes, mini cans of soda or bottles of water are a great way of keeping the convenience store purchases down while you’re on the road or in the airport. Mix a quick package of pudding, portion the pudding into your own reusable containers, and you have spent about 50 cents on a snack or dessert for the entire family.
You can take this advice as far as you want to. Packing lunch meat, vegetables, chips/crackers and bread can be overwhelming when you are already trying to take everything but the kitchen sink in the car. If you can stomach the labor, you are likely to save serious money. I realize, however, that eating out is part of the fun and enjoyment of vacation. Cooking isn’t exactly what we want to do when we are on vacation. However, most of us are trying to figure out how to go on vacation without breaking the bank in the process.
When you decide to eat out, make a pact with your family to order water to drink. For example, if a family of four orders a soft drink for each person, you are likely to spend $8 in drinks alone. If you are eating out three times per day, that is $24 on drinks each day. Whoa! This, of course, doesn't include the cost of alcohol when ordered in restaurants and bars.
Secondly, you can save a lot of money by price-shopping your gas station. Gasbuddy.com allows you to compare gas prices by city, state, and zip code in the USA and Canada. Driving a couple extra miles is worth the savings!
Have a safe and happy Summer Vacation, and don’t forget not to broadcast your vacations on Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter unless you want to come home to a ransacked house!
Showing posts with label money saving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label money saving. Show all posts
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Butt Out!
Note: This blog is a re-post from March that I thought you might find helpful!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Since I became a Mom 16 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!
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Since I became a Mom 16 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!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Shopping Extravaganza
Sunday, May 9, 2010
So, I’ve been waiting for this weekend for a while now. We have been spending the last 5-6 weeks eating all of the groceries in our kitchen to the best of our ability. I’ve been purchasing only foods and dry goods that we needed to finish off everything in our arsenal. When I looked in the pantry on Friday, I saw rice, Triscuits, and cereal. In the fridge – milk, condiments, grapes, and celery. The freezer: dinner rolls, popsicles, and some banana baby food. Now, don’t call CPS…I did all of this on purpose.
Before you freak – see my blog entitled “Stretching Your Meal Options” from April 1st.
Before I got to the end of the groceries and meal options, I knew that my shopping ventures would be expensive because we were out of everything: mustard, ranch, paper towel, canned goods, chicken breast, EVERYTHING. You name it, we were out of it! So I started by buttering up my husband. “Babe, we’re going to need to do the BIG PUSH this weekend and it’s gonna be ugly.” This way, he was prepared to go with me, help me, and make the whole nightmare that much easier.
However, you KNOW that when you shop with your husband, you often buy stuff that isn’t on the list; it’s just how it goes. They don’t usually do the shopping, so they see things that you never buy, and they want them! I, personally, will take the help and spend a few extra dollars.
Having said all of this, we went to four different stores in two days to complete our list. We started at Aldi – our brand new, discount grocery store to save as much money as we possibly could, and scratch as much off the list as possible. I had a detailed list, but I certainly picked things up as I saw them. After Aldi, we hit up Big Lots to get the majority of the list taken care of. They do not have a cold or frozen section, and I knew I’d need to visit Target or Wal-Mart thirdly.
Big Lots was important for one reason, mostly: Insanely low prices on sandwich bags in all sizes. A nice bonus was the canned goods, crackers, pretzels and chips, and dry goods like pasta and rice all at extremely discounted prices.
Target was third on my list – produce (only the items that I was unable to purchase at Aldi), lunch meat, and Stauffer’s Whales – found in the $1 section which beats the HECK out of the prices on Goldfish.
Wal-Mart was last, and we wanted to kill ourselves momentarily, as we were TIRED OF SHOPPING! Paper towel, frozen chicken breasts, store-brand allergy medicine, and canned tuna fish. DONE!
Now, we have purchased everything that we need except a FEW things that we only purchase in bulk at Sam’s…Purina Dog Food, Splenda, Coffee, lean ground beef, and bacon.
