**Warning - I'm sure this post will upset and offend some of you but, well, it's my blog so I'm gettin' on my soapbox.**
I found out today that there are carts at some grocery stores that have TV's on them. Luckily, as of last week at least, the store I frequent does not have them because the idea of this makes me want to vomit. Seriously? What ever happened to teaching your children how to behave and making them a part of your day to day activities? Now we can't even take our kids to the grocery store without sitting them in front of some sort of technology?
I have two strong willed children and I have had occassions where I have had to take both of them to the store with me (or at least one). We grab the car cart, they get a free cookie from the bakery and off we go. It's not always easy and I have definatly had struggles but I have set the expectation that they should be able to sit and enjoy the ride. I hope that one day, when they are a bit older, they can help. The store is a great learning experience for kids. They can learn about food, money (and the benefit of saving money) and how to interact with other people.
It's sad that people think it's a great thing to tune their kids out and find a "babysitter" for them so they don't have to be responsible for their child's behavior.
I remember when I worked at Macaroni Grill, from time to time, we had people come to the table for a meal and let their child watch a show on a portable DVD player. It is just so sad to me that this is where our society is going. When I was growing up I was expected to behave. I had to learn how to act when in a restaurant and if I didn't then I had to deal with consequences of it. But I learned manners! I learned how to behave around adults. I wasn't allowed to act up, run around and reek havoc.
If you plop your child in front of a TV or game system every time you are out in public, sure you may have a little more peace and quiet, but at what cost? When is your child going to learn about the world? When will they learn how to behave in public? What happens when you go to the store and that TV cart is broken? They won't know what to do and your trip will be even worse than those trips you had before those coma-inducing cart came about.
Parenting is tough. It's one of the toughest things I've ever done. I'm no expert. Most days I feel like the worst mom on the planet. But my hope is that one day my kids will thank me for a being tough on them. They will thank me for being involved and trying to help them learn about the world. They will be grateful that they learned how to say "please" and "thank you" and "excuse me". Yes we have a DVD player in the minivan but they don't get to watch it every time we drive. It's a treat for them. Most of the time we listen to music and they look out the windows.
I hope those carts never appear in my store. I don't want my kids to even know they exist. Even though it might give me a few extra minutes of peace while I'm shopping, I will not be so selfish as to use them. As difficult as it may be sometimes, I am a parent and I am responsible for the well being and growth of my child. I hope I never ever forget that and I wish more people felt that way.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
It just takes a little
Yesterday we ended up having a family garage sale outing. I had originally thought I was going on my own but my husband wanted to come so it became a family affair. I joked with him that the reason he wanted to come was to keep me reigned in.
We didn't end up with a huge haul but what we found I was happy with. We found a bedrail to put away for Emmett. I think they asked $5 for it so that was a heck of a deal! It's a double sided one with very minor wear so we scored!
Besides a few organizational things we found some toys for the kids. Nora got a few "new" books for 25 cents each (her FAVORITE My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake) and they each got a new little stuffed animal. They are beanie babies that someone was wise enough to sell for 50 cents a piece. Some sales I go to people are trying to sell them for $2-$3 dollars each (or more) because they are a "collectibles"...sorry folks, they haven't been a collectors item for a decade now.
Anyway, I picked out a kitty for Nora and a puppy for Emmett and they love them. They even slept with them in their beds last night.
The star of the day is this sweet pony...
Nora has been "giddy-upping" with him around the house ever since we came home yesterday. And guess what? He was $1! He is supposed to make noise but that part is broken. Not that I'm overly sad about that, lol. Otherwise he's perfect!
So for only a few dollars my kids are entertained and have "new" toys. Couponing and saving money isn't just something you do at the grocery store. I've never understood why people feel like they have to buy brand new toys, at full price, to make their kids happy. There will always be those certain items that you feel are a "must-have" or your kids feel like they are, but I bet there are still ways you can save money while getting those items if you look. And until your kids are old enough to "demand" those must have items, help teach them how to be happy with what they have. Being grateful and thankful are values that seem to have disappeared over time. Kids don't need as much as we think they do. You'd be amazing at how much fun can be had with a $1 garage sale item. ;)
We didn't end up with a huge haul but what we found I was happy with. We found a bedrail to put away for Emmett. I think they asked $5 for it so that was a heck of a deal! It's a double sided one with very minor wear so we scored!
