Great Big Joy

Mommy Mail Order Subscriptions: Citrus Lane + Bluum

2012-02-12T11:13:00.001-08:00

I posted a review of Citrus Lane a little while ago and had a discount code to go along with it. I used the code to sign up for another 6 months and was delighted with the box I got for January.

Everything in the box is organic and, with the exception of a bag of baby snacks (I'm allergic to mangos so we don't give that flavor to Eva), it's all usable immediately. She looooves her new tugboat and I have to admit I was having bath envy with all of the fun happening. All together we got a tugboat, two packs of snacks, a bottle of organic lotion, yummy lavender chapstick, and $10 to Plum benefits, all for my $17-per-month fee.

I also got a box from Bluum, which is almost the same kind of service, except that they send out samples instead of full products. It's a lower monthly fee (Bluum starts at $9 per month and Citrus Lane starts at $25 without the discount) but the difference between the two boxes was still pretty surprising...

I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed with the Bluum box. I know that part of my disappointment was because I was comparing it to the larger, more expensive Citrus Lane box, but honestly I just wasn't that thrilled with anything Bluum sent me. The samples are tiny and they were things that I don't know I'll use (baby teeth wipes, stretch mark lotion, etc.). That flat thing is a little magnet, but it's not strong enough to hold anything to our fridge, so...

I don't know. I love the subscription service idea and I'm so happy with Citrus Lane's boxes, but I don't think Bluum is for me. It's a little too random and the samples didn't feel like they were worth $9, or even the $6 I paid by signing up through SaveMore. I didn't want to be unfair, though, so I reserved judgment until I got the next Bluum box...

Lotion samples, a few baby wipes, some teething gel, a packet of apples, and one tea bag. Eh...like I said, it's not really worth the $6 I paid for it, let alone the $9 (or more) that others pay with the subscription. I just don't feel like these products are actually being carefully selected to go together...they seem like random products this company just happens to be working with. Again, it's kind of fun, but not thrilling. I think I've been spoiled by Citrus Lane!

Round-up: My Favorite Sites for Credits, Points, and Cash Back

2012-02-12T11:12:00.000-08:00

Best for Earning Credits:

Best for Earning Points and Rewards:

Best for Getting Cash Back as You Shop Online:

Our Nearly Free and Discount Christmas!

2011-12-29T11:13:00.000-08:00

With the addition of a new baby this year, we had more presents to buy and a little less money to spend on them. Luckily, I was able to find great deals and take advantage of some shopper programs to get free and heavily discounted items to fill our stockings...

Santa Claus brought Eva a Schoenhut piano and some Curious George toys this year. They're the kind of things that you see at high end baby stores, but I got all of them for free through Totsy during a special free shipping promotion. Totsy is a shopping program that does 48 hour sales on different items for moms and kids. I love the site because it's introduced me to some great brands I never would have heard of and they often also sales on quality kid stuff, bringing the prices down into our family range. They also send out coupon codes for frequent shoppers and you can earn credits by inviting your friends to Totsy. Here's how my deal worked:

Schoenhut piano: normally $84.99, on sale for $45 at Totsy
Curious George wooden car: normally $12, on sale for $5 at Totsy
Curious George jack-in-the-box: normally $25, on sale for $9.99 at Totsy
$60 worth of Totsy credit (earned from 4 friends joining the site)
Free shipping coupon sent out to Totsy shoppers
Total: free!

*Note - Totsy is having a big toy blowout to get rid of some of their stock and I believe they'll have some of these pianos. Eva loves hers, so I really recommend them! I think the sale starts sometime tonight, so check the site out tonight if you're interested.

Santa brought a few things for mom and dad this year as well! We got Bridesmaids and Dance Central 2 from Amazon during their holiday sales and I paid for them using credits I'd earned from ExpoTV. ExpoTV offers credits when you upload videos of you reviewing products. It sounds a little complicated, but it works like this: they want a review of shampoo, so you grab your smartphone, take a 2 minute video of you talking about the shampoo, upload it without any editing or titles or anything like that, and they give you credits when the videos are approved.

I took about an hour to film and upload five product reviews on things like shampoo, detergent, and our holiday decorations and I earned 4000 points, which turned into an Amazon gift certificate (used by Santa). Here's a breakdown of my deals:

Bridesmaids: normally $14.99, on sale for $4.99
Dance Central 2: $49.99, on sale for $24.99
3600 ExpoTV points cashed in for $30 in Amazon credit
Free 2-day shipping through Amazon Mom (free and anyone can join)
Total: free!

This toy is a little age-inappropriate for our 9 month old, who wanted to scatter the pieces around and be done with it, but Kyle and I were excited to give her a toy that we loved when we were little. Plus, it was free! I cashed in my Pampers Gift to Grow points and they shipped this guy out to me for free. Pampers Gift to Grow is a program in which you're supposed to get codes for points from packages of diapers and then use those points for random items.