Stay with me – I know you’re exhausted! We were tired and cranky by the end.
Let’s break it down…
1. Aldi: $78.16
2. Big Lots: $51.39
3. Target: $36.54
4. Wal-Mart: $35.71
TOTAL: $201.80
By taking some time…and a great deal of patients…to travel to four different stores in order to complete my list and save the most money possible, I was able to stuff our pantry, freezer, and refrigerator FULL TO THE BRIM with groceries that will last us about six weeks. Of course I will be going to the store for fresh dairy, produce, and the few items that I still need from Sam’s, but I believe I truly saved a great deal of money by doing it this way.
Give my new technique a try one time, and see how much money you are saving. The savings is significant and it is such a good feeling to empty your pantry as much as possible, and then fill it, starting the whole process over again!
Happy Mother’s Day!!
So, I’ve been waiting for this weekend for a while now. We have been spending the last 5-6 weeks eating all of the groceries in our kitchen to the best of our ability. I’ve been purchasing only foods and dry goods that we needed to finish off everything in our arsenal. When I looked in the pantry on Friday, I saw rice, Triscuits, and cereal. In the fridge – milk, condiments, grapes, and celery. The freezer: dinner rolls, popsicles, and some banana baby food. Now, don’t call CPS…I did all of this on purpose.
Before you freak – see my blog entitled “Stretching Your Meal Options” from April 1st.
Before I got to the end of the groceries and meal options, I knew that my shopping ventures would be expensive because we were out of everything: mustard, ranch, paper towel, canned goods, chicken breast, EVERYTHING. You name it, we were out of it! So I started by buttering up my husband. “Babe, we’re going to need to do the BIG PUSH this weekend and it’s gonna be ugly.” This way, he was prepared to go with me, help me, and make the whole nightmare that much easier.
However, you KNOW that when you shop with your husband, you often buy stuff that isn’t on the list; it’s just how it goes. They don’t usually do the shopping, so they see things that you never buy, and they want them! I, personally, will take the help and spend a few extra dollars.
Having said all of this, we went to four different stores in two days to complete our list. We started at Aldi – our brand new, discount grocery store to save as much money as we possibly could, and scratch as much off the list as possible. I had a detailed list, but I certainly picked things up as I saw them. After Aldi, we hit up Big Lots to get the majority of the list taken care of. They do not have a cold or frozen section, and I knew I’d need to visit Target or Wal-Mart thirdly.
Big Lots was important for one reason, mostly: Insanely low prices on sandwich bags in all sizes. A nice bonus was the canned goods, crackers, pretzels and chips, and dry goods like pasta and rice all at extremely discounted prices.
Target was third on my list – produce (only the items that I was unable to purchase at Aldi), lunch meat, and Stauffer’s Whales – found in the $1 section which beats the HECK out of the prices on Goldfish.
Wal-Mart was last, and we wanted to kill ourselves momentarily, as we were TIRED OF SHOPPING! Paper towel, frozen chicken breasts, store-brand allergy medicine, and canned tuna fish. DONE!
Now, we have purchased everything that we need except a FEW things that we only purchase in bulk at Sam’s…Purina Dog Food, Splenda, Coffee, lean ground beef, and bacon.
Stay with me – I know you’re exhausted! We were tired and cranky by the end.
Let’s break it down…
1. Aldi: $78.16
2. Big Lots: $51.39
3. Target: $36.54
4. Wal-Mart: $35.71
TOTAL: $201.80
By taking some time…and a great deal of patients…to travel to four different stores in order to complete my list and save the most money possible, I was able to stuff our pantry, freezer, and refrigerator FULL TO THE BRIM with groceries that will last us about six weeks. Of course I will be going to the store for fresh dairy, produce, and the few items that I still need from Sam’s, but I believe I truly saved a great deal of money by doing it this way.