Besides a few organizational things we found some toys for the kids. Nora got a few "new" books for 25 cents each (her FAVORITE My Little Pony and Strawberry Shortcake) and they each got a new little stuffed animal. They are beanie babies that someone was wise enough to sell for 50 cents a piece. Some sales I go to people are trying to sell them for $2-$3 dollars each (or more) because they are a "collectibles"...sorry folks, they haven't been a collectors item for a decade now.
Anyway, I picked out a kitty for Nora and a puppy for Emmett and they love them. They even slept with them in their beds last night.
The star of the day is this sweet pony...
So for only a few dollars my kids are entertained and have "new" toys. Couponing and saving money isn't just something you do at the grocery store. I've never understood why people feel like they have to buy brand new toys, at full price, to make their kids happy. There will always be those certain items that you feel are a "must-have" or your kids feel like they are, but I bet there are still ways you can save money while getting those items if you look. And until your kids are old enough to "demand" those must have items, help teach them how to be happy with what they have. Being grateful and thankful are values that seem to have disappeared over time. Kids don't need as much as we think they do. You'd be amazing at how much fun can be had with a $1 garage sale item. ;)
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
100th Post - Just the usual
So I have to admit that I've been sitting here waiting to do my 100th post because I wanted to write something interesting and exciting since, well, it's number 100! I guess I just don't have anything interesting and exciting to write about so it's just more of the usual. That's not a bad thing though because I LOVE King Soopers Mega Events!
Because I was gone over the weekend, I didn't do my weekly grocery shopping until yesterday, but here is what I got this week fro 50 cents or less!
Because I was gone over the weekend, I didn't do my weekly grocery shopping until yesterday, but here is what I got this week fro 50 cents or less!
Most everything you see above was FREE...the only things I paid for were:
2 bottles of Propel (.49 each on sale, no coupon needed...I had a coupon that made the other 2 free), the 4 bottles of BBQ sauce (.49 each on sale, no coupon needed). The Mentos were .30 each ($1 sale and then .35 coupon), yogurt was .50 (1.50 on sale and a .50 coupon) and the Uncle Ben's Rice packets were .29 each (1.29 on sale and $1 coupon). Everything else was FREE!
I will be donating most of the pasta because I'm up to my ears in it right now, as well as the Ivory soap.
I didn't do quite as well as I hoped I would this week (spent more than I planned) but I ended up with some pretty good deals and, all in all, I saved 53% off my order. The difference between me and an extreme couponer is that 1) I buy 6 boxes of pasta, not 100 and 2) I still have to buy other food too (i.e. milk, bread, meat, etc). I think I do pretty darn good otherwise. :)
Later in the day I made a quick stop into Walmart. I accidentally left one of Emmett's drinking cups at the dr's office the day before and they (**gasp**) threw it away! SO I went to go pick up another one. I knew that I had a few coupons that would be expiring soon that would make for some freebies at Walmart so that's why I chose to go there. Here's what I picked up for FREE there...
The Nivea is a no brainer deal. They are regularly priced at $3 at Walmart (possibly less at some locations) and there is a $3 off coupon that's expiring this week. Free body wash!! (I'm donating those also.)
The Degree deoderants were a sneaky deal, but not really. Well there are some degree coupons expiring this week that are good on ANY Degree deoderant (there are seperate men's and women's coupons). So, off to the travel section where they are priced at .97 each. Free travel deoderant!
The Mega Event goes through this next week so if you haven't picked up some freebies make sure you hop over there. Just remember to make sure and count your items so you end up with bundles of 10 (buy 10 get $5 off). I had 4 sets of 10 products and kept track of them, as I put them in my cart, on my shopping list.
