It’s finally spring…although where I’m from it still feels like winter! Regardless of the weather, spring time has usually ushered in some great deals and sales on baby items, which are happening right now. Many stores have started advertising baby sales, and among them are Target, Old Navy and The Children’s Place. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or for someone else, it’s a great time to check out these deals.
Additionally, local churches, schools and Mom organizations are hosting consignment sales. You can find some true gems at these sales and who doesn’t love a bargain?
And…yes, I’m going to go there…Christmas. What?!? Yep! If you or someone you know is expecting a little one there are some items you can buy ahead of time. For example, a baby born over the summer (June, July or August) would be in the 4 to 6 month age range by Christmas. Some cute rattles, chewies for teething, age appropriate activity toys and stacking blocks or cups are some great items that don’t take up a lot of storage space. You could also try to approximate clothing size, but that could be tricky since some babies are super tiny and others seem to run a size larger than their age. It isn’t popular to think of Christmas right now, but the economy has hurt a lot of us and spreading out costs is a great way to help mitigate that and keep you less stressed at the holidays.
Bless you all!
Beginning tomorrow, Amazon is having another big sales event – Fall Prime Days. So what does spending money have to do with saving money? Jump on over to today’s blog, Wallet “Waste-Watcher”, and my Product Recommendations page to find out how an investment now can save you a bundle over time
I am a member of a Facebook page for moms and there are a lot who are really struggling to make ends meet in this economy. Trust me ladies, I hear you and I am you. The cost of everything has skyrocketed, which has forced me to get creative. So I am going to periodically add some money tips and tricks to this page as well as my Easy Recipes page – grocery concerns is one of the biggest topics being discussed. I have worked through some meal-time plans to feed a family of 6 for under $20…and the teenagers are full!
Tip for today: When I took my oldest daughter shopping for back-to-school clothes we checked out Plato’s Closet. We didn’t get very much since we were mostly checking it out for the first time, but if there is a brand name that your child really likes they are a great place to look into. It’s still more than Goodwill or Consignment boutiques, but if you would like to get them the nicer items as gifts for their birthday or the holidays it’s worth it! They also have sales for specific brands or items periodically throughout the year that offer deeper discounts, so check their website often for those dates (e.g.: they had a LuLuLemon sale event).
Easy Recipes: Under $15 Spaghetti Night, Under $20 Cheese Quesadillas, Under $20 Crockpot Chili
Money saving tips for your teens: Learning Money Management
Wow, I really wish this was something that was emphasized in school, but unfortunately it is not. Since today’s monetary transactions are almost all digital, it makes it even harder to keep track of income versus expenditures. It is way different than when I was a kid – I had a passbook savings account which allowed me to have a physical book to reference incoming and outgoing transactions. So what is the best way to teach your kiddos how to manage their money?
Unfortunately there isn’t one right way, but that’s also a good thing because everyone is different. What my husband and I have done with our kiddos involves a few steps.
- The older three have passbook savings accounts (these no longer exist). But with these accounts, every time they get money – whether it is for a birthday, doing work around their grandparents house, Christmas, etc. – they divide it into three categories: 10% tithe, 20% spending, 70% into the savings account. The nice thing about the passbook is it allows them to see their savings grow. Many times when they need extra money (gifts for family or friends, going out, etc) they stick with the 20% for spending because they didn’t like seeing it taken from the savings account. It really did motivate them to be more careful with their spending habits and I wish they’d bring the passbooks back for this reason.
- Our kids have Greenlight cards. They are very much like debit cards, but managed by my husband and I. Most times the kids will give us the 20% spending money and we’ll turn around and put it onto their cards for them. These are great because we found out one of the places the schools take the kids to at the end of the year is Hershey Park, which doesn’t take cash. We also get notified and can track their spending to make sure they aren’t overspending. Plus, the kids can see their spending habits in the app.
- Limiting what they can spend their money on, how often, and frequent discussions on the importance of proper spending.
- Diversified savings. My kiddos know that in addition to the Greenlight card and the passbook savings, we also have enrolled them in the Gerber life insurance plans, bonds and 529’s. We believe it is a good idea not to have all your “eggs in one basket”. Also, what we really like about the Gerber plans is their value doubles when the kids reach a certain age and they can keep them, borrow against them, or cash them in for anything they may need – car, house down payment, education, etc.
With summer upon us, my kids (and probably yours too) would love to go out with friends to the movies, get Rita’s or just hang out. Now is a great time to have conversations with them and find apps or other means that can actually track and show them their spending habits so they have the tools and knowledge to be responsible when they are on their own.
I hope this helps give you some ideas to help engage with your children on this topic. Cheers!
After the holidays, many of us enter into our financial recovery mode. However, right around the corner is when many stores begin their larger baby sales. In fact, February is a very popular baby gear sale month. If you or someone you know is expecting, this is a great time to start planning baby shower purchases, but if you are able to wait another month (think March/April) a lot of consignment sales begin. Some very popular ones, such as JBF (Just Between Friends) have multiple sales spanning multiple months because they are locationally based. You will also find many churches host children’s sales as well. These are great for finding quality items in excellent used condition for a fraction of the cost.