Give my new technique a try one time, and see how much money you are saving. The savings is significant and it is such a good feeling to empty your pantry as much as possible, and then fill it, starting the whole process over again!
Happy Mother’s Day!!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Just In Case...
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Just thought you might like to know:
*Sign up for World Market’s email distribution list and receive a $10 off coupon when you spend $30.
*Friday is the last day to use your Kohl’s email coupon and save 15%. You CAN use this coupon in conjunction with the $10 gift you received in the mail! They are also offering $10 Kohl’s cash when you spend $50.
*This week, Target has my favorite casual t-shirt on sale for $6 – regularly $8. They are short sleeved (not cap sleeve), scoop neck, long, shapely t-shirts. LOVE!
*Hobby Lobby is offering their traditional 40% off one regularly priced item with your printable email coupon.
*Old Navy is having their “shorts sale” this week. Women’s shorts are $15 and children’s shorts are $10.
GO GET ‘EM, TIGER!
Just thought you might like to know:
*Sign up for World Market’s email distribution list and receive a $10 off coupon when you spend $30.
*Friday is the last day to use your Kohl’s email coupon and save 15%. You CAN use this coupon in conjunction with the $10 gift you received in the mail! They are also offering $10 Kohl’s cash when you spend $50.
*This week, Target has my favorite casual t-shirt on sale for $6 – regularly $8. They are short sleeved (not cap sleeve), scoop neck, long, shapely t-shirts. LOVE!
*Hobby Lobby is offering their traditional 40% off one regularly priced item with your printable email coupon.
*Old Navy is having their “shorts sale” this week. Women’s shorts are $15 and children’s shorts are $10.
GO GET ‘EM, TIGER!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Aldi = ALL THAT!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
So my Aldi Store FINALLY opened today! Halleluiah! My Mom, Emily and I have been planning to check it out for months now, and we were so excited to see what it was like!
Well, Aldi is everything they claim to be – low prices on the things that you buy regularly. The store was clean, organized, and very well run. The store employees were very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
We both pay very close attention to what we pay for the items that we purchase regularly, and the quantity that we purchase them in. We found that Aldi had extremely competitive prices on nearly every item we purchased. If we did not find the price to be LOWER than the prices at Wal-Mart or a similar grocery store, we found that the price was the SAME as the prices we pay at similar grocery stores. The produce was fresh, attractive-looking, and huge in quantity.
A couple of items that I found to be insanely great prices:
1. 64 oz. Apple Juice - $1.19
2. Boxed dog biscuits - $.99
3. Cellulose Sponges - 6 pack - $.99
4. Boxes of fresh strawberries - $.99
5. Varied spices - $1.09 each
6. 32 oz. tub of vanilla yogurt - $1.59
7. One dozen eggs - $.89
See?! I told ya!
All in all, every item that we bought was purchased with excitement as we saved significantly.
At the cash register, we were excited to see that as they totaled our purchases, they then offered us a $5 coupon on top of the savings we already received. BONUS!
I am definitely going to add Aldi to my shopping rounds. I can now reduce my grocery budget every month and spend that money elsewhere.
There are a couple of things that you should know before shopping at Aldi:
1. Aldi charges 25 cents to borrow a shopping cart. You get your quarter back when you return the cart.
2. Aldi does not bag your groceries. You must come prepared with shopping bags, or they offer them for purchase ($1.99) at the register.
3. Aldi is a one-directional grocery store. If you realize you forgot to grab something and have to go back, your best bet is to leave your cart behind and sneak back to the forgotten item. People were very understanding as we had this happen numerous times.
Visit Aldi.com to find the store nearest you! Your wallet will be SO grateful!
So my Aldi Store FINALLY opened today! Halleluiah! My Mom, Emily and I have been planning to check it out for months now, and we were so excited to see what it was like!
Well, Aldi is everything they claim to be – low prices on the things that you buy regularly. The store was clean, organized, and very well run. The store employees were very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable.