Happy shopping everyone and happy 100th post!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
My Extreme Thoughts
Since I am a couponer, I'm sure you are wondering my personal thoughts on the Extreme Couponing show on TLC. Even if you weren't wondering...well, here are my thoughts.
Like a train wreck, I have to watch. I know there are other bloggers who say, "I won't watch that show" but I have to...it's entertainment! It's like watching "Hoarders"...pretty much exactly like watching Hoarders except the houses are cleaner. Call them extreme couponers, call the hoarders...whichever way you call it, it's pretty much the same thing.
These people are overboard! That's why they are on TV. No one wants to see me at the grocery store buying 10 bags of Steamfresh veggies when they can watch Jane Doe buy 100 bags. So here is the reality of the show...
1) The couponers even comment that those shopping trips were there biggest ones ever. You know they don't shop like that every single week.
2) Even though they save so much money, how much time are they taking out of their day, their week, to get these great deals? Some of them say that they spend upwards of 30+ hours a week finding deals! Yes, it takes me time and energy to do the bit of couponing that I do but I have other things going on in my life and I like it that way. Getting free toothpaste is not the end all be all in my life. If I get it, great! But if I miss that deal, my world will not end and I will not sacrifice my time with my kids for it.
3) A lot of these "extreme" couponers get those coupon inserts themselves (which you have to remember that most of them pay money for at least some of them) but it was also noted in the first episode/special they did that some couponers use a coupon clipping service and pay for coupons. As long as you are still making/saving money buying those coupons, I don't see anything wrong with it BUT that expense should be factored in to their shopping bill.
It's a little sickening and I feel sad for some of these people (like the women who have 1000's of diapers but no kids...yet!) but the basics of what they do is somewhat correct. The reasoning behind why some of them shop like they do is understandable (their husband lost his job...didn't have money, etc etc). The sheer amount of items they have in their stockpiles is insane! NO ONE needs 500 rolls of toliet paper at their disposal...ever.
However, if you use the mentality that you can use coupons to match up with store sales and have a stock of items big enough to last you until the next big sale, then you are golden. If you do like Nathan does (he's was featured in the first special and again in the last episode) and donate items to good causes then that's extremely noble (although his personal stockpile is out of control!)
You can find a happy medium. I think that's somewhat where I am. I do have a coupon binder so I'm a little more hard core than most couponers, but I don't bring home 67 bottles of mustard at one time either (which, btw, I have NO idea why she stocked up at .38 each when I've picked up mustard for free, in the summertime, before.)
Clearing the shelves...not cool!
Buying so many products that it takes over your entire house...not cool!
Spending more time searching for bargains that you don't have a life...not cool!
Being realistic, shopping in resonable portions and saving money...very cool!
I hope you stay cool with me.
Like a train wreck, I have to watch. I know there are other bloggers who say, "I won't watch that show" but I have to...it's entertainment! It's like watching "Hoarders"...pretty much exactly like watching Hoarders except the houses are cleaner. Call them extreme couponers, call the hoarders...whichever way you call it, it's pretty much the same thing.
These people are overboard! That's why they are on TV. No one wants to see me at the grocery store buying 10 bags of Steamfresh veggies when they can watch Jane Doe buy 100 bags. So here is the reality of the show...
1) The couponers even comment that those shopping trips were there biggest ones ever. You know they don't shop like that every single week.
2) Even though they save so much money, how much time are they taking out of their day, their week, to get these great deals? Some of them say that they spend upwards of 30+ hours a week finding deals! Yes, it takes me time and energy to do the bit of couponing that I do but I have other things going on in my life and I like it that way. Getting free toothpaste is not the end all be all in my life. If I get it, great! But if I miss that deal, my world will not end and I will not sacrifice my time with my kids for it.
3) A lot of these "extreme" couponers get those coupon inserts themselves (which you have to remember that most of them pay money for at least some of them) but it was also noted in the first episode/special they did that some couponers use a coupon clipping service and pay for coupons. As long as you are still making/saving money buying those coupons, I don't see anything wrong with it BUT that expense should be factored in to their shopping bill.