The thing about it is that they also share random codes with bloggers and if you keep up with it, you can actually get a ton of points without ever buying diapers. We only bought a few packs of Pampers diapers, but I was able to get enough points last year to turn it into a free Potato Head. Again, you have to keep collecting codes in order for the points to add up, but it's a very easy program to use. Here are some points to get you started:

Get 100 points for signing up here
FAC1211PPXHKHND (10 pts)

Santa got this Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle calendar for Kyle for only $2 from Zazzle, thanks to their Zazzle Black program. The program is designed to save you money on shipping by having you pay a low membership fee for the year that covers 2-day free shipping on everything. They have a free trial, however, that you can sign up for and when I signed up they gave me $10 in credit to use however I wanted (which was then shipped for free, obviously). Boom: $12 custom calendar for $2.

These Topzy Tumblers ended up in Eva's stocking thanks to a $5 off any Fisher Price Toy coupon I found in the newspaper. A set of 3 tumblers were only $4.99 at Target, so they ended up being free! Fisher Price releases coupons every now and then, so watch your newspaper...

The grown-up stocking stuffers were also courtesy of a newspaper coupon. World Market had a $10 off a $30 purchase coupon in the newspaper and I combined that with their sale on imported foods to get us a bunch of yummy, random goodness. I love World Market, because they always have the weirdest stuff!

For my present to Kyle, I couldn't think of any one thing that he'd really love, so I ended up getting him a box of gift certificates, including 4 restaurant gift certificates, $50 for a local water park, $30 for miniature golf/arcade/skating, two tickets to the symphony, two tickets to the opera, and a pair of passes to the local aquarium. That means that we have at least two date nights and around eight family outings to look forward to this year! Total cost to me: somewhere around $60.

Most of the gift certificates were purchased on Groupon, Living Social, SaveMore, and Google Offers. I was able to get the aquarium passes for free through a Facebook promotion they were doing and the opera/symphony tickets were purchased at a discount rate through a local arts program. With Valentine's Day coming up, I would definitely keep an eye out for local deals in your area! Just after Christmas, we picked up a deal on Living Social for two nights at a hotel down in Southern Utah for just $100, which means we have a road trip to look forward to and the opportunity to check out a hotel that would normally be out of our price range. Love!

Citrus Lane: a Review and a Promo Code!

2011-12-09T11:50:00.000-08:00

What's the best way to get the new, hot items for parents without paying a ton for them? Subscribe to a service like Citrus Lane, a company that sends out monthly care packages to parents based on how old their child is. Check it out:

With Citrus Lane, you get a box every month filled with cute and practical products recommended by real parents. It's like having your own team of personal shoppers dedicated to finding the best products for your child. Here's how we do it!

We choose only products that work great and fulfill a real need. We never let companies pay for placement in our boxes, so every product is truly a parent pick. And every month we include a special treat from a brand you'll love.

Each month we send you a box organized around a theme you and your child can enjoy. The box changes each month based on the season and customer feedback. But it will always be full of surprises! And it will always be right for your child's age and stage.

A subscription is just $25 per month, and shipping is always free. Every month you'll receive products worth $30 to $45 plus our featured treat, so it's a great value!

They sent me a package to check out and I absolutely loved everything in it. If you want to check it out for yourself, use the promo code "SAVE20" to save 20% on a subscription.

P.S. - This makes a great gift for parents with young children! What could be better than receiving something once a month to remind them that you're sending your love?

Cyber Monday: A Few Great Deals

2011-11-28T08:34:00.000-08:00

BabyLegs is having a 50% off sale with free shipping over $30. A lot of the styles are sold out, but there are still some good ones left. (The rebel set...I die!)

Barnes and Noble has 50% off New York Times Bestsellers, including hot items like The Hunger Games Trilogy.

The Disney Store is offering Cyber Monday discounts that change depending on how much you spend. The best deal, however, is the free shipping code since there's no minimum purchase requirement.

Kohls is doing free shipping on all orders today and an extra 20% off of everything (even the sale prices). If you got Kohls cash on Black Friday, it's redeemable today. I bought stockings, pajama pants, and a few little decorations.

Sears is doing free shipping on some items (although you can always do store pickup for free). A bunch of random Sears things are heavily discounted, including women's shoes and some of the tools. If you have specific brands that you're looking for, Sears is a good place to stop.

If you need stocking stuffers, party favors, or if you want to stock up for the coming year, Oriental Trading Company has Cyber Monday pricing on a lot of their little items. Most are holiday-themed, but some (like glow bracelets and balloons) can be used year round.

Doing holiday cards with family photos? Order them today if you can, because these are the best discounts we'll see until Christmas. Try Minted (free shipping), Shutterfly (50% off and free shipping), or Kodak Gallery (50% off and free shipping on some orders).

Cyber Monday: Melissa and Doug

2011-11-27T22:23:00.001-08:00

Sweaters and Cardigans at Target = $5.99 w/ Coupon

2011-11-22T14:18:00.000-08:00

There's a really nice deal happening right now at Target. Sweaters and cardigans usually priced at $19.99 are marked all the way down to $9.99 during the "4 Day Sale". Add in a coupon for $4 off any women's sweater (found on Target Coupons) and the sweater ends up being $5.99. Quite a deal for how much wear you'll get out of these basics.