We both pay very close attention to what we pay for the items that we purchase regularly, and the quantity that we purchase them in. We found that Aldi had extremely competitive prices on nearly every item we purchased. If we did not find the price to be LOWER than the prices at Wal-Mart or a similar grocery store, we found that the price was the SAME as the prices we pay at similar grocery stores. The produce was fresh, attractive-looking, and huge in quantity.
A couple of items that I found to be insanely great prices:
1. 64 oz. Apple Juice - $1.19
2. Boxed dog biscuits - $.99
3. Cellulose Sponges - 6 pack - $.99
4. Boxes of fresh strawberries - $.99
5. Varied spices - $1.09 each
6. 32 oz. tub of vanilla yogurt - $1.59
7. One dozen eggs - $.89
See?! I told ya!
All in all, every item that we bought was purchased with excitement as we saved significantly.
At the cash register, we were excited to see that as they totaled our purchases, they then offered us a $5 coupon on top of the savings we already received. BONUS!
I am definitely going to add Aldi to my shopping rounds. I can now reduce my grocery budget every month and spend that money elsewhere.
There are a couple of things that you should know before shopping at Aldi:
1. Aldi charges 25 cents to borrow a shopping cart. You get your quarter back when you return the cart.
2. Aldi does not bag your groceries. You must come prepared with shopping bags, or they offer them for purchase ($1.99) at the register.
3. Aldi is a one-directional grocery store. If you realize you forgot to grab something and have to go back, your best bet is to leave your cart behind and sneak back to the forgotten item. People were very understanding as we had this happen numerous times.
Visit Aldi.com to find the store nearest you! Your wallet will be SO grateful!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Four-Day Savings
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Just a couple of things to tell you about today!
Visit Kohls.com to take part in their Three-Day Shopping Pass where you can take 15% off your entire purchase on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When you present your coupon at the register, they return your coupon to YOU so that you may use it throughout the weekend.
Visit WorldMarket.com for their 4-Day Friends and Family event! They are offering a coupon for 25% off Home Furnishings, Decor, etc. today through Sunday. Maybe it's time for that new dining set I've had my eye on!!
If you are in the DFW metroplex and you shop Stacy Furniture, they are offering a tax free weekend. Shop their Allen or Grapevine locations, and purchase your furniture tax free!
What are you waiting for?! GO SHOPPING!
Just a couple of things to tell you about today!
Visit Kohls.com to take part in their Three-Day Shopping Pass where you can take 15% off your entire purchase on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. When you present your coupon at the register, they return your coupon to YOU so that you may use it throughout the weekend.
Visit WorldMarket.com for their 4-Day Friends and Family event! They are offering a coupon for 25% off Home Furnishings, Decor, etc. today through Sunday. Maybe it's time for that new dining set I've had my eye on!!
If you are in the DFW metroplex and you shop Stacy Furniture, they are offering a tax free weekend. Shop their Allen or Grapevine locations, and purchase your furniture tax free!
What are you waiting for?! GO SHOPPING!
Friday, April 2, 2010
I'm on a savings HIGH!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Okay, so Garage Saling today was a bust. We knew it was going to rain, but didn't think people would actually BACK OUT of the garage sales they had already applied for permits for, but whatever - we will try it again in a couple of weeks.
Instead, we decided to spend an hour or so at Kohl's because of the coupons that we had accumulated in the last couple of weeks. Here's how it came out for me:
1 shirt for Easter Sunday $38 on sale for $21.99
1 set of summer pajamas for my toddler $20 on sale for $9
1 blingy ring $20 on sale for $7.99 + 20% off of jewelry = $6.39
1 fabric hair flower $10 on sale for $4.50
TOTAL: $88 on sale for $41.88
$10 off coupon = $31.88
15% off total purchase coupon = $4.79
Kohl's tax free (9%) savings = $2.44
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE: $26.68
It states right on my receipt that I saved $63.35. So basically, I got my four items for LESS than the retail price of my shirt, or for roughly the retail price of toddler pajamas. WHAT?! As the lady on the IKEA commercial says, "START THE CAR!"