It's a little sickening and I feel sad for some of these people (like the women who have 1000's of diapers but no kids...yet!) but the basics of what they do is somewhat correct. The reasoning behind why some of them shop like they do is understandable (their husband lost his job...didn't have money, etc etc). The sheer amount of items they have in their stockpiles is insane! NO ONE needs 500 rolls of toliet paper at their disposal...ever.
However, if you use the mentality that you can use coupons to match up with store sales and have a stock of items big enough to last you until the next big sale, then you are golden. If you do like Nathan does (he's was featured in the first special and again in the last episode) and donate items to good causes then that's extremely noble (although his personal stockpile is out of control!)
You can find a happy medium. I think that's somewhat where I am. I do have a coupon binder so I'm a little more hard core than most couponers, but I don't bring home 67 bottles of mustard at one time either (which, btw, I have NO idea why she stocked up at .38 each when I've picked up mustard for free, in the summertime, before.)
Clearing the shelves...not cool!
Buying so many products that it takes over your entire house...not cool!
Spending more time searching for bargains that you don't have a life...not cool!
Being realistic, shopping in resonable portions and saving money...very cool!
I hope you stay cool with me.
King Soopers haul!
I went to King Soopers this week not expecting to get toooo many great deals and walked out with all of this....
Pictured are 7 "energy" bars (4 Power Bars, 3 Cliff), 10 packages of Steamfresh sides, 1 Colgate 360 toothbrush, 2 bottles of Suave kids detangler, 3 cleaning products, 1 3-pack of Puffs, 1 Suave deoderant and 4 boxes of cereal.
That wasn't my total grocery bill...I did go over budget this week (I try to stay under $75) BUT I did save 48% off my order.
The items in the picture were my best deals for the week.
The veggies were either .66 each or .50 depending on the coupon (I had some that were $1/3 and a couple $1/2).
The energy bars were either .16, .08!, or .38 because of the various coupons I had.
The cleaners were 1.50 and .99 each after sale and coupons.
The Puffs weren't an amazing deal ($3.50 for the 3 boxes) but we needed tissues and they were a part of the "Spring Cleaning" sale so I used them as one of my "buy 4 get $4 off" items.
The detangler was .99 and the toothbrush was $1
The Suave deoderant...well, it was on sale for .88 and I had a $1 off coupon. It didn't adjust down so they paid me .12 to take it out of the store (and it will be donated).
The cereal rocked my socks! The deal this week is buy 4 participating boxes and get a $5 gift card in return. I had 4 seperate coupons ($1 off each) PLUS I had an ecoupon that I didn't even remember I had that took an additional $3 the 4 boxes. If you factor in the $5 gift card, I MADE .24 on the 4 boxes!
I may not be an "extreme" couponer, but I think I do alright. I'm set with frozen veggies for a while, have some energy bars for those upcoming Nugget's playoff games, and I picked up a few other items that we needed.
How did you do this week?
for $20.96, out of pocket, PLUS I have a $5 King Soopers gift card in my wallet!
Pictured are 7 "energy" bars (4 Power Bars, 3 Cliff), 10 packages of Steamfresh sides, 1 Colgate 360 toothbrush, 2 bottles of Suave kids detangler, 3 cleaning products, 1 3-pack of Puffs, 1 Suave deoderant and 4 boxes of cereal.
That wasn't my total grocery bill...I did go over budget this week (I try to stay under $75) BUT I did save 48% off my order.
The items in the picture were my best deals for the week.
The veggies were either .66 each or .50 depending on the coupon (I had some that were $1/3 and a couple $1/2).
The energy bars were either .16, .08!, or .38 because of the various coupons I had.
The cleaners were 1.50 and .99 each after sale and coupons.
The Puffs weren't an amazing deal ($3.50 for the 3 boxes) but we needed tissues and they were a part of the "Spring Cleaning" sale so I used them as one of my "buy 4 get $4 off" items.
