Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

5 Ways to Buy Cheap Christmas Gifts for Kids

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5 ways to find cheap Christmas gifts for kids.Some people shop all year long for Christmas. Others wait until December 24th. Wherever you fit in that spectrum, you still want to score a deal. Americans spend $830 billion on Christmas, according to a 2013 statistic. If you’re looking for cheap Christmas gifts for kids, then here are five tips that will help.

(Got any kids 5 and under? Here’s a great list of gift ideas for them!)

SnagShout

If you’re a fan of Amazon, especially around the holidays, then check out SnagShout.com. It offers hundreds of deeply discounted products you can purchase in exchange for a review.

How does SnagShout work:

  • Browse their merchandise to see if there is something you’d like to purchase. Often these products are marked 60% to 90% off. Some products are even free.
  • You’ll be given a specific SnagShout code to enter at check out.
  • These are Amazon products, so you’ll be automatically transferred to Amazon to complete your purchase.
  • Once you’ve received and tried out the product, you must leave a review on Amazon to complete your agreement with SnagShout.
  • After that, you’re permitted to shop for your next SnagShout product.

Giving SnagShout products as gifts is tricky since you do need to leave a review. I’m certainly not suggesting you lie because that’s unethical and could get you banned from SnagShout. The best solution is to purchase the item for your child, let him play with it, then ask what he thinks. You could also purchase an item of which you’re already familiar and leave a review based on what you already know.

Off-season clearance racks

Fall and spring are great times of the year for garage sales. Every changing season brings a deep discount (i.e. end of summer, back to school, end of winter, etc.). If there are huge discounts on summer clothes during the fall, then you could score some big savings on next year’s summer wardrobe and give them as Christmas presents.

Swagbucks

If gift cards and online shopping are your preferred methods for finding cheap Christmas gifts for kids, then look up Swagbucks. This is one of the most popular survey + reward sites because it offers a wide variety of ways to earn. They include:

  • Searching the Web
  • Online shopping
  • Surveys
  • Watching videos
  • Playing games

You could earn points the next time you shop online at Toys R Us, Target, Old Navy, or the Disney Store. Cash in your points for free gift cards for Amazon, PayPal, Walmart, Target, Visa and more.

Click here to sign up for your free Swagbucks account.

Make gifts

Cheap Christmas gifts for kids come in every shape in size. One of my favorite things about Pinterest is that there are so many options for making awesome gifts for your awesome kids. Not everything is cheaper to make at home than it is in the store. However, I encourage you to at least consider this route, especially if time is on your side. I made a no-sew blanket for each of my babies, and could easily work on it while I watched a movie. Fabric stores often have coupons for supplies, so I saved money and gave my kids something homemade they’ll have for a long time from their not-that-crafty mom.

Actually, probably the best gift for boys is to buy them a soldering iron and a bunch of inductors.  Then have them build circuits or the like.  That will increase their knowledge of science and their manual dexterity.

Groupon

One of the coolest gifts you can give your kids is the gift of experiences. Groupon is a great resource for discounted events and adventures. Search “Groupon + Your City” to find some kid-friendly events happening near you.

Do you start Christmas shopping before or after Thanksgiving? Tell us in the comments below?

Image Credit: Andrew Neel (UnSplash)

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, Kids Ain’t Cheap will receive a commission, but we only recommend products that we know and love. Thank you for your business!

13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money

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ways for stay-at-home moms to save moneyWhen I became a stay-at-home mom in 2014, I felt a pang of guilt for no longer contributing financially to the family. Then, as the weeks of staying home progressed, I discovered something incredible. I had a new superpower. I was so much better at saving money! Not to say I was perfect, but by simply spending the lion’s share of my days caring for little ones AT HOME, I saved loads. Let’s take a closer look at some of those practical ways for stay-at-home moms to save money.

13 Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money

Since a mom is involved in so many transactions throughout the week, I thought it’d be best to look through these money-saving tips in categories.

Kids and Babies

Don’t buy all new. The minute you become pregnant, you are inundated with offers for bright and shiny things. Everyone will tell you how to keep your baby out of peril. Each piece of advice will be different. Your greatest weapons are:

  • Research
  • Common Sense

Research may show you that buying a car seat new is a wise investment. It may reveal used clothes make a lot of sense for growing babies. Common sense may show you that the French chandelier in your friend’s baby’s nursery doesn’t have to show up in yours, too.

Find out if you qualify for a free breast pump. The government may give you a free breast pump or provide you with a reimbursement. I highly recommend checking it out.

Be strategic about the professional photo sessions. Social media creates so much pressure for parents to create “perfect moments” during each chapter of their children’s lives. Don’t get swept away in expensive photo sessions unless you’ve planned for them and have the budget available.

Food

Load digital coupons. So many stores offer digital coupons. They’re handy and often apply to checkout automatically.

Make your own baby food. I am not a DIY maven. However, when I started researching the health benefits of making homemade baby food (and that getting started wasn’t that hard), I gave it a go.

Once your baby is ready for solids, try mashing a banana or pureeing some superfoods. Freeze them in an ice cube tray for long-term!