In recent months, Kohl's has saved me more money than any other store that I frequent. Of course, I frequent a lot of discount stores like Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx, so it is often difficult to pinpoint exactly how much you saved off of retail prices, but I'm sure it is always significant. However, my savings at Kohl's is written in black and white on my receipt and I am on a high!!
Good Friday was GREAT Friday this year!
Okay, so Garage Saling today was a bust. We knew it was going to rain, but didn't think people would actually BACK OUT of the garage sales they had already applied for permits for, but whatever - we will try it again in a couple of weeks.
Instead, we decided to spend an hour or so at Kohl's because of the coupons that we had accumulated in the last couple of weeks. Here's how it came out for me:
1 shirt for Easter Sunday $38 on sale for $21.99
1 set of summer pajamas for my toddler $20 on sale for $9
1 blingy ring $20 on sale for $7.99 + 20% off of jewelry = $6.39
1 fabric hair flower $10 on sale for $4.50
TOTAL: $88 on sale for $41.88
$10 off coupon = $31.88
15% off total purchase coupon = $4.79
Kohl's tax free (9%) savings = $2.44
TOTAL PURCHASE PRICE: $26.68
It states right on my receipt that I saved $63.35. So basically, I got my four items for LESS than the retail price of my shirt, or for roughly the retail price of toddler pajamas. WHAT?! As the lady on the IKEA commercial says, "START THE CAR!"
In recent months, Kohl's has saved me more money than any other store that I frequent. Of course, I frequent a lot of discount stores like Ross, Marshalls, and TJ Maxx, so it is often difficult to pinpoint exactly how much you saved off of retail prices, but I'm sure it is always significant. However, my savings at Kohl's is written in black and white on my receipt and I am on a high!!
Good Friday was GREAT Friday this year!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Save-A-Lot
Saturday, March 27, 2010
So…Save-A-Lot was a no-go. I decided to venture out yesterday, load up the baby, and drive across two cities to save some money on my groceries. My experience was unusual, to say the least.
I wasn’t able to complete my whole grocery list which was frustrating. They did not have any romaine lettuce, their assortment of meats was slightly creepy, and I was dissatisfied with their selection of toothpaste, to name a few. Selection was, in fact, a huge issue for me. There was often no variety to choose from.
The store was small, offering significantly fewer products than a typical grocery store. There is no bakery, and no deli.
I am not interested in being bombarded with sales associates and their questions, but it is always nice to know that they’ve seen you come in. No one spoke with me the entire time I was in their store (roughly an hour). I would have appreciated a, “are you finding everything ok today?” or “how are you today?”
Shortly after I arrived at Save-A-Lot, they launched a soup kitchen of sorts in the front of the store between the check-out and the produce. The entire situation was awkward and uncomfortable for me, and several other shoppers that were purchasing groceries around the same time.
Having said all of this, I will probably not be returning to Save-A-Lot. I am, however, EXTREMELY excited about visiting my new Aldi store when it opens on April 22nd. I have heard great things about this store, mostly from my Aunt, who shops at Aldi regularly. She mentioned to me that they stand behind each and every product that they carry. If you are dissatisfied with a product, Aldi will reimburse you for DOUBLE the retail price of the item. What a great way to demonstrate their dedication to superior products! Visit ALDI to find the store nearest you!
Just a tiny reminder – World Market sent an email this morning boasting 25% off Easter items. World Market is a GREAT place to find unusual toys that your kids are sure to love. Finish up those Easter Baskets for less!
So…Save-A-Lot was a no-go. I decided to venture out yesterday, load up the baby, and drive across two cities to save some money on my groceries. My experience was unusual, to say the least.