Here's the one I picked up today:

And a shot of it on to give you an idea of the fit:

Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon When You Take the North "Poll"

2011-11-09T13:17:00.000-08:00

Melissa & Doug want you to tell them which of their educational toys you think is the best! Just click on the image below to place your vote in the North "Poll!" You'll Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon** to use at MelissaAndDoug.com just for voting!

This Week on Netflix: November 7, 2011

2011-11-07T21:30:00.000-08:00

One of our biggest money-saving decisions was the decision to stick with Netflix and skip cable. Netflix has a ton of movies and television shows available for instant download and we can watch them on our computers, our iPads, or on our television through our Xbox 360. Plus, for $12 a month, we also receive two DVD rentals at a time, so Kyle and I each have our queues and we keep them stocked with things we want to watch.

Best of all - no commercials on Netflix. We don't miss cable at all!

Top Seven Rental Picks for the week of November 7, 2011

How I Met Your Mother (seasons 1-6) - Kyle and I have been slowly making our way through this series and I have to say that it's pretty hilarious. If you just need something short and funny to unwind with after work, you can't beat this. Plus, one DVD usually lasts us a week.
Cars 2 - We haven't seen it yet and I have to admit that I heard mixed reviews, but c'mon...it's the new Pixar movie. It's not like you can just go through life without seeing all of the Pixar movies. That's downright unAmerican.
That Thing You Do - It's been about 15 years since this movie about a pop band in the 1950's hit the theaters and if you missed it the first time, you missed out. It's funny, catchy, and has some of the best movie lines ever delivered by Tom Hanks. Love.
The Blind Side - This has been on the top of Netflix's rental list for a really long time, so chances are high that you've seen this sentimental bit of happy. If you haven't, it's actually a very good movie and you should muscle through the Hallmark halo and check it out.
Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead - This documentary about an Australian traveling across America while on a 60 day juice diet has been all over my Facebook news feed. Apparently, people are joining the juice movement in droves. The juice isn't for me, but I'm curious about the film...
Winnie the Pooh - This is a kids movie, but we really enjoyed it. I have to say that they did a nice job on this addition to the Pooh movies. Even if you don't have little kids (but especially if you do), you should make sure to catch this one.
Dan in Real Life - With Thanksgiving coming up, it's time to start pulling out the family gathering dark comedies. This is one of the best, if not the best. Plus, the soundtrack is a little amazing.

Top Seven Instant Queue Picks for the week of November 7, 2011

Star Trek: The Next Generation - The entire series is currently streaming on Netflix, but probably not for long...especially now that they're getting rid of Doctor Who. Kyle and I are trying to get through the Captain Picard goodness as quickly as we can...aaah, the eighties...
The Trouble with Angels - This Haley Mills comedy was one of my absolute, all-time favorites when I was younger and we probably rented the VHS from Blockbuster about ten times before I finally taped it off the TV. The streaming version is much better.
Maverick - Remember when Mel Gibson was kind of funny and charming instead of totally nuts and a little scary? This was his best work.
Mad Men - AMC's incredible mid-century dramatic series is a must-see for everyone. The storylines are interesting, but what you really need to watch it for is the design. The costumes, the sets, the music...it's perfection.
Storage Wars - This is a low budget reality television series about people who buy storage lockers at auction in Southern California. From that description, there's almost no way that you can imagine how addictive this show is. Watch it. You'll go through the whole season in one night.
National Geographic: China's Lost Girls - A beautiful documentary hosted by Lisa Ling about adoption in China. Definitely a must-see if you've ever considered adopting, even if you're only considering adoption in the United States.
Tangled - This new Disney classic is quickly becoming one of my favorite children's movies. It's my go-to when I just want to turn something on in the background while I cook dinner or fold laundry. Oh, and Flynn Rider? Best Disney prince. Ever.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - This is one of those movies that makes ugly things beautiful and bizarre things familiar. In my opinion, it's Jim Carrey's best performance.
The Walking Dead - Kind of icky and squishy, but zombie television series from AMC is a little addictive. It has the same level of artistic attention that AMC's Mad Men delivers, but it loses points for all the gore and grossness. Even so, it's worth a look if you can stomach it.
Kissing Jessica Stein - It's quite possible that you missed this movie when it came out about ten years ago. If you did, it's worth watching. If you saw it back then, it's worth watching again.

Coupon Shopping: Diapers at Target

2011-11-03T22:22:00.000-07:00

Target is one of the store that lets you "stack" coupons. Stacking means that you can use a store coupon (found online, in the store ad, or in a store mailer) AND a manufacturer's coupon (found online, in the newspaper, in magazines, etc.) on the same item. So, if you have a store coupon for $1 off a pack of diapers and a manufacturer's coupon for $2.50 a pack of diapers, you can combine them for a $3.50 discount, even if the item is already on sale.

Here's the stacking in action:

Diapers are on sale right now at Target (like they often are), so I went through my manufacturer's coupons, printed some Target coupons off the Internet, and went shopping. I got some pretty good deals thanks to the coupon stacking. For example, on a pack of Pampers diapers that are usually $10.99, I only paid $4.99, thanks to an $8.99 sale price, a $2 off Target coupon, and a $2 manufacturer's coupon.