Consolidate your trips. Try as I might, I always end up overspending or impulsing buy at the grocery store. Limiting my trips is one way I combat that problem. Another is by ordering my groceries online via ClickList or Shipt. That way, I’m not tempted to overspend and save so much time, too.

House

Pay extra on your mortgage. It’s amazing how much money people can save on their mortgage by paying an extra $100 per month. For example, if you had a 30-year mortgage of $165,000 at 4.5 percent, you’d pay an estimated $135,971 in INTEREST. By paying $100 extra each month over those 30 years, you’d only pay $105,547 in interest. That’s over $30,000 in savings!

Try BankRate’s free amortization calculator here.

Unplug. You can save a lot of money over time on your utilities simply by unplugging your appliances and shutting off your lights. If the weather is nice, shut off the thermostat and throw open some windows.

Reduce extra payments like your phone bill, cable, entertainment subscriptions. What can you trim back in your budget? Can you drop cable? Can you renegotiate your phone bill?

Build an emergency fund. Having money set aside for the unexpected will save so much money on emergency swipes of the credit card.

Selling and Earning

Sell your used goods. Today it’s easier than ever to sell your household goods to others. Check out these seven apps that’ll help you turn your secondhand stuff into cash.

Earn gift cards to cover Christmas. Swagbucks is one of the most popular sites for earning gift cards. You can watch videos, conduct searches, shop online, or do surveys to earn gift cards for places like PayPal, Amazon, and Target. You won’t earn a living, but it’s a great way to cover birthday presents, weddings, or Christmas.

Start a side gig. If you’re a stay-at-home mom looking for a way to make serious money from home, please check out my recent post “14 Profitable Stay-at-Home Mom Jobs Online (That Are Worth Your Time).” It outlines several cash-generating ideas from remote jobs to becoming an entrepreneur.

Ways for Stay-at-Home Moms to Save Money – Part IISAHM Blueprint ebook cover - transparent

I’ve been piling up resources and tips like this for the last three years after my own debt-free journey with my husband. We went from broke and clueless to budgeting and conquering our financial goals – like me becoming a stay-at-home mom – with the steps you’ve read in this article.

If you dream of the day you can stay home with your kids but could use a roadmap like I did, check out “The Stay-at-Home Mom Blueprint.” This eBook tells my story of beating debt and beating the odds to stay home when we only had $2,000 to live on each month.

It also includes 150 strategies to chop your debt, save money, earn from home, and afford your dream of becoming a SAHM.

If you liked this list of ways for stay-at-home moms to save money, “The Stay-at-Home Mom Blueprint” is this plus steroids.

Click here to learn more!

Your Turn: Share with us a few ways for stay-at-home moms to save money in the comments below!

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Are you a stay-at-home mom? Check out these bonus resources created just for you!

Are you a stay-at-home mom? Make sure you bookmark or pin some of these resources for later!

10 Steps to Create a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget

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stay-at-home mom budgetDo you dream of becoming a stay-at-home mom but your family depends on your income? Your dream may not be impossible. It starts with a plan, a lot of self-compassion, and determination. I know from experience. Our most effective tool on our journey to a single-income family with an at-home parent started with a stay-at-home mom budget.

I’d like to show you how.

In 2014, I gave my notice at my job just a few weeks before having my second child. With only my husband’s income, we now had less than $2,000 per month to live on. That may sound impossible, but we spent years preparing for that day. It’s amazing how little income you can live on when you don’t have a car payment or student loan debts. It’s amazing how free you feel when you make such an empowering decision like staying home with your children. I

It’s amazing how little income you can live on when you don’t have a car payment or student loan debts. It’s amazing how free you feel when you make such an empowering decision like staying home with your children.

I wish that for you.

This list of steps will show you exactly how we beat the odds and successfully transitioned into a single-income family of four.

10 Steps to Create a Successful Stay-at-Home Mom Budget

Let me just say we stunk at budgeting before my husband and I got married. Like really stunk at it. I even worked as a teller and couldn’t keep my finances straight. I can laugh now, but it caused its share of anxiety in me at the time. I dreamed of staying home with my children someday, but our debts and sloppy spending made it felt unachievable then.

These 10 steps revolutionized so much more than our budget. It reshaped my mindset about money, my role in our marriage, how we communicate, and how we plan for the future. Check ’em out:

Take a financial snapshot.

Look at what you’ve been spending, how much you owe in debt, what you have in savings, and what you earn each month. It takes time, but this is a great starting point for anyone looking to improve their finances.

Before you ever write another budget, make sure you’re aware of where your money is really going.

Calculate how much you NEED to live on each month.

This number is vital. It’s not how much you spend on cable or fast food or extra clothes for the kids. This is the total you need, absolutely need, each month to keep the lights on, put gas in the tank, and feed the family.

A great way to calculate that number is to add up your monthly bills. They’re typically a set amount. Then, include things you typically buy in a month like food and gas. This is the baseline for you to plan your stay-at-home mom budget. You know this much needs to come in. If you and your spouse currently bring in more than that, then let’s talk about some ideas for that extra money next.

Build up a buffer.

When you reduce your family income, it’s paramount to have an established savings account for unexpected expenses. Millions of families live paycheck to paycheck with no clear financial plan for the next blown transmission or trip to the ER. You can set yourself apart from that statistic. Choose an account today and commit to putting away $1,000 for emergencies only as fast as you can.

