Thanks Karen!

I have become such a deal addict that whenever I need to make a purchase, I go through my mental list and see what will work for this purchase. Once you start saving, it’s hard to stop. Here is a list that may help you.

• Refer a friend program – This usually works for services like pest control or cellphone service. We started using the yard pest control that our neighbors use and by doing so, we both received $25 restaurant gift cards.  Ask your family, co-workers and neighbors for recommendations and make sure to tell the company when you sign up.
• Online coupon search – If you’re headed to a specific store, do a quick search online and see if there is an IPQ (internet printable coupon) you can get. I found many of these during the holidays because everyone wants your business.  Before you head out to the office supply store, check online for a printable coupon, even if it’s from a competitor, print it and take it with you.
• Club rewards - This ties in with the internet printable coupons above. If you don’t have any luck with a search, check the store or restaurant website. If you sign up to receive e-mail notifications, you may get special coupons or rewards. Sometimes you may get a sneak peak of sales before the general public does.
• Competitor coupons – Check to see if stores you frequent take competitor coupons. You may be surprised how many do. Craft stores, hardware stores, office supply and some grocery stores.
• Coupon doubling - There are some grocery stores that will double a manufacturing coupon up to a certain amount.
• Discount shopping day - Some stores offer discounts for shopping on a specific day of the week. Bealls, here in Florida, often offers 15% off if you shop on a Wednesday.
• Kids eat free – If you have kids and love to eat out, you should have a list handy so you know which restaurants to go to on what night. These are typically offered during the week when the restaurants are slower. Kids Meal Deals is a great website to find participating restaurants in your area.
• Senior discount – This may not apply to everyone but you should be aware of days or times when stores offer them. You never know when you will want to go shopping with family and maybe they will benefit from your knowledge.
• Early bird specials - Shop or eat early and you just may save. Kohl’s occasionally offers discounts for shoppers during specific days or times. Some restaurants also offer discounts if you come before their rush hours.
• Secret shopping - You could possibly get paid to eat out or shop at your favorite store. Check back for information on secret shops I’ve done and how you can do them too.
• Shop Online – There are many sites that will give you cash back for shopping at stores through their links.  Upromise and Shopathome to name a couple.  Search for a coupon code for that store and some sites even let you use more than one.  You might be able to find a free shipping coupon code or if you reach the minimum purchase, you might get free shipping as well.
• Company discounts – Can you get a discount based off the company you work for? Recently when we signed up for our cellphone service, we where happily surprised that we would get 5% off our monthly bill because of where my husband works.
• Price shop - Many folks price shop stores in their area, but you should also price shop online. Many online “stores” can offer lower price because the have low overhead. The majority of the time you can also get free shipping. Who wouldn’t want to shop in your PJ’s and have it delivered right to your door? I took advantage of many of these offers during the holidays.
• Price matching - Many stores will price match the lower advertised price at a competitor store. hhgregg recently told us they would price match and take 10% off the difference. So if you are one of those people who don’t like online shopping, there is no reason you still can’t benefit from a lower internet advertised price.
• Price adjusting – WHAT! The TV you just bought yesterday is now $50 less today? There is nothing more frustrating than opening the Sunday paper and seeing your previous purchase at a lower price. This is one of the questions I now ask stores. Most of them will price adjust within 30 days of your purchase. Over the holidays, I price shopped a toy for my daughter. Target had it on sale for the lowest price I had seen AND I had a coupon. I bought it and 2 weeks later they lowered the price again. I went in for a price adjustment and they told me they do not do those. I was relatively new to deal-shopping then and knew I had made a newbie error by not knowing this ahead of time. Well, I went out to the car and retrieved the item and returned it. I just happened to still have one of those coupons I used on the previous purchase, so I went to the toy section and bought it again at the lower price. What? You wouldn’t do the same?
• Thrift store shopping - This is usually a hit or miss for me. But with an open mind and an imagination, you may get lucky. Check back for details on my latest find.
• Garage sales – This is also a hit or miss for me.  It’s so much fun when you find something, and there’s nothing like a little outdoor shopping.  Last summer, I found an under-the-cabinet TV for my kitchen.  It was brand new in the box, and I never would have splurged on an item like this at full price.
• Shop with a list – If you go with a list, you are less likely to impulse buy.

The number one tip I can give you is to have patience and do your research. Saving money isn’t always quick and easy but a definite joy in the end.  I’m learning more everyday and I have a strong desire to save my family money.

Tips I wish I had when I was expecting

When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I did everything I could to be “prepared” for her arrival.  I attended a baby care class, a prenatal class, purchased books on pregnancy, parenting styles and development.  I went to numerous baby stores and researched products to register for and buy in preparation for this new arrival.  I was confident I was ready.

Then Ainsley arrived and realized I had no idea.  I suddenly felt totally unprepared.  I kept thinking to myself: “Nobody told me about this”.