Other great places to look for reduced cost items are online yard sale sites, a mom Facebook page or FB marketplace and sites like Ebay, Mercari, etc. The only drawback is that you rely on the integrity of the seller for the true condition of items you are looking to purchase. I generally prefer to see the items to make sure they hold up to baby play, so I tend to stick to consignment sales.
If you would like know what items I think are necessary to care for baby and those that would just be nice to have, keep an eye on my blog page. I will be putting up my baby gear lists shortly to help guide you.
This year I have been hearing quite a lot (sadly) of families who cannot afford to give their child(ren) the holiday they wished they could. If it is any consolation, you are NOT alone – ourselves included. The economy, unforeseen medical complications, unemployment – the stress is real! While I cannot solve anyone’s financial struggles, there are some suggestions I have that you can use to help your wallet stretch further.
First, make full use of Black Friday deals. In fact, many have already started, so be sure to start checking them out. Wayfair is offering deep discounts on furniture, Amazon is having daily deals – especially on their electronics, and Kohl’s has also started their Black Friday discounts, which also gives you Kohl’s cash for future purchases during the season.
Filler gifts are also great. What are filler gifts? These are items that fulfill two purposes. For example, I buy my kids a box of their favorite junky cereal that I wrap and stick under the tree (when they were younger, it was from Santa!). Another example, I get them their favorite mouthwash, louffas, deodorant and Bath and Body Works body wash as their stocking items. Not only can you buy these things months ahead of time to spread out the cost, but you can build them into your grocery budget and buy them when they go on sale. These items make great additions to their gifts they ask for on their lists.
Lastly, with soaring prices of groceries, let’s get creative with those leftovers. If you jump on over to my Easy Recipes page, I’ll be posting ideas and recipes on what to do with those leftovers that help make them stretch without making you absolutely sick of turkey and stuffing!
I hope these help and are able to bring you some joy into the holiday season.
One more note, if you are willing and would love to pass it forward, my family and I would appreciate it if you should opt to use my Amazon Associates account when you are making a purchase or two. You still get the great deal and my family and I get a commission – plus it allows me to keep my associates account and forward great deals on to you along with early heads up on upcoming sales and promotions.
Much love and many blessings,
Andrea
PRIME EARLY ACCESS SALE
Amazon Prime is having an early access sale running from October 11th to the 12th for Prime members.
Most of the sale seems to be geared towards electronics devices, which could make perfect Christmas or Holiday gifts for your older kiddos.
This is a great way to get a jump start on some holiday shopping and spread out some of the costs.
Click on the links (above text or the image) to be directed to Amazon.
Not a Prime member? No problem. When you click on the text above or the image of the gift, you will be directed to Amazon and you can quickly and easily sign up for Prime membership.
This week’s money saving tip – the magic of coffee grounds!
Yes, they make a wonderful, magic potion to kick start your day, but they are so much more versatile. Which brings to me to something that toddlers do best…poo!
Okay, what on Earth do those two have to do with each other? Coffee grounds have amazing odor absorbing properties! Let’s be honest, those diapers can pack quite the punch. On top of that, buying a bunch of the charcoal filters for your diaper pail can really add up. But if you add a few scoops of coffee grounds to the trash bag/liner in your pail and the grounds will absorb the – oh we’ll just say it – stink! You may need to add a few more scoops here and there, depending on how many diapers you go through and how often you fill up the pail.
And as an added bonus, if you are a coffee drinker, you aren’t spending any extra money to keep your little bundle’s smelly diapers at bay. Just put the used grounds from making coffee into an open container to air dry. Once they are dry, they are ready to use.
This weekend begins Target’s car seat trade-in event. It’s super simple: just bring in your old toddler car seats or infant carriers that your child(ren) outgrew and you will receive a percent off coupon on the purchase of your next car seat. Whether your infant is moving into a toddler car seat, your toddler is now moving to a booster seat, or perhaps you decided you would prefer a Grow-With-Me car seat, these events are great opportunities to save money on something that you are going to have to purchase.
Walmart and Target host a car seat trade-in event twice a year, now (September) and again in February. You can also participate in Buy Buy Baby’s events. They typically host their’s the first week of every month and they are set up much the same way as Target’s events: bring in your old car seats, get a percentage off of your new one. You can also find great deals on car seats at Amazon. In fact, we purchased a Graco Extend2Fit car seat as a Black Friday deal. And since car seats are an expensive essential item, we’re here to help you save as much as you can on one.
If you haven’t read my blog, B2S Help: The Menu, then jump on over and check it out. Also, be sure to click on the Easy Recipes tab because this week I am focusing on easy and complete meals.
The key to easing the burden of providing a home cooked meal without driving yourself nuts is to plan ahead. I know it sounds simple, but it truly is a lot of work to prep and plan ahead. Does it help? Absolutely! Some meals that I will share in the future may require some time and effort, so its best to make those on the weekend. However, they make a lot and their time-saving element comes into play when you can freeze the leftovers for later. But the biggest key here, when it comes to meal prepping on a tight budget, is to check what is on sale in the circulars and base your meals off of that.