Demolish debt.

Eliminating as many monthly payments from your life as you can before you become a stay-at-home mom is huge. If you’re already home with the kids, it’s still as important as ever.

For example, my husband and I started applying more and more of my paycheck toward student loan debt. What we thought would take seven years took less than two. Intentionality will bring about big results in your life.

Meet regularly with your spouse or accountability partner.

While my husband and I were paying off extra toward debt and saving for emergencies, we met regularly to discuss our budget. We still do. It isn’t always easy, but carving out a 15-minute window once a month to make sure you’re on the same page will reduce your stress and set up your stay-at-home mom budget for success.

Need some help creating a budget? Here are several free downloadable budgeting forms.

Sleep on big financial decisions.

Give yourself a 24-hour window before you make any purchase more than a set dollar amount. This is especially important for houses, automobiles, furniture, and the like.

Leave room for fun.

Even though you’ll have less money in the budget once you’re a stay-at-home mom, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. If it’s in your spending plan (and preferably not on a credit card), plan for fun outings or date nights or taking the children to the zoo. I even recommend a little fun money for you and your significant other to spend however you wish. A little freedom helps you life when finances tighten up.

Don’t compare yourself with others.

With social media, it’s almost impossible to not compare your life with others’. Remember this, though: It’s entirely possible they’re in debt up to their armpits and you don’t know it. Remember your reason for wanting to stay home. It may mean you have to live in a smaller house for a while, but the trade-off is more time with your kids.

Employ self-compassion when you fail.

You will fail. Your spouse will fail. Rather than give up and quit budgeting, give yourself some grace and try again. I’ve derailed more budgets than I can count. Working through that frustration and stress was like working a muscle. You will grow your abilities, too.

Focus on your behavior, not your numbers.

Ever read that quote about personal finance being 80 percent behavior and 20 percent head knowledge? It was true in my case. When I stopped chasing my credit score and started chasing a debt-free mindset, my account balance changed dramatically. What are some behaviors you can focus on that’ll help you establish a functional stay-at-home mom budget?

“What’s my next step?”

Hopefully, this article gave you some ideas on how to begin this journey. It’s meant to inspire and educate, but one blog post can only offer so much.

What I needed on my own journey toward staying home was a financial roadmap. Much of my husband’s and my experiences were trial and error (and more errors and some more errors). Beating the odds in 2014 lit a fire within me to help other women achieve this dream.Paperback-Book-Small-Spine-Mockup

That’s why I created a companion eBook to this article called “The Stay-at-Home Mom Blueprint.” It’s packed with 150 ways to chop debt, save money, earn a side income from home, and implement a financial plan that WILL enable you to spend more time with your kids.

This eBook contains everything I wish I’d known when I started my journey, from surviving our first messy budget as newlyweds to figuring out coupons to earning my first $10,000 with my at-home writing business.

If this is your dream to spend more time at home, then I wrote this for you. Look, it’s not easy. We spent years making this transition without a guide like “The Stay-at-Home Mom Blueprint.” Even so, it was worth it. Your journey will be, too.

May this resource empower you to take these steps to achieve what matters most to you.

Ready to grab your copy? Find “The Stay-at-Home Mom Blueprint” available here.

What’s your number ONE hurdle that prevents you from spending more time at home? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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Are you a stay-at-home mom? Make sure you bookmark or pin some of these resources for later!

Taking Advantage of Cash Rebates

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cash rebatesCash rewards for purchases are underrated when they should be recognized as smart money savers. Take advantage of pairing coupons with cash rebates as well, for an even larger reward on your purchases. Easier said than done if you aren’t too experienced in aggressively pursuing these savings methods. Luckily, with a little practice and procedure, your shopping cart will be full and so will your wallet.

 

Exploring Yourself

The first step to becoming an expert saver is to explore yourself. Ask yourself what you deeply desire, whether it be a new pair of shoes or a tasty family size pack of sweets. Figure out what you want, write it down and put the ideas in a safe spot. Organizational skills play a major role in saving. You have to keep track of everything, and it can be overwhelming. Time management can be a bother, as the process of filling out cash rebate forms and clipping coupons can be draining. All you have to do is prepare a time slot to for this significant formula. We typically know how long we are out shopping; add an additional hour to cover your tracks. Thirty minutes for coupon resourcing before shopping, and 30 minutes for cash rebate papers afterwards. Time and money well spent!

 

Taking Initiative

After you know what you like, and have planned time slots to actually ensure that you get what you desire you have to explore rebate sites. You can also find rebate forms:

  • Printed on packaging
  • On tags beside merchandise
  • Tear-off rebate forms on products

Companies encourage rebates and they place advertisements in newspapers and magazines, newsletters, radio, television, internet websites and more. You only have to be aware to take notice of the opportunities around.

Cash Rebate Websites

As for online cash rebate websites that also include coupons, these are golden tickets to saving. Not only will you receive cash back, but you will also save immediately on that purchase without having to wait for your refund.