Here are some tips I wish someone had given me:

1. Breastfeeding – Breastfeeding does not always come naturally.  I have yet to speak with a mom who has found breastfeeding easy.  Visit the Breastfeeding Clinic at your hospital.  If your hospital does not have a clinic, search out lactation consultants, parenting centres or visit www.lli.org which is La Leche League international for assistance.
2. Sleeping – Read books about infant sleep. I read both Marc Weissbluth’s book Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child and Richard Ferber’s book Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems. These books explained to me the developmental stages a baby goes through when it comes to sleep and helped me get Ainsley into a good age appropriate routine.
3. Support – I cannot stress the importance of support in getting through the first few weeks.  Finding a mom’s group in your area or reaching out to other friends who have had children can really help when you are at your wits end and don’t know what to do.
4. Tracking – Keeping a log of your baby’s eating, sleeping and diapering is very helpful.  It will help you understand your baby’s patterns and assist you in developing a daily routine.  It will also help reassure you that your baby is eating enough.  I logged both my girls for the first 6 months (I still track my second, Juliet, who is almost 7 months old).  I felt this was so useful that I have created “Baby’s First Journal” a log book for moms which can be found at www.glowbaby.ca.

Good luck!  The first few months are tough but it is all worth it in the end.

Last week Sandy from Organize With Sandy taught us how to declutter and today, we will pull everything together and learn how to get out the door on time.

I would like to thank Heather for asking me to be her Guest Blogger today. She had this great contest and it sounds like clutter was at the top of your problem areas of your home. She also mentioned that “Time Management” was an issue. Hope this helps! Thanks.

Break down your day into 15 minute increments.

For instance, if you have to be at the school by 3:00 to pick up the kids, but you need to go to the bank and grocery store first then plan it this way:

3:00 – Be at School

2:45 – Leave for school. (It takes 10 min. to get there from school – but use 15)

1:45 – Be at grocery to do the shopping.

1:30 – Leave from bank to go to grocery. (It only takes 8 min. to get there, use 15)

1:15 – Leave for bank. (It only takes 10 min. but use 15)

So to get to the school by 3:00, you need to leave the house by 1:15.

You will have an extra 17 minutes to play with if there is traffic, or if the grocery store is crowded. If you end up being early, just keep a book you are reading or a steno pad in your car to make a “to do” list.

Now make sure that 15 minutes before you get ready to leave the house you get your keys, grocery list, banking items ready and have stopped by the bathroom. So if you need to, set your timer on your stove for 1:00. Once you get in the habit of using 15 minute increments to plan things out, it will become easy and natural and you won’t have to worry about being late.

Because your clutter is now cleaned up off that kitchen counter, you can find those keys and bank book and grocery list and you can get out the door on time! Time management is more easily accomplished when you do not have clutter blocking your path!
Sandy is a Professional Organizer, blogger, mom, and a wealth of information. You can read more of her tips at Organize with Sandy. Be sure to check back here so you do not miss her Time Management tips. Heather

This post was linked to:
Finding Freedom Friday by Cents to Get Debt-Free

I would like to thank Heather for asking me to be her Guest Blogger today. She had this great contest and it sounds like clutter was at the top of your problem areas of your home. She also mentioned that “Time Management” was an issue. Hope this helps! Thanks.

Clutter can make you late! “What, do you mean by that?” you may say. But clutter and time management can go hand in hand as a problem. “Where are my keys? I know I just laid them here, maybe they are under this stack of mail.” “I just need to grab that report for the meeting, but where is it?” “Mom, where did my red jacket go? I’m going to be late for school!”Do any of these sound like your house?

When you have extra clutter sitting around choking up the “clean, clear, calm” space then you also have clutter sitting in your head…choking up your “clean, clear and calm” space of your brain. When you do not have a clear brain to think with, you are going to have too many thoughts…too many things jumbled in your head and lose track not only of what needs to be done, but in what time frame it needs to be done in.

Simply put, Too much stuff in your house + Too much stuff in your head = Being Late.Being late out the door, being late to pick up the kids, being late with reports due, being late paying bills, being late to the meeting – sound familiar?

So what do you do? Clearing out the clutter from your home will result in clearing out the clutter from your head which will in turn help you to focus and plan your day more productively which will then lead to being on time.Sounds simple doesn’t it….NOT!

How Do I Clear out the Clutter?

Make 4 signs:

1. Keep
2. Donate
3. Move
4. Toss

Get white trash bags for your donate and black for trash (so you don’t mix them out when you take them out of your house. I prefer clear plastic storage bins for long term storage. Give yourself 2 hours of time if you are able. Do not think you will get an entire room done, just start out with a smaller goal.

Pick up each item, look at it fast and think:

1. Do I use this?
2. Do I need this?
3. Do I like this?
4. What is the worse thing that can happen if I don’t have this?

Don’t spend more than about 5-10 sec. on each item, otherwise memories start popping in and you “personalize” that item. You want to keep it “depersonalized”, otherwise it can be too hard to get rid of.

This is just one aspect of being organized and next week, Sandy will share a great time management tip and will pull everything together.

Sandy is a Professional Organizer, blogger, mom, and a wealth of information. You can read more of her tips at Organize with Sandy. Be sure to check back here so you do not miss her Time Management tips. Heather

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