Here's the breakdown on the receipt:

I got a selection of different diapers and wipes, which is kind of nice because we can try them out and figure out what we liked the best. I bought one pack in every size up to the toddler size, so we'll have an emergency stock if she goes up a size overnight. If she grows out of them I'll be able to donate diapers to the local women's shelter, since they're always looking.

Note: if you've adopted a family or you're looking to donate to a shelter this season, diapers are always in huge demand, along with baby formula. So, even if you don't have a diaper-wearer in your house, you could stack coupons at Target and get some discount deals on your holiday giving. Charity is still charity, even if you get it on sale!

Note #2: this coupon stacking plan doesn't only apply to baby stuff. On this particular shopping trip, my total bill ended up being $78.66 because I saved $60.20 in coupons by stacking. Just be sure never to buy something that you wouldn't normally be buying just because it's on coupon...that's how they get you!

Win a Prize Package from Photojojo

2011-11-02T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hey, do you know Photojojo?

Photojojo is one of those places where all the cool kids shop...kind of the modcloth for photography stuff. They carry everything from quirky cameras to fun frames to bags to lenses that work with your camera phone. They also offer photo tips and projects and all that jazz. My favorite thing about Photojojo is that they let photographers on a budget produce the same crazy lovely images that designers and artists come up with.

Curious? Well, you can check out their website OR you can check out the prize package I'm offering to acquaint you with this awesome store:

I picked out a handful of the less-expensive-but-fully-awesome gear. Here's the rundown:

The 'ONA' Any Bag Camera Bag Insert
I've tried and tested a lot of great camera bags, but this one holds a special place in my heart. It's pretty simple to look at, without a lot of the bells and whistles you can get if you pay more, but it's designed to slip into your everyday bag. Hello, Perfect Way to Stick my SLR in My Diaper Bag!

* * * * *

The Telephoto iPhone Lens
This kit comes with an iPhone holder, a tripod, and a tiny little telephoto lens that turns your iPhone camera into a super camera. The telephoto lens is pretty impressive, but I was actually just as happy to meet the tripod. Suddenly, taking steady videos of the baby (or actually being in the videos!) is a billion times easier.

* * * * *

Fisheye, Wide/Macro, and Telephoto phone lenses
These little lenses are designed to snap onto any phone camera, so if you don't have an iPhone you still get to play! They're very simple in their design, but I was impressed with the results...

Normal shot from my iPhone:

Wide-Angle/Macro Lens:

2x Telephoto Lens:

Fantastic Fisheye Lens:

* * * * *

The Underwater Digi Cam
I haven't had the chance to test this baby out, yet, but from what I can tell it's an inexpensive underwater digital camera that takes perfectly adequate photos for capturing watery moments. For the price, it's a great bit of fun for your next vacation

* * * * *

And speaking of fun, one of my favorite parts about getting a package from Photojojo is actually the packaging from Photojojo. It seems like a fantastic place to work!

* * * * *

To win this little prize pack of photo awesomeness, join Great Big Joy on Google Friend Connect by clicking on the link on the side of this page OR by clicking on this link right here. If we're already friends...congratulations! You're entered! You have until midnight, Nov. 16th to enter. Good luck!

Update:

We have a winner! Congratulations to Jenny Frost! Thanks for following! And thank you to everyone who entered...look for a new giveaway tomorrow!

The Top Five Things That Will Save You Money

2011-11-01T03:10:00.000-07:00

Tip one: Don't buy a bazillion diapers just because they're

on sale if you only have one kid. Chances are low that

she'll go through that many before she potty trains!

Looking for some fast, helpful tips? Boom - the top five money-savers:

(1) Buy only what you'll eat/use/love. This might seem like obvious advice, but it's the number one stumbling block for many people. Even if you're coupon shopping like a pro, you're still wasting money if you're picking up items that won't get used in your house. Case in point: I once bought four bottles of Pantene Pro-V shampoo because it was a great deal...even though I'm allergic to all Pantene products (leaving my husband with a lot of flowery shampoo to use up). The same goes for buying Groupons that you won't use before they expire or buying a cheap piece of furniture to save money, only to hate it so much that you buy paints, pillows, and other products to "fix" it.

(2) Get used to using the Internet to save money. You can often find books, movies, toys, beauty products, etc., at deeply discounted prices online. Just be sure to use a website like RetailMeNot.com to avoid paying shipping fees before you buy anything.

(3) Don't buy it if you don't have to. Get used to using your library for books, cds, and movies (all of which can be requested online at most libraries). You might have to wait a bit for new releases, but if you aren't planning on enjoying that title over and over again immediately, there's no reason to shell out cash for it. For other one-use purchases, like formal gowns, or items you won't often use, like power tools, consider renting from online sites like renttherunway.com or homedepotrents.com. Even better...borrow from a friend!