 

The Good & The Bad

The good news is that there are many advantages that accompany cash rebates for both you and the manufacturer. Three major advantages include:

  • Reasonable refund on high priced products
  • according to the IRS they are tax-free price reductions
  • Boosts customer sales and visibility

As for the bad, there isn’t much bad with rebates, however, if you plan on purchasing an item for the cash rebate and you do not follow through then you will have only purchased a company’s special item without them doing much promotion in turn increasing their sales.

Taking advantage of cash rebates is a learning process and it takes practice, but with every great thing comes great responsibility, along with that take accountability and initiative and start saving today.

Are you planning on taking advantage of cash rebates sites this holiday season?

Save on Baby Goods (and Make Money) with CouponChief

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diapersIf you’re a new parent, hearing that babies are expensive is no surprise.  Seriously, who knew a little newborn could go through so many diapers in 24 hours!  Sometimes, you know more than change the baby and the diaper needs to be changed again.

However, diapers aren’t the only supplies babies run through.  They grow so quickly that an outfit that fits great one day can literally be too tight just a few days later.  My son was a big baby who went through new sizes every 6 weeks until he finally settled into 12-18 month for awhile.  Keeping up with their clothing needs can be expensive.  Let’s not even talk about formula and baby pictures.

If you know what I’m talking about, you’re likely looking for ways to cut corners without compromising on quality.  One great way to do that, especially if you’re an avid online shopper, is CouponChief.

 

How CouponChief Works

You’ve likely seen that online retailers have a box for promo codes when you check out, and you likely know that there are sites online that will share online promo codes.  CouponChief works the same way, with a few differences.

CouponChief shares the promo code, but then you can read other people’s comments about the code and also see how frequently the code works.  Best of all, unlike some other sites, CouponChief removes the code when it’s expired, which makes your search more productive and less time consuming.  (And anything that helps save time when you have an infant is welcome!)

Even better, you can create a profile and then save your favorite searches.  For instance, let’s say you want to see all the promo codes related to the “baby” category.  CouponChief will e-mail you every time there is a new code for anything from diapers, to baby clothes, to portrait studio packages.  You don’t need to keep checking the site; they send the information to you.

 

Make Money with CouponChief

Not only will CouponChief save you money, but it may also be able to make you some money.  If you’re good at tracking down coupon codes, share it on CouponChief, and you’ll earn 2% of the purchase total that others make using your coupon code.  You can earn up to $25 a month, per coupon.

How sweet is that?

Kids are expensive, but if you learn some tricks such as using promo codes to save money and sharing coupon codes to make money, having children becomes just a bit more affordable.

Coupon Tips and Tricks

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Coupon Tips and TricksMoney is hard to come by these days. But why sacrifice the things you need? Saving money is definitely an art that few people have mastered. You might have a budget or monthly spending plan to keep your finances on track. However, if you want to take your savings to the next level and beef up your bank account, learn how to make the most out of coupons.

Coupons are a godsend for financially strapped families. Whether you need to save on groceries, clothes, home decor or entertainment, there is a coupon to meet your needs.

1. Never shop online without a promo code. Promo codes are an excellent way to receive free shipping and discounts on online orders. Simply go online, search promotions offered by different retailers and shop according to the savings. NerdWallet coupons feature savings for practically every shopping category from health to school supplies.

2. Check online before buying in the store. Shopping locally is one way to obtain products quickly. But if your local online retailers do not have coupons and promotions, you can spend more than necessary for an item. For generic or everyday items, such as home decor, crafts and clothes, the Internet is your best bet. Let’s say you need party supplies or craft items. Rather than head to your local party store, check coupon codes for Oriental Trading and save on your purchase. You may find a coupon code to discount your purchase, letting you buy more for your money.

3. Use multiple coupons. For items that you use regularly, don’t be afraid to use multiple coupons and stockpile your food supply. For example, if you have six $1 off coupons for yogurt, go ahead and purchase six. And if you wait until the item is on sale, you’ll maximize your savings and keep more cash in your pocket.

4. Combine coupons with store sales. Watch for grocery store sales and plan your shopping trips accordingly. Call the grocery store and inquire about double coupon days, or check the Sunday’s paper for sale information. Combining a coupon with a buy-one-get-one free offer, or another discount can significantly reduce your grocery bill.

5. Combine store and manufacturer coupons. Did you know that you can use more than one coupon for a single item? Several grocery stores allow both manufacturer and store coupons. And if you know how to play the game, you can actually get cash back. Let’s say you purchase a jar of pasta for $2.50. If you have a store coupon for $1.50 off and a manufacturer coupon for $1.50 off, the grocery store will refund you $0.50.

Couponing can be a bit intimidating and time consuming. But it doesn’t take long to grasp the routine. Learn how coupons can save your family money and you’ll free up cash for more important things, such as a stronger emergency cushion or perhaps a family vacation. Get the newspaper, head online and check your mailbox. Don’t let free money pass you by.

Getting the Most From Your Shopping Experience with Coupons

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Making The Most of CouponsIf you go shopping on a regular basis, whether it be for food, household items, or clothing, it’s a little pricy when you leave with a basket full of items. One of the best assets to have if your going any type of shopping, is to have some coupons. There are millions of coupons that get printed everyday, the trick is to get your hands on the right ones.

