Hey Smarty Pants...Let’s face it, raising children is one of, if not the, most expensive things we will ever do. Even giving birth to a child can cost a small fortune and let’s be honest, there is no coupon for the delivery room. There’s no Baby Happy Hour where if you have your baby from 5:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. then your baby is half-price. There is no Baby BOGO (Buy One Get One Free, for you coupon newbies)
From the time babies are born they require a constant stream of cash to feed, diaper, clothe and entertain them. As well-meaning parents, it’s very easy to get caught up in purchasing all of the things that you think your child needs to be healthy and happy. More money spent equates a happy child. That is definitely a misconception and I hope the following tips will help you re-think how your family finds fun.
Our family has taken a big vacation every year since our oldest daughter was small. We couldn’t always afford to go but we had credit cards, right? Well, after that theory came back to bite us, we learned not to take vacations that we can’t afford. This summer, it wasn’t in the budget for our family to take a vacation but I still wanted to make it a fun and memorable summer for my kids. The baby doesn’t care a whole lot about where we go or what we do but our oldest daughter, being that it was her break from school, wanted to party like it was 1999. If you do a little research there is so much out there for kids to do for cheap or even free!
The first place I started was our public library. Libraries are for so much more than checking out musty old books, although that’s a great way to save money, too. Our public library had a summer reading program for babies thru adults. After reading a certain number of books you’re given a brand-new book of your choice. Even the baby got a free book! Barnes & Noble also has an offer like this for kids.
Our library also had some great free events that my kids loved! We went to a magic show and a ventriloquist show that were amazing. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the entertainment they had and they were definitely something I would’ve paid to see but didn’t have to. Most public libraries also have daily programs for babies and book clubs and crafts for older kids. Don’t forget to check out the libraries in surrounding counties. From my experience, you don’t have to live in that county to visit their library or participate in their special events.
One of the hardest places to save money is at kid’s entertainment centers. Places like Chuck E. Cheese, Gattitown and Monkey Joe’s can take a big chunk out of your wallet. When I was working part-time for a local restaurant I would often speak with the manager of my kid’s favorite places and trade coupons. Just make sure you have the authority to pass out coupons from your workplace. It amazed me how willing the managers were to trade and it saved me at least 50% on admission prices. The same goes for trading a service. If you teach dance, art or music, consider trading free lessons for the manager’s child in exchange for coupons or gift certificates.
When it comes to free entertainment, we often forget about the fun that nature has to offer. Use the internet to research if your town has any nature preserves or sanctuaries. Our town has several and they offer free programs for kids year-round.
Don’t forget to utilize your favorite stores as well. Craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby offer free crafts for kids throughout the year. Even Lowe’s has a Saturday Kid’s Clinic for free.
Some of the best times I’ve had with my children have been while doing inexpensive or free things. We take lots of picnics, feed the ducks, visit our favorite pet store, take nature walks, and lay outside after dark and count stars. After all the time and money I’ve spent trying to make my daughters happy, I finally realized that what they really wanted was me, just my time and attention, and that is free!
If you're looking for a great book for kids and parents, check out The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions. My Mom has this book and my daughter loves doing the "speriments."
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
SHOP FROM YOUR STOCKPILE!
Hey Smarty Pants...If you’ve been couponing for a while you have probably noticed that it’s easier to get great deals on non-food items while the cost of groceries is “eating up” most of your monthly budget. It might sound basic but make sure you are using your store’s weekly ad to plan your meals for that week. Even without using coupons, planning your family’s meals around only the items that are on sale will save you a bundle. You should never allow yourself to shop without knowing what’s on sale and what you really need. You will not only spend more money than you would have to for your ingredients, but will also be more likely to buy things you didn't intend to.
While you’re using the ad to plan your meals, don’t forget to always shop from your stockpile before you shop at the store! If you’re lucky enough to have a stockpile of food items, try to find recipes that use those ingredients. There are several great recipe websites that allow you to input the ingredients you want to center your meal around. Some of my favorites are:
• Kraftfoods.com
• Allreceipes.com
• Supercook.com
Combine using your stockpile food items along with a store’s sale price and coupons and your meals will not only be delicious but inexpensive as well!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
While you’re using the ad to plan your meals, don’t forget to always shop from your stockpile before you shop at the store! If you’re lucky enough to have a stockpile of food items, try to find recipes that use those ingredients. There are several great recipe websites that allow you to input the ingredients you want to center your meal around. Some of my favorites are:
• Kraftfoods.com
• Allreceipes.com
• Supercook.com
Combine using your stockpile food items along with a store’s sale price and coupons and your meals will not only be delicious but inexpensive as well!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
WHEN TO USE COUPONS!