(4) Cook at home at least 80% of the time. As someone who loves to eat out, I admit that I have a hard time sticking to this one. However, we "eat in" at around one-fifth or one-sixth of the price of eating out, even when we open a bottle of wine or share a dessert, and we tend to make healthier choices when we're making the food ourselves. Plus, limiting our meals out to a few special times a month makes those outings even more fun! (To save on dining out, check deals at groupon.com or restaurant.com.)

(5) Don't bleed money. The worst spending is the slow, unconscious spending you can't even see. Turn off lights in rooms you aren't using, insulate windows, change the furnace filter, and check faucets for drips (it's weird how much they add up!). Double-check your credit card and bank statements to make sure you aren't paying for random fees or magazine subscriptions you didn't mean to spend your pennies on. Take your car in every now and then to get the tires balanced and the oil changed to help your gas mileage and avoid expensive repairs down to road. Most importantly - cut services you aren't really using, like your cable (hello, Netflix!) and the super-fast Internet that would only be necessary if you were downloading three movies at a time 'round the clock. Little extras add up!

The Best Websites for Finding Deals on Entertainment

2011-11-01T01:55:00.000-07:00

Goldstar.com - Entertainment venues partner with this website to fill vacant seats in the days before a big concert, play, sporting event, or other show. If you're flexible and you don't mind waiting until the last minute, you can get tons of tickets at half-price (or better)!

Stubhub.com - Ever been stuck with a ticket for something you can't attend because of a last-minute change? This site provides a place for those stuck people to sell their tickets, often at a huge discount. Again, if you can wait until the last minute, this is a great place to grab a deal.

Ticketnetwork.com - This discount ticket provider offers a 125% money-back guarantee or a better seat if a ticket purchased on the site isn't valid, which gives buyers a little peace of mind when buying previously purchased tickets.

Vividseats.com - This site typically offers up to 25% off the regular ticket price and has a live agent available to chat with you at all times. If a ticket that you purchased ends up being different from what you ordered, they offer a money-back guarantee or replacement of the ticket.

The Best Websites for Finding Deals on Travel

2011-11-01T01:41:00.001-07:00

Travelzoo.com - This website offers a weekly roundup of travel deals from all over the web. If you don't want to do too much scouring, this is a good place to start.

If you're looking for an all-inclusive trip, try cheaptickets.com or bookit.com. Both websites offer deep discounts on package vacations.

If you don't mind doing a little leg work, you can save quite a bit of money on last-minute hotel rooms or airline tickets if you use Priceline.com to put in a bid. To make sure your bid is low enough (but not too low to be accepted), look up the going rate on another website (like expedia.com) and then take anywhere from 30-50% off of that price.

If your vacation is at least a few days long, consider renting a house for your family instead of a hotel room (or suite). You'll have more room, as well as access to things like a kitchen. House rentals are available on craigslist.com, homeaway.com, and vrbo.com.

Yipit.com - You know Groupon and all of those Groupon-like sites? Yipit pulls deals from all of those sites and puts them into one convenient location so you have all of the local deals right in front of you. If you like to eat out and support local businesses, you need to fall in love with this site.

Bookingbuddy.com - As far as travel sites go, this is a major time-saver. It pulls prices together from other big travel sites like Priceline and Orbitz so you can find out who really has the rock bottom prices. You'd be surprised how often you can actually get a better deal from a smaller site you've never heard of!

If you know which hotel you'll be staying at or if you have a favorite hotel chain that you really enjoy, consider joining their loyalty program or hotel credit card. Many of the hotel loyalty programs offer perks as soon as you sign up. For example, the Marriott Rewards Premier Visa offers a free annual stay and the Best Western Rewards MasterCard gives you 16,000 points (enough for two free nights).

The Best Websites for Finding Deals on Stuff

2011-11-01T01:39:00.000-07:00

Retailmenot.com - Please promise me that you won't buy anything online without checking in at this site first. RetailMeNot is the home of all those discount codes and coupons that give you free shipping and 30% off. No joke - I think this site saves me hundreds of dollars a year at no cost. Love.

Ebates.com - If you sign up for a free Ebates account and then use their site to search for sites you buy from regularly (like Drugstore.com), you can earn back a percentage of each purchase. The cash back is paid out every couple of months and you'd be surprised how quickly it can add up if you aren't paying attention! This is another free site and it takes about six seconds to use it, so you should check it out.

Swagbucks.com - This site is surprisingly fun. They offer coupons and deals, but also games and random activities that award "swagbucks", which can be turned in for merchandise and gift cards. I was a little skeptical at first because it seemed like a lot of hoop-jumping, but I'm a convert. Go. Earn. Enjoy.

Looking for coupons? Here's just a handful of the tried and trusted coupon sites out there: coupons.com, redplum.com, smartsource.com, cellfire.com, couponesherpa.com, mobiqpons.com, and couponcabin.com.

Techbargains.com - If you're shopping for things like computers or cameras, this is a great website. It compares prices from major retailers and collects coupons and rebates. You can also set an alert to email you automatically if something on your wish list goes on sale.

Fatwallet.com - This is a good general round-up of online sales and popular deals. It's not a resource if you already know what you want, but it's a good place to find that thing you never knew you always wanted for a fraction of the cost.