Along with all of the paper coupons printed in the daily newspaper, you can also find coupons online. Depending on what you are searching for, whether it be coupons or promos for clothing, deals that you can find and use on your groceries, the gift of floral arrangements, or even electronics, then there is a coupon that is available for you for whatever it is that you seek.

 

The Basics of Finding and Using Coupons

First you have to find the best coupons to use. There are a ton of different ways to get coupons.

The most common way to find coupons is in your local paper. Every day there are coupons, but the best coupon days are usually Sunday and Wednesday. In fact, that is why you typically pay more for the Sunday paper.

If you’re in the know, you can also buy inserts from the Sunday paper. There are typically outlets that will sell these in bulk. This is the “secret” that many extreme couponers don’t tell you. That’s how they get multiples of the same coupon.

Second, you can find a lot of coupons online. Most retailers put coupons on their website for you to print out. However, if the website you are ordering from does not have any coupons available, then you could use an online coupons site such as BrokeScholar where you can find numerous coupons for different shops including fashion brands like Zulily as well as ones for your grocery and many more.

We also maintain a list of coupons to print: Printable Coupon Page. We update the list regularly for coupons that you can print out online. Be sure to check back.

 

Saving Even More Money With Double Coupons

You’ve seen it on TV, but the trick to saving the most money with coupons is to double coupon. Most retail stores and grocery stores allow some type of double coupons.

At grocery stores, you can typically do straight double coupons – where you use two manufacturer coupons per item.

At retail stores like Target, you can double coupon with one manufacturer coupon and one store coupon (i.e. coupons from Target).

 

Combo-ing Coupons With Online and Store Discounts

The next big way to save is that you need to take advantage of the unique discounts that each store offers.

At grocery stores, this typically involves joining their club. Being a part of the grocery store club not only allows for special perks, but it get’s you special sales and discounts on products. You can then combine this club discount with the coupons you have for even more savings.

At retail stores, you can now find apps that are luring shoppers with savings. For example, Target has Cartwheel and Walmart has Savings Catcher. These apps provide special discounts which you can combine with your coupons for even more savings.

 

The Icing On The Cake: Partnering Coupons With Ads

Finally, the creme de la creme is to combine all of your couponing efforts with the store ad this week. This is how the best do it to save the most money.

Typically, the best deals you’re going to find involve buying multiples or buying something and getting a gift card. For example, you could find a sale for Buy 2, Get a $5.00 gift card. What if you could also find a double coupon that made the original item or very cheap? Then, you’re getting the $5.00 gift card on top of the coupon saving – which you can then spend later. That’s free money!

What other coupon tricks do you have?

5 Lazy Couponing Strategies

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Coupon
(via capl@washjeff.edu)

Couponing is great! As I have mentioned before, I have been bitten by the coupon bug and I have had a great time learning the ropes from experienced coupon bloggers in my area. So far it it has saved my family and I lots of money — plus it’s really fun (and a little addicting). Even though I enjoy doing it, I simply do not have the time, energy or drive — to spend hours on end working as hard as some of these extreme couponers do. So as you might imagine, I am a HUGE fan of couponing shortcuts and that is what I plan on sharing with you in this post today.

If your goal is to get cart loads of items for free or almost free, or reduce you bill for grocery and household items by 80% or more, or you want insider information from an highly experienced couponing expert — this post is not for you. There are many awesome couponing gurus from all across the country who are sharing their tips and tricks and all kinds of great coupon information on blogs. I am what some might call a lazy couponer — or perhaps a better, nicer term might be a laid back couponer. I have only been couponing effectively for about four months but during that time I have learned a lot and I am excited to share what I know.

So without further adieu here are some simple tips that you can use to save on your grocery bill:

1. Pay Attention

I had no idea how much things really cost. I know that may sound silly but I really wasn’t paying attention to the actual price of the items we were purchasing. I had a general idea of course but when I really started to look at the prices – and realize what was and wasn’t a good deal – it really opened my eyes. Prices on items can vary drastically. I thought all retailers were within a few cents of each other on most items, but boy was I wrong! I would have to say that this is one of the most important tips for saving money because even if coupons became extinct, you would still save just by being observant and shopping sales.

2. Do Your Research

I do not have time to spend hours on end matching up the coupons I have, with items that retailers put on sale. This was probably one of the biggest reasons I didn’t coupon before — I just didn’t have the time to commit to such a project. Luckily, there are people out there who do this for a living and I love them for it! I have three favorite coupon blogs that I visit. They do store and coupon match-ups, they alert me to other sales that I might find on the internet, they provide money saving tips and they do so in a fun and informative way. Oh yeah, and the best part is it’s F-R-E-E. Just be sure that if you decided to take advantage of any coupons or deals they tell you about, that you use the links provided on their site. This is how they can bring such valuable information to you at no-charge. I highly encourage you to seek out these sites in your area. Facebook is a great place to find these people and if you have any frugal friends, ask them who their favorite coupon bloggers are.

3. Get Organized

Before you embark on any shopping trip it is to your advantage to check out what sales are going on at the store you are headed to. I usually just check out one of my favorite coupon blogging sites, make a list of the things I need and the deals that are going on and then I compile my coupons. Sometimes I take my whole coupon binder but most of the time I just throw coupons in of things that I know will be a good deal. It would be nearly impossible for these sites to list EVERY sale item, so it’s good to keep an eye out for other store savings. You can always go back later when you have your coupons with you.