The detangler was .99 and the toothbrush was $1
The Suave deoderant...well, it was on sale for .88 and I had a $1 off coupon. It didn't adjust down so they paid me .12 to take it out of the store (and it will be donated).
The cereal rocked my socks! The deal this week is buy 4 participating boxes and get a $5 gift card in return. I had 4 seperate coupons ($1 off each) PLUS I had an ecoupon that I didn't even remember I had that took an additional $3 the 4 boxes. If you factor in the $5 gift card, I MADE .24 on the 4 boxes!
I may not be an "extreme" couponer, but I think I do alright. I'm set with frozen veggies for a while, have some energy bars for those upcoming Nugget's playoff games, and I picked up a few other items that we needed.
How did you do this week?
Friday, April 15, 2011
Need just a little bit?
How about using coupons for trial/travel size products? I just recently delved into this realm this last week and I like it! lol
A lot of coupons will say, "not valid on travel size" or something like that...or they will say that the coupon is only good on a certain size (i.e. 8oz and up). When you see coupons that show no size restictions, see if you can find it in the travel section of the store! Big box stores have large travel sections that include not just personal care products but also laundry items. Yesterday I went to Walmart and picked up 2 of the Purex Complete 3-n-1 laundry sheets in the travel section. Each package contains 2 sheets and they were FREE with my $1 off coupon! PLUS there was a coupon inside for $1 off a full size product.
I already took the sheets out of the package and put them in a box that I already have of these sheets. I don't use them regularly but these are PERFECT to use when traveling. Even when we go to my in-laws house, and I figure I'll do laundry while we are there, I'll stick a couple of these in a gallon size ziploc bag and put them in my suitcase. Then I'm not mooching off my in-law detergent supply (not that they'd care) and I'm using a product I know I like.
I noticed Target also has packages of Tide in their travel section so that's something to check into as well. I've picked up travel size toothpaste for free as well and there are deoderants you can get for free sometimes also! Since the coupon says "any size" of that product you aren't doing anything wrong!
So really inspect your coupons when you get them and think outside the box as to how you can use them.
A lot of coupons will say, "not valid on travel size" or something like that...or they will say that the coupon is only good on a certain size (i.e. 8oz and up). When you see coupons that show no size restictions, see if you can find it in the travel section of the store! Big box stores have large travel sections that include not just personal care products but also laundry items. Yesterday I went to Walmart and picked up 2 of the Purex Complete 3-n-1 laundry sheets in the travel section. Each package contains 2 sheets and they were FREE with my $1 off coupon! PLUS there was a coupon inside for $1 off a full size product.
I noticed Target also has packages of Tide in their travel section so that's something to check into as well. I've picked up travel size toothpaste for free as well and there are deoderants you can get for free sometimes also! Since the coupon says "any size" of that product you aren't doing anything wrong!
So really inspect your coupons when you get them and think outside the box as to how you can use them.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Faux makeup for little girls
Since I've become an Avon rep I've been working to get rid of some of my non-Avon makeup and only use the products I sell (as much as I can at least). I saw a post a while back about making faux makeup for your child and I had to pass it on. I've made two little cases for Nora (so far) and she loves playing with her makeup! She puts it on herself, on me and even Emmett (don't tell daddy but he asks for it). Since I'm about to do a post on my Avon site regarding "spring cleaning your makeup" I had to post about what to do with some of your old cases.
http://notsoidlehands.blogspot.com/2009/08/freecycle-friday-faux-makeup-for-your.html
Have fun! Have some makeup to throw out but don't have a daughter to make makeup for? Send them to me! Nora will thank you. :)
Love and lots of faux makeup
Stephanie
http://notsoidlehands.blogspot.com/2009/08/freecycle-friday-faux-makeup-for-your.html
Have fun! Have some makeup to throw out but don't have a daughter to make makeup for? Send them to me! Nora will thank you. :)
Love and lots of faux makeup
Stephanie
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