A few of my favorite "coupon mommy" sites: mommysavesbig.com, cheapstingybargains.com, cheapsally.com, and couponmom.com.

Coupons 101: How to Use Coupons at the Grocery Store

2011-09-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here are the quick and dirty basics:

You can get coupons from a variety of sources. The most popular are coupons from newspapers and coupons printed off from the web, but you can also use coupons sent straight to your phone (via an app like Cellfire) or you can have companies mail coupons to you directly if you sign up on their mailing lists (Procter and Gamble send coupons out all the time).

Decide where you want to shop and find out if they accept coupons. They probably do and they might even have days where coupons are worth double and triple their face value. Just ask at customer service. Oh, and don't feel embarrassed about using coupons...stores get paid for every coupon you use so they want you to use them!

"Stack" coupons on a single item. Stacking is when you use a manufacturer's coupon (like the ones from the newspaper) AND a store coupon (like a Target coupon printed off the Internet) on the same item. Most stores let you stack two coupons for a single item, which means you might even be able to get the item for free! Check your store's coupon policy to see if they'll let you stack.

Buy the smallest size you can with the coupon. It might seem like buying larger sizes is more economical, since you usually get more for your money when you do that. However, when you're using coupons, it's actually cheaper to use a "big coupon" (such as a $1 off) on a small item because you end up paying so much less out of pocket. Unless it says otherwise, you can even use coupons on travel sizes to get items for free!

Read the coupon carefully. You need to get the exact product or amount stated on the face of the coupon or it won't work when you get up to the register. If your store doesn't have that product or size in stock, you need to save your coupon and use it somewhere else.

Have the coupons organized and ready to hand to the cashier when you check out. If you have free items or buy-one-get-one-free (BOGO) coupons, have those items be the last thing the cashier rings up so they don't have to search forever to find the value. Watch the monitor as the coupons are scanned to make sure that there isn't a problem.

If your coupons expire, you can check with the store to see if they'll still accept them. I usually think that's too much of a hassle though, and I donate them to Coupons to Troops. Military families can use coupons up to a year past their exiration date, so it's a great way to get your coupons into the hands of people who can use them (esp. for baby products!).

How to Get Free Stuff on the Internet

2011-08-31T23:23:00.000-07:00

Free stuff! Yay!

Getting free stuff is fun, but if you aren't careful it can lead to a lot of spam in your inbox and junk mail on your desk. So, if you're really into finding and receiving freebies, consider taking some anti-clutter precautions:

(1) Set up a different email address for freebies. You can also use this email address for giveaways, although you might want to check it a little more often if you do that (just in case you have a big win). This will keep your "real" email free of unwanted newsletters, offers, and other spam.

(2) If you're giving out your mailing address, check the privacy policy. Unless the freebie is really, really, really good, you don't want anyone to be giving out your address but you. You should also read the fine print very carefully. A freebie isn't a freebie if it requires a year-long magazine subscription, etc., and you don't want to argue that point after six issues of Vogue have randomly shown up on your door. (I think it took me a solid two years to cancel a Glamour subscription I never wanted after I sent away for a free tote bag.)

(3) Uncheck the box that offers related deals. Sure, it might not matter much if it's all going to a different junk-specific email inbox, but the related deals are usually newsletters and other updates, not more coupons. Skip it and limit how they can use your information.

Ready to take on the freebies? Check these sites for good ones:

ICraveFreebies.com - This site is sorted by category and there's an in-store section for coupons that you can redeem in person.

FreeStuffonFacebook.com - This site rounds up all of those "Like this page to receive a free sample" offers on Facebook. There are also a bunch of coupons and discount codes available.

MoneySavingMom.com - The Freebies and Giveaways section of this site is organized with the most recent offers up top, so you can find them immediately. The deals are family-friendly so if you've got kids or a household to run, you'll probably like these freebies.

SweetFreeStuff.com - This site is updated often and they organize the freebies by category. I'm a fan of the Baby Freebies section, myself.

Oh, and if you're on Twitter, you should check out www.twitter.com/heyitsfree for the latest and greatest in freebie goodness...

Top Money Saving Apps for your iPhone

2011-08-31T23:09:00.000-07:00

Source

A lot of the advice I give on this website assumes that you have an iPhone. Even though I know there are a ton of people out there who don't have smartphones, the new apps are just so impressive and easy to use, I can't help but mention them!

If you do have an iPhone, here are some free apps you really ought to check out:

ShopSavvy - this is one of those apps that scans bar codes while you're shopping (just use your phone camera). Once you scan the bar code, the app compares the price of the item with different stores in the area to see if you can get a better deal. If you're shopping for a big ticket item, like a treadmill or a television, you definitely need this app!

Coupon Sherpa Mobile - this app downloads coupons to your phone so you can use them when you checkout. Many of the coupons are for groceries, but there are also coupons for Old Navy, Walmart, and other national stores.

Amazon Mobile - this app is very handy, especially when you're looking for media. It will tell you if the item you're looking at is available from any of the Amazon sellers for a lower price. I admit that I use it all the time when I'm at Barnes and Noble.