4. Stock Up!

When you see a great deal — stock up! This is really a money saver. Paying attention to sales cycles is a great idea because then you will know what items go on sale at certain times of the year. If you purchase these items when they are at their lowest and stock up until their next sale cycle starts you’ll save a lot! Most of the coupon blogs will make note of “stock up” prices which is helpful for folks like me.

5. Make it a Lifestyle

Saving money can be like a diet. You might do really great for a month or so — you might lose a few pounds (or save a few bucks) then you might revert back to the old ways. If you want to save money you really can do it simply and it really can make a difference. It is a relatively painless process. Sure there is a little hassle associated with it but no pain, no gain right? You don’t need to starve yourself you look like a supermodel, just as you don’t need to spend your every waking hour obsessing over coupons. Once you get into the swing of things you’ll be able to save some money and have a great time doing it!!!

My next post will be about how to save money other than using coupons…stay tuned 🙂

How much effort do you put into couponing?

Couponing Dos and Don’ts

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Couponing Dos and Don'tsAs I mentioned last week , over the summer I decided to give couponing a real go. I am pleased to say that I have had so much fun saving money and stocking up on things that my family and I use the most. I am in no way an extreme couponing queen. I am probably what some might consider a lazy couponer. If you want to save money but don’t have 40 hours a week to burn, then I’ve got some tips that can still help you save money with coupons.

However, that post will have to wait for another day…

Today, I am going to share some couponing dos and don’ts. These are things I have learned from my own experience and from all the wonderful couponing blogs I follow. I had no idea some of the lengths people will go to to get coupons — some of it may surprise you as well. Couponing the right way means being ethical, being courteous to the store, the store employees and other shoppers who may be trying to save money for their family as well.

Couponing is actually pretty fun. I seriously NEVER thought I would ever hear myself say that; not even as I began my couponing journey/experiment. Saving money isn’t just about the coupons themselves — it’s also a combination watching sales cycles and stockpiling (not hoarding). If you have been wanting to try it out I highly recommend giving it a go but I’ll warn you , it can be a little addicting.

Do Get Organized but Don’t go Overboard!

Don’t go crazy! This is something I always have to tell myself when starting a new project. I once tried – unsuccessfully I might add – to crochet. Well, I actually tried it twice the second time was when I was on pregnancy bedrest — but the first time I tried it, I rushed out to the craft store bought a ton of yarn, about 10 different crochet needles in various sizes, and a couple of books on how to crochet. I didn’t crochet a thing! So, as you can see I tend to go a little overboard when starting out. This is why – when I decided to start couponing – my first instinct was to go out about buy 20 newspapers the first week, a binder, a bunch of baseball card holders to put the coupons in, a DVD on how to coupon, etc.

Being organized is key — for sure. However, when you first start out you won’t have enough coupons to fill a binder but a small coupon organizer is a great investment. I actually used envelopes in the very beginning. Now, I do have a binder but I still use my small organizer to hold the coupons I know I will need for certain trips to the store. I worked up to it slowly. So far — so good.

Do stockpile but Don’t hoard

We don’t have a very big house so I know my limits on what we have room for and what we don’t. I also know that certain items go on sale at different times of the year. It’s ideal; to buy when the prices are at their lowest, utilize coupons as much as possible and have enough stock on hand to last until the next time those items go on sale. If you pay attention to grocery sale cycles it can help you calculate how much of a certain item your family will need until the next sale cycle.

Let me just say, there are very few people who need to purchase 70 bottles of mustard. If you own a hot dog stand or a ballpark — sure, you might use that much or more. Buy what you know you’ll need. However, buying something just to buy it – AND clearing the shelves to do it – is excessive and rude. If you do own a hot dog stand and you want to purchase 100 bottles of mustard at the super low price – that’s awesome – just be sure you call the store ahead of time and pre-order the amount of items you want to buy. This helps the store and the other customers who would also like to get a good deal on that item.

Do buy what you’ll need but Don’t forget to check expiration dates!

When you are making purchases be mindful of expiration dates and only buy what your family will use. There are many items that never expire, so buy what you have room for — if your house is busting at the seams but you find a rockin’ deal on toilet paper that you can’t pass up get it and give it away. Getting great deals also allows us to give more to others. Couponing will benefit your family and allow you to bless others as well.

Do ask friends and family for their unused inserts but DON’T steal inserts.

Do I really have to say this? Sadly, yes. There have been reports of people heading to their local store to purchase newspapers, only to get them home and realize the inserts have been removed. There are so many ways to get coupons and inserts. You should never have to stoop to this level and there is no deal in the world worth stealing for. Instead, ask friends and family for their inserts. You can even post on twitter and Facebook that you would love to have any leftover coupons people aren’t going to use and I’m sure you will be flooded with them.

The rule of thumb is one newspaper for each person in your household. If you have four people in your family, then four papers should be good. There are certain times when you may need or want more coupons but I bet if you ask around you can get more. Some people purchase coupons off of eBay. I haven’t done this and I’m not sure that I will ever get to that point but it apparently works well for some people.