I wasn’t able to complete my whole grocery list which was frustrating. They did not have any romaine lettuce, their assortment of meats was slightly creepy, and I was dissatisfied with their selection of toothpaste, to name a few. Selection was, in fact, a huge issue for me. There was often no variety to choose from.
The store was small, offering significantly fewer products than a typical grocery store. There is no bakery, and no deli.
I am not interested in being bombarded with sales associates and their questions, but it is always nice to know that they’ve seen you come in. No one spoke with me the entire time I was in their store (roughly an hour). I would have appreciated a, “are you finding everything ok today?” or “how are you today?”
Shortly after I arrived at Save-A-Lot, they launched a soup kitchen of sorts in the front of the store between the check-out and the produce. The entire situation was awkward and uncomfortable for me, and several other shoppers that were purchasing groceries around the same time.
Having said all of this, I will probably not be returning to Save-A-Lot. I am, however, EXTREMELY excited about visiting my new Aldi store when it opens on April 22nd. I have heard great things about this store, mostly from my Aunt, who shops at Aldi regularly. She mentioned to me that they stand behind each and every product that they carry. If you are dissatisfied with a product, Aldi will reimburse you for DOUBLE the retail price of the item. What a great way to demonstrate their dedication to superior products! Visit ALDI to find the store nearest you!
Just a tiny reminder – World Market sent an email this morning boasting 25% off Easter items. World Market is a GREAT place to find unusual toys that your kids are sure to love. Finish up those Easter Baskets for less!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Savings this weekend!
Friday, March 26, 2010
This weekend, I will be taking advantage of several email coupons and discounts I have received in the recent past.
Kid to Kid
I received a coupon for Kid to Kid Children’s and Maternity Consignment in my email this week. The coupon is for $5 off when you spent $25.
Plato’s Closet
Plato’s Closet is my favorite local consignment boutique for men and women. When I took some items in to consign, I entered my email address into their database. About an hour after I left, I received a coupon for $5 off my next purchase at Plato’s Closet.
Save-A-Lot
There was a segment on the local news this morning about Save-A-Lot Food Stores. The segment highlighted Save-A-Lot’s dedication to low prices and fabulous online coupons. I visited their website, and discovered that there were over SIX PAGES of printable coupons for a variety of grocery items. I am interested in being added to their mailing list (the segment this morning mentioned receiving a coupon for $5 off when you spend $20) and discovering even more savings opportunities. The woman that led the segment on the news purchased $80 worth of groceries for $44!
Remember…these are simply guidelines. If you do not live in the North Texas area, or are in a community where none of these stores are available, I encourage you to venture out and discover what IS available to you. Maybe you have a Job Lots instead of a Big Lots. Maybe your children’s and maternity consignment store goes by a different name. Start thinking about the venues where you can experience significant savings. ALWAYS REMEMBER – deleting unwanted emails from your inbox IS FREE, but you can’t receive savings if you don’t sign up!
This weekend, I will be taking advantage of several email coupons and discounts I have received in the recent past.
Kid to Kid
I received a coupon for Kid to Kid Children’s and Maternity Consignment in my email this week. The coupon is for $5 off when you spent $25.
Plato’s Closet
Plato’s Closet is my favorite local consignment boutique for men and women. When I took some items in to consign, I entered my email address into their database. About an hour after I left, I received a coupon for $5 off my next purchase at Plato’s Closet.
Save-A-Lot
There was a segment on the local news this morning about Save-A-Lot Food Stores. The segment highlighted Save-A-Lot’s dedication to low prices and fabulous online coupons. I visited their website, and discovered that there were over SIX PAGES of printable coupons for a variety of grocery items. I am interested in being added to their mailing list (the segment this morning mentioned receiving a coupon for $5 off when you spend $20) and discovering even more savings opportunities. The woman that led the segment on the news purchased $80 worth of groceries for $44!