Hey Smarty Pants...step away from that coupon and keep your hands where I can see them!!! Why, you might ask, would I be telling you to put a coupon down right after I told you how imperative they are to saving you hundreds and even thousands of dollars? It's because you have a happy coupon trigger finger and you need to learn when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Wow, that's a lot of country western references in a row. Sorry, I must be tired.
Knowing when and how to use a coupon to it's highest potential is just as important as having the coupon in the first place. So you've got a $1.00 coupon for Oreos just sitting there staring at you? You hadn't planned on buying any Oreos this week but since you have the coupon, why not use it, right? WRONG! First of all, you're buying something that isn't on your shopping list (we'll talk more about that later) and you're buying something you hadn't planned on buying just to save $1.00. Well, that's not really saving $1.00 is it? Plus, chances are those Oreos aren't on sale this week and you're wasting the $1.00 coupon on a full-priced item. The idea is to "sit on" your coupons until the item goes on sale...then use your coupon along with the sale to maximize your savings.
Over time, you'll learn what a good sale price is for the items you typically purchase and that's when you want to use your coupons. Sales usually run on a 6 week cycle. Chances are if Life cereal is on sale today, you can pretty much count on it being on sale again in about 6 weeks. Items do also go on sale in between those periods but the greatest savings usually average 6 weeks. When an item is on sale and you have a coupon, that's when you want to stock up. Purchase at least 6 weeks worth of that particular item. If the item has a really long shelf life, maybe you would want to purchase more if it's something your family uses frequently and a stockpile is born.
If you apply this method of sale+coupon=maximum savings, pretty soon you'll have your own mini-mart in your home and that's when you really start to notice the money you're saving.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Knowing when and how to use a coupon to it's highest potential is just as important as having the coupon in the first place. So you've got a $1.00 coupon for Oreos just sitting there staring at you? You hadn't planned on buying any Oreos this week but since you have the coupon, why not use it, right? WRONG! First of all, you're buying something that isn't on your shopping list (we'll talk more about that later) and you're buying something you hadn't planned on buying just to save $1.00. Well, that's not really saving $1.00 is it? Plus, chances are those Oreos aren't on sale this week and you're wasting the $1.00 coupon on a full-priced item. The idea is to "sit on" your coupons until the item goes on sale...then use your coupon along with the sale to maximize your savings.
Over time, you'll learn what a good sale price is for the items you typically purchase and that's when you want to use your coupons. Sales usually run on a 6 week cycle. Chances are if Life cereal is on sale today, you can pretty much count on it being on sale again in about 6 weeks. Items do also go on sale in between those periods but the greatest savings usually average 6 weeks. When an item is on sale and you have a coupon, that's when you want to stock up. Purchase at least 6 weeks worth of that particular item. If the item has a really long shelf life, maybe you would want to purchase more if it's something your family uses frequently and a stockpile is born.
If you apply this method of sale+coupon=maximum savings, pretty soon you'll have your own mini-mart in your home and that's when you really start to notice the money you're saving.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Be Clean, Green and Cheap!
Hey Smarty Pants...are you spending too much on household cleansers? For several years now I've been making my own and haven't looked back since. It all started when I was pregnant with our second child and I knew I didn't want to use any harsh chemicals. My poor first child, I didn't know any better when I was pregnant with her and didn't really think much about breathing in those toxic fumes. With the "green" movement that hit mainstream media several years ago, I'm a lot more conscious about the chemicals my family is exposed to.
Anyway, I purchased an empty spray bottle from Walmart for about .97 cents and fill it with equal parts white vinegar and water. I have one for upstairs and downstairs. It's also nice to know that when I have my oldest clean something, she won't be coming in contact with any hazardous chemicals. It doesn't smell that great but neither do regular cleansers. If the smell of vinegar bothers you, like it does my husband, you can always mix in some essential oils. But I'm a real woman, I like my cleaners straight up with no chaser. :) Just kidding. I don't drink, I heard that on t.v. once. :)
Baking Soda is also a great household cleanser that is natural and non-toxic. It's a natural abrasive that's effective yet gentle. I sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of our textured bath tub, spray some of the vinegar/water solution on top and wait for it to sizzle and foam up. I let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then scrub it with a cleaning brush. It works way better than Scrubbing Bubbles and is much cheaper to make.
The two cleaning products that I do purchase are Clorox Wipes and Clorox or Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Of course, I use coupons and get them for ridiculously low prices but I feel that the toilet HAS to be disinfected more than vinegar can do. The same goes for the Clorox Wipes. I like to use them on doorknobs, phones, remote controls and any surfaces that might have a high-germ potential but I'm not having to spray anything into the air.
I hope these tips help you re-think how you clean your home. When you make your own cleansers you not only save money but you're doing something great for your family and that's a win-win!
As always, Shop Like a Smarty Pants!
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