Do have fun!

It is such a rush to get good deals. I love it! I don’t get tons of stuff for free but if I can even shave 20% off of my grocery bill, I am a happy camper! 🙂

So do any of you coupon? What advice might you have for folks just starting out? What are some of the best deals you have ever done?

My Mission if I Choose to Accept it… Couponing

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Couponing! I talked about it in my extreme couponing post. I mentioned how my husband and I have attempted to use coupons — and how we just haven’t been very good at it. BUT, something inside of me  keeps pushing me to really give a go. It could be all the episodes of Extreme Couponing that I’ve been watching,maybe it has something to do with the fact that my Mom hands me a stack of coupons every time I see her, maybe it’s the blogs I’ve been reading, or maybe it was my friend telling me how much she saved and how she did it.

My guess is that it is a combination of all of these things. So — I have now made the decision to really try this coupon thing and see where it takes me. Now, before you all start worrying about me — I’ll just say upfront that I won’t be stock piling a bunch of stuff, or buying things I know my family and I will not be able to use within a reasonable amount of time (unless of course I plan on donating it or something). My husband has clutter-phobia!

Okay fine — maybe he’s not afraid of clutter but it drives him nuts and makes it makes him grumpy. So even if I wanted to store toilet paper under the beds, or soup in the fireplace — he would have none of it.

Let’s Get Started

After speaking with my friend – who has shared some of her couponing tips with me – I decided to see what I could do. Sunday morning, I headed to the store and bought two newspapers. I figured if I’m going to do this, I might as well make sure I had a good amount of coupons. I really wasn’t confident enough in my abilities to buy five papers — which I am told (by my mother-in-law who took a couponing class) is the amount of papers serious coupon experts purchase.

Got Coupons ~ Now What Do I do?

I spent some time comparing the coupons I had on hand (that my Mom had given me the week before) with the weekly ads. One store had double coupons. Sweet!

I was also elated to discover that there are wonderful people who do the coupon comparisons for you  — and it’s free. All you have to do is follow their blog. There are two ladies in my area – that I follow – who do this. I have “liked” their pages on Facebook and these fantastic coupon mavens post a LOT of great stuff. Not just grocery deals either. They post restaurant, department store, and internet deals as well.

If you do some research and I am sure you will find someone in your area who does this too. I would start by checking out Facebook and twitter — this will then link you directly to their blog.

An example of what I can find on my favorite coupon web sites is this:

American Beauty Pasta $1.25/$0.75
$0.55/1 Quick Cook coupon from 4/17 Smart Source (if included)
Bottom line: $0.20

She tells me the store, the coupon, and the date it was in the paper. Then she includes my most favorite part — the bottom line (how much I have to spend).

I don’t know all of the ins and outs of couponing and I don’t pretend to, but I am learning and as I do I’ll share some of my experience with you.

One thing I have learned, is that couponing people are super sweet and love to pass the savings on to others who love to save. My most recent example of this is happened when I was at the grocery store on Monday. I was feeling pretty good about myself because I found a fantastic deal on Raisin Bran Crunch cereal. I also had two coupons with doublers. As I was standing in line, the woman next to me saw that I had the coupons in my hot little hands. She ended up giving me 2 better coupons, telling me that if I bought four boxes of cereal — I would get an in-store coupon (aka Catalina) for a free milk. She even saved my place in line as I ran to get the other two boxes! THEN she made sure I had the doublers because she was going to offer me some of hers! I saved even more money, got even more cereal AND a free milk all because of her generosity. Very nice. She even apologized for all the coupons (she didn’t really have very many actually) and said that she and her husband were taking their kids to Disneyland because of the money she saves couponing. I say…sign me up! 🙂

Do you have a coupon story to share? Any tips or a favorite couponing web site?

Extreme Couponing ~ How do These People Do It

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extreme couponingHave any of you seen the show Extreme Couponing on TLC? I’ll go ahead and admit that my husband and I are not great at using coupons, we aren’t even really good at it. We try to use them occasionally — but we either forget to use them, or we end up spending more than we wanted to, because we end up buying things we probably wouldn’t have purchased. It just never seems like there are ever coupons for the things we actually do use.

This is why, when I watched Extreme Couponing I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. How on Earth do these people rack up a $300, $400, $500 or even $1000+ grocery bill and get away with spending $40 or less? In some cases they even get money back! It is crazy!!! Not only that — but they shop in some of the more expensive grocery stores that we try to avoid — especially when we are doing our weekly grocery shopping.

The drawbacks of extreme couponing

As far as I can tell, there is a lot of research that goes into extreme couponing. The people who are master couponers — have to know what the coupon policies are for each store, they need to know what is on sale, what coupons can be double and those that cannot. Also, extreme couponers have to be very organized and most put in as many hours (or more) as you would at a full-time job! This is not an activity that you can do, and do in an extreme way, unless you are very dedicated and super organized. I think it also becomes a sort of game and in some cases an obsession.

In doing some research, I was disappointed to learn that one of the extreme couponers featured, has allegedly committed coupon fraud and apparently did so on the TLC show. I won’t go into all the details – because there are a lot of them – but if you want to read about it, visit Jill Cataldo’s blog.