Foursquare - this app sends promotions and discounts directly to your phone when you "check in" at a particular restaurant or store. NOTE: the safety of this app has been questioned, since it lets people know where you are in real time, leaving your house vulnerable if tech-savvy burglars know that you're away.

For the record, I pay extra each month for the data plan that goes along with my iPhone (and that stings a little in our tight budget), but it's actually saving me money in the long run thanks to the apps. I also use it every day for photos and video, especially of our baby girl, and I also use it as a journal, a calorie counter, an alarm clock, and a radio. Add in my addiction to Pinterest and I can tell you that I love my iPhone!

Your Brand New Online Piggy Bank

2011-08-31T18:33:00.000-07:00

Smartypig.com = the easiest way to save money for a specific purpose (like your wedding or your next Disney vacation).

Smartypig.com is a free website that lets you set up a goal and then transfer money to that "goal account" for free. Money transfers can be set up automatically from your savings or checking account so you don't even miss the money. Plus, you earn interest on the money in your goal account AND you can share your account with friends so they can chip in and help you reach your goal faster.

Free, easy, and smart. Love it.

How to Sell Something Online the Right Way

2011-08-31T18:24:00.000-07:00

Photograph items in natural light

When it comes to selling your stuff online, there's a fine line between striking a great deal and wasting a bunch of your time (either by failing to sell or by underselling and losing money). Here's the right way to go about it:

(1) Figure out what you want to sell and make sure you (and your family) come to terms with parting from it. It's not going to save you any money if you sell your husband's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle collection only to buy it back piece by piece at collector's prices.

(2) Check the value on Worthmonkey.com. The site pulls current and recent sale prices from eBay, Craigslist, Etsy, and other popular online sellers. This will give you a fair price range (which will tell you if it's worth selling the item).

(3) Watch the shipping costs. Most people overestimate shipping costs on eBay because they don't want to lose money, but pricing shipping at a competitive rate (or even adding a little to the base price that then shipping "for free") is going to make people more likely to buy from you.

(4) Know where to sell. The first site that comes to everyone's mind when they think of selling things online is eBay, but that might not be the best place for your sale. Try some of these other sites first and you'll probably get a better deal:

Half.com - books, music, movies, and games

Amazon.com - unopened gifts you received but didn't want

Glyde.com - video games and DVDs

Listia.com - anything you just want to get rid of. (This is a free auction site and people use credits, not money, to bid on things.)

Storkbrokers.com - gently used kids' clothing and toys

Craigslist.com - furniture or other large items

Facebook.oodle.com - anything you only want to sell to your Facebook friends (great for tickets to local events, local gift certificates, etc.)

(5) Photograph the item in natural light (such as sunlight from a nearby window) and try to keep the background free of clutter. Include 2-3 photos for best results.

(6) Ship promptly and respond to all inquiries. You want to protect your reputation as a seller!

Virtual Saving 101: The Best Places for Good Deals

2011-08-31T18:09:00.000-07:00

There are a bazillion websites out there that promise to save you money, but the list of tried-and-true is actually pretty short. Here's a greatest hits round-up:

Yipit.com - You know Groupon and all of those Groupon-like sites? Yipit pulls deals from all of those sites and puts them into one convenient location so you have all of the local deals right in front of you. If you like to eat out and support local businesses, you need to fall in love with this site.

Bookingbuddy.com - As far as travel sites go, this is a major time-saver. It pulls prices together from other big travel sites like Priceline and Orbitz so you can find out who really has the rock bottom prices. You'd be surprised how often you can actually get a better deal from a smaller site you've never heard of!

Techbargains.com - If you're shopping for things like computers or cameras, this is a great website. It compares prices from major retailers and collects coupons and rebates. You can also set an alert to email you automatically if something on your wish list goes on sale.

Goldstar.com - Entertainment venues partner with this website to fill vacant seats in the days before a big concert, play, sporting event, or other show. If you're flexible and you don't mind waiting until the last minute, you can get tons of tickets at half-price (or better)!

Fatwallet.com - This is a good general round-up of online sales and popular deals. It's not a resource if you already know what you want, but it's a good place to find that thing you never knew you always wanted for a fraction of the cost.

Retailmenot.com - Please promise me that you won't buy anything online without checking in at this site first. RetailMeNot is the home of all those discount codes and coupons that give you free shipping and 30% off. No joke - I think this site saves me hundreds of dollars a year at no cost. Love.

Ebates.com - If you sign up for a free Ebates account and then use their site to search for sites you buy from regularly (like Drugstore.com), you can earn back a percentage of each purchase. The cash back is paid out every couple of months and you'd be surprised how quickly it can add up if you aren't paying attention! This is another free site and it takes about six seconds to use it, so you should check it out.

Swagbucks.com - This site is surprisingly fun. They offer coupons and deals, but also games and random activities that award "swagbucks", which can be turned in for merchandise and gift cards. I was a little skeptical at first because it seemed like a lot of hoop-jumping, but I'm a convert. Go. Earn. Enjoy.