Remember…these are simply guidelines. If you do not live in the North Texas area, or are in a community where none of these stores are available, I encourage you to venture out and discover what IS available to you. Maybe you have a Job Lots instead of a Big Lots. Maybe your children’s and maternity consignment store goes by a different name. Start thinking about the venues where you can experience significant savings. ALWAYS REMEMBER – deleting unwanted emails from your inbox IS FREE, but you can’t receive savings if you don’t sign up!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Holiday Savings
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
I know we are a few days past St. Patrick’s Day, but Easter will be here before you know it!
Post Holiday sales are great ways to save money on things you are interested in buying. The day after a holiday is the best day to purchase items while retailers still have the “good stuff” – everyone knows that. Well, did you know that they often package regular merchandise in holiday wrapping, thus having to clearance these items out? Heck yeah!
You don’t care if your M&M’s are pastel, or Easter colors, do you? Do you care if your Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup is in the shape of an egg? ME NEITHER! Does it bug you that your chapstick wrapper has a little bunny on it? I didn’t think so!
In the next couple of weeks, look beyond the candy and artificial grass for things that you would regularly buy. If it has an Easter package, odds are that it is on clearance.
The best examples of this are from after-Christmas shopping. Target, for example, packages many items that they carry in holiday boxes and bags to help entice people into buying them as gifts. Once Christmas is over, these items are immediately clearanced-out and you purchase regular, everyday items at 50% or even 75% off! Once you open the package, the product is no longer a “holiday item”!
Another great way to save money and relieve yourself of holiday pressures is to purchase things that you will need next year while they are on clearance from this year. I have already purchased several items for my toddler for Christmas, and I intend to do the same for next year’s Easter. If you have the space, pick up next year’s egg-dying kit or a few Easter basket “ingredients” for next year, based on the age(s) of your child(ren). This is a fabulous way to save a ton of money and you will be SO happy with yourself when you go shopping for special occasions, birthdays or holidays and you already have a SERIOUS head start. This takes the pressure off of the holiday hustle and bustle, and off of your wallet as well. Spread the burden out over several months and you’d be amazed how much less stressful it can be.
Visit Lindsay Walker’s Piano and Voice Studio. You KNOW you want to!
I know we are a few days past St. Patrick’s Day, but Easter will be here before you know it!
Post Holiday sales are great ways to save money on things you are interested in buying. The day after a holiday is the best day to purchase items while retailers still have the “good stuff” – everyone knows that. Well, did you know that they often package regular merchandise in holiday wrapping, thus having to clearance these items out? Heck yeah!
You don’t care if your M&M’s are pastel, or Easter colors, do you? Do you care if your Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup is in the shape of an egg? ME NEITHER! Does it bug you that your chapstick wrapper has a little bunny on it? I didn’t think so!
In the next couple of weeks, look beyond the candy and artificial grass for things that you would regularly buy. If it has an Easter package, odds are that it is on clearance.
The best examples of this are from after-Christmas shopping. Target, for example, packages many items that they carry in holiday boxes and bags to help entice people into buying them as gifts. Once Christmas is over, these items are immediately clearanced-out and you purchase regular, everyday items at 50% or even 75% off! Once you open the package, the product is no longer a “holiday item”!
Another great way to save money and relieve yourself of holiday pressures is to purchase things that you will need next year while they are on clearance from this year. I have already purchased several items for my toddler for Christmas, and I intend to do the same for next year’s Easter. If you have the space, pick up next year’s egg-dying kit or a few Easter basket “ingredients” for next year, based on the age(s) of your child(ren). This is a fabulous way to save a ton of money and you will be SO happy with yourself when you go shopping for special occasions, birthdays or holidays and you already have a SERIOUS head start. This takes the pressure off of the holiday hustle and bustle, and off of your wallet as well. Spread the burden out over several months and you’d be amazed how much less stressful it can be.
Visit Lindsay Walker’s Piano and Voice Studio. You KNOW you want to!
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!
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