Another thing I noticed – is that when they show the homes of most of these couponing people – they have their own little mini-mart set up. They just have so much stuff and it’s everywhere. My husband would seriously freak out if we had that much clutter around our house — but I get it, they are saving boat loads of money so it makes sense to buy 70 bottles of mustard at one time…right?

I’m not saying there is anything wrong with extreme couponing. I think it’s great! If people can do this (if they do so without committing coupon fraud, which I think is how most people do it), I think they are very smart and dedicated individuals.

It would sure be nice if there was a show teaching people how to properly and effectively use coupons, instead of a show where we just stare at the screen – eyes wide is disbelieve – as these super couponers work their magic. It probably wouldn’t be as entertaining though.

Since I’m not great at coupons, I don’t have any fantastic advice on the subject. Do you?

How do you use coupons most effectively? Do you buy a bunch of Sunday papers to get coupons? Do you spend hours searching for deals on line?

The Best Deal Sites

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With a title like that, I would be remiss to mention that I love the features on KidsAintCheap and use both the family coupon directory and parents shopping directory regularly but this article is not about my own site.  This article is about other sites that I use. It’s about the Best Deal Sites that I know of.

Groupon.comGroupon is a popular deal site

Groupon.com – It’s tough to have not heard of one of the fastest growing companies in the United States.  While much of the rest of corporate America is standing still, this company is growing at an unbelievable rate and it’s not hard to see why.   Groupon specializes in local deals.  You sign up and every day Groupon delivers a new deal directly to you for your local area.  Most of the deals end up being 40% – 60% off.

The service is addictive and the savings can be HUGE.  Ever since I missed out on a huge savings on movie tickets at my local theater(the deal had sold out) I have become obsessed with checking to see what my local daily deal is first thing in the morning on my iphone.  The trick is to not jump on something just because it’s exciting, the trick is to jump on something you would have spent money on even if you didn’t have the coupon.  Of all of the new sites that have cropped up, this is most certainly one of the best daily deal sites.

You can check them out at Groupon.com

Living Social

LivingSocial.com – Living Social is similar to Groupon.  It’s not as big so it isn’t as available in as many areas but they are still a major player and as such have some great local bargains.  I make it a habit to check Groupon and Living Social every morning.  I must admit, I have purchased more from Groupon than I have from Living Social but it’s still a great site to get a good deal.  The key, as with all of these places, is to not buy something you don’t need or can’t use.  While not as big as Groupon, it is still impressive and deserves to be on the best deal sites list.

You can check them out at LivingSocial.com

Restaurant.com

Restaurant.com – We don’t go out to eat very often, it’s one of the things we eliminated as we work todays becoming debt free.   When we do splurge and go out to someplace night, we almost always refer to Restaurant.com first.  The savings are amazing and there are a lot of participating restaurants.  The way it works is you find the restaurant you want to eat at and you purchase a gift certificate to that restaurant at a significant discount.  Most of the discounts I have come across are 50% – 60%.  The thing to be careful about is the fine print.  There are almost always stipulations, the most common being a minimum amount that must be spent at the restaurant in order to use the coupon.  Choose your deal carefully.  As long as you pay attention to the conditions, it is one of the best deal sites online.  I have had some really great meals, really cheaply.

You can check them out at Restaurant.com

Woot!

Kids.Woot.com – Woot has several different sites but the one I check regularly is their kids web site.  It’s an Ecommerce site but it’s unique in that they only sell one item per day.  Each day they post an item at a set price and you have the opportunity to buy it until they run out.  I have only ever jumped on a deal from Woot once so I can’t say I have a lot of experience with them but the experience I had was good.  They were selling something I had already planned on buying for a gift but I got it cheaper than I would have been able to get elsewhere.

You can check them out at Kids.Woot.com

Craigslist

Craigslist – Okay, so this one is a no-brainer.  I have had mixed results with Craigslist but for the most part, my experience has been positive with both buying and selling.   Whenever I am looking for a larger item I look to Craigslist first.  It’s the monster of all classifieds site and you can get a great deal if you are smart.

You can check it out at Craigslist

ebay

ebay.com – This one is another no-brainer.   You would have to be living in a very remote corner of the world to not know about ebay.  It’s the biggest and best auction web site online and there is a massive amount of product being sold on ebay every day.  You can find some great deals as long as you don’t get carried away with the bidding.   The key is to not bid until you have a concrete number you aren’t willing to go over.  ebay works so well because it works people up into bidding frenzy and inevitably some people will spend more than an item is worth because of it.

You can check it out at ebay.com

Other Coupon Sites

If the KidsAintCheap family coupons directory doesn’t have a coupon for a site that I want to buy something at, I do a search to see if one of the other coupons sites does.  It’s fairly easy and a good percentage of the time I find a coupon I can use.  I simply search for SITE NAME coupon in google to see what comes up. Obviously, I replace SITE NAME with the actual web site name so if I am looking for a coupon to use on Amazon I search for Amazon coupon or Amazon coupon code.  Try it out before you hit the check out button next time you buy something online.

Okay, those are the best deal sites that I check and use on a regular basis.

What is your favorite coupon or deal site?

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