Most grocery store circulars are available in their respective apps by Wednesday or Thursday (depending on when their new sale week starts) and the print ones usually come by Friday. I highly recommend basing your weeknight meals for the next week on what they have on sale. Be sure to keep in mind the time of year we are in as well. Labor Day will be coming up soon, which means deals on grill items. Think chicken (drumsticks, thighs, etc.), burgers or ground beef, and hot dogs or brats and some fish fillets or shrimp for proteins. For vegetables, squash and zucchini are great for grilling….and, as a treat, grilled pineapple slices. Don’t discount it until you try it! Bon appetite!
Back-to-school on a budget!
For all those parents who are about to send their child off to college, the task is emotionally and financially daunting. While I cannot ease your emotional distress, I hope this quick tip can make things easier on the wallet.
Going to college is exciting and, if I’m being honest, a little scary. We tend to go out and buy things that are brand new or may not be a necessity, but we feel it may bring added comfort to our children when they’re away from home. As parents, we always want our child to be comforted, especially when we aren’t there to do it ourselves. However, may I make a quick suggestion? Narrow down the ‘brand new’ and ‘comfort’ items to just a few essentials and look at second-hand stores for others. For example, a brand-new comforter set or bedsheets – absolutely. A brand-new set of dishes? You could probably skip that and just get a ‘piece-together’ set from various Goodwill stores and Thrift shops. Chances are something will get broken, so it’s probably best not to invest a fortune. Save that for later – like an engagement/wedding shower. Serving and eating utensils? Common area furniture? You can second-hand those too. Trust me, you won’t want to get nice, new items until after those college roommate/party years…things tend to break…get spilled on…or wander…
Some great places to check are local generic thrift stores, Goodwill or ReStore Stores (Habitat for Humanity).
My next money saving tip is about putting together a lovely gift on a budget. Whether it is for a shower (bridal, baby, etc…) or a birthday, do not underestimate the usefulness of a gift card. With an Amazon gift card, you can choose almost any amount you want to put on the card and they offer a wide variety of designs to fit the occasion. And, since it is through Amazon, you can have it delivered right to your friend or loved one. There’s even an option for an electronic gift card that can be emailed directly to the recipient.
But what really makes this a great gift option is that it can be used for anything on Amazon! If there were items left on a registry, a gift card is great way to help a couple to fulfill their wish list. They are also great to have on hand for future purchases. I’ll be honest, I used most of my gift cards that I received from my baby sprinkle on diapers and wipes since you…will…use…a…ton!
Their versatility doesn’t end there! You can create a gift card and basket combo! Simply purchase a bunch of smaller items (diaper ointment, wipes, Infant Tylenol and Motrin, some onesies), put them into a lovely container or basket and neatly tuck the gift card in the front. Click on baby shower gift basket and gift card for some options and ideas offered by Amazon! Happy Shopping!
It’s July and you know what that means? No, I’m not talking about BBQ’s (although so delish!). I’m talking about HOLIDAY SHOPPING! Wait…whaaa????
Yes, you read that right. Prime Day is right around the corner, and it is a great time to actually begin your holiday shopping. If you don’t have an account, click on Prime Account now or on the image above to sign up today.
Let’s face it, kids are expensive, and as they get older the things they want just about break the piggy bank. By starting to shop now, you will really help to spread out the costs of holiday shopping. You’ll even be able to find great deals on items you need right now.
But more specific to holiday shopping, whenever you begin, make the most out of your holiday budget by being intentional. Go in with a plan, know some of the items you want to look for, and price compare. No, you don’t need your kids’ final wish lists yet. But if there are items that they have been asking for or things you know you want to get for them, now is the time to start looking for some great discounts. This particular sale has, in the past, had significant discounts on electronics (especially amazon products), fashion/clothing, and houseware items. Keep an eye on your local stores as well. In order to compete for profits, many of them have been jumping on the Prime Day bandwagon.
I will say that a major advantage to shopping through Amazon is that I can have items wrapped and shipped to family members who don’t live locally. This way I don’t have to pay extra to go through the post office or other shipping company. I just give my family a heads up to put the package(s) aside until the holidays or birthday.
Something to Consider….
Due to recent economic events, there is a lot of uncertainty. Whether it is product unavailability or the discounts are not as great as years past, a lot remains to be seen with how these sales will perform. Also, inflation has really cut into people’s discretionary spending and many of us are relying on great deals to help offset our decreased budgets. DO NOT PANIC! If you don’t or can’t get what you’re looking for now, you still have plenty of plenty of sales coming up, including back-to-school sales and Black Friday (week).
My additional tip is that I also buy ahead. My family and I are on a tight budget, so now is when I begin planning for the holidays and the entire next year. I not only start my holiday shopping, but I also shop for birthday gifts for my kiddos, parents/family, nieces and nephew. If you are able to look ahead at birthdays, baby/wedding showers and other milestone events, you can start a list for your friends and family now. This way you keep an eye out for those deals as they come. You’ll save a ton and you’ll be less stressed than if you had waited to do your shopping at the last minute.
Check back often as we approach Prime Day for some links to great products and don’t forget to sign up for an Amazon Prime Account if you don’t already have one!