Budgeting: Stay On Top of Your Money

2011-08-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

Before you work on saving money, you need to work on keeping the money you already have. The easiest way to keep your money is to stay on top of your finances so you don't forget about the little day-to-day splurges that might be draining your savings account. You should also educate yourself about basic financial planning. With all of the information available for free on the Internet, you don't have no excuse if you don't "get" your finances!

Old Fashioned Bookkeeping:

Reader, meet Checkbook. It's about as old school as you get, but writing everything down in your checkbook and doing the math as you spend is the classic way to stay on top of your money. Just be sure to write down every card swipe, not just every check. I used to do this. It was pretty crummy. So, let me recommend a few newer options...

High-Tech Fancy Bookkeeping:

Mint.com - Mint has become the go-to bookkeeping tool for a ton of people. It's free, easy to use, and tracks your spending so you can pull up pretty graphs that show you exactly where your money is going. It even sends you alerts if you hit a self-determined limit in a particular area over the course of a month (for example, over $100 on clothing).

Walletpop.com - Walletpop is a good place to go for a little guidance. The site has tons of articles on money management. It also has calculators to help you determine things like a reasonable savings plan or mortgage payment. Plus, there are daily deal alerts to please the shoppers.

Getrichslowly.org - If you need a large financial overhaul, Get Rich Slowly is a good place to start. It's a money blog that focuses on educated people about saving more and living on less, so it's perfect for breaking those unhealthy, long-standing habits.

Basic.eplanner.com - If you're looking into your retirement, you should check out this site. It lays out how much you need to save for when you retire and what you need to be doing now to work up towards that amount. It's adjustable, so it will help you no matter where you start in your career.

Couponing: You're Doing It Wrong

2011-08-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

If you coupon, have you ever looked around and realized that you just spent two hours organizing your clippings? Or perhaps you've come home from a shopping trip and suddenly you own fifteen boxes of dryer sheets...even though you never use them? Have you given out toothbrushes and deodorant for Christmas to cut down on your stored purchases?

You might be doing it wrong.

Check these habits and see if you can make a healthy switch:

Habit #1: You spend a couple of hours every week checking your coupons, cutting them out, cross-checking them against store prices, and creating detailed grocery lists for different stores.

Fix it: Doing that much work is overwhelming and it doesn't always get you the best deals. Check your newspaper circulars to see who has the best prices on meat (which tends to be expensive) and start there, planning your emails. Make your grocery list using an app like Grocery iQ, which will cross-check your list with a coupon database to see if there's a coupon you can use.

Habit #2: You jump into dumpsters to find coupon inserts that haven't been used.

Fix it: Please don't do that. It's icky and dangerous. If you want multiple copies of good coupons, pick up subscriptions to different high-circulation newspapers (they have the best coupons). Sale cycles repeat every three months, so picking up three newspapers should have you covered.

Habit #3: You're up late searching the web for coupons so you can print them out and take them to the store.

Fix it: If you have a smartphone, you can download the Cellfire app. It alerts you to virtual coupons for nearby grocery stores and loads them directly onto your store card so you don't have to print anything out.

Habit #4: You buy things you wouldn't normally purchase because they're such great deals.

Fix it: Anyone who gets really into couponing has done this once or twice. In my opinion, it's fine to do this IF you have a way to move what you buy...maybe a food drive at your local church or a shelter that can use all of those hygiene products? If you don't have a way to move it or you don't want to buy it for donations, back away from the great sale. You'll only end up loaded down with mustard and floss.

Habit #5: You clip coupons, but when it's time to go shopping you (A) feel overwhelmed and don't even try to take them, (B) take them only to realize that they're expired, or (C) spend hours wandering around the store, trying to match the products to the coupons to figure out if you can get a deal.

Fix it: Honestly, couponing might not be for you. If you have a smartphone, pick up an app like Grocery iQ or Coupon Sherpa Mobile so that you have access to virtual coupons on the go, but if you don't end up using them, don't beat yourself up. There are lots of other ways to cut back on your grocery spending, including buying in bulk and splitting with friends/family or making freezer meals and storing them for the future. Stop wasting your time with what isn't working and look for a new way to save!

The Great Big Find Money Post

2011-08-24T23:37:00.003-07:00

The best money is the money you already have. Ever wonder if you're sitting on a gold mine? These articles will help you find those pennies in the couch cushions...

Find Those Pennies in the Couch Cushions (really!)

How to Sell Your Stuff the Right Way

Ten Tips for the Perfect Garage Sale

Turning Your Pantry into Bake Sale Cash

The Best Way to Ebay

What are Your Old Clothes Worth?

Downsizing: Learning to Live with Less

Re-gifting 101

Turning Old Furniture into New Furniture

Is it Vintage or Junk?

The Great Big Make Money Post

2011-08-24T23:37:00.001-07:00

Looking to make a little extra cash? These articles will help you out:

Work-at-Home: What Can You Make and Who Can You Trust?

Earn Money by Taking Surveys

Blogging for Cash

How to Work for 1-2 Hours at a Time

Sell Your Stuff the Right Way

Make Your Talents Work for You

Holiday Odd Jobs 101

What is Your Time Worth?

Ten DIY Projects You Can Sell