TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

National Retail Federation - National trade association that tracks retail trends.

International Council of Shopping Centers - Trade organization that supports the shopping center industry and tracks industry data on retail occupancy rates.

RESEARCH GROUPS

University of Michigan Survey of Consumers - Monthly survey that gauges consumer sentiments about spending and the economy.

ForecastIQ - Research firm that tracks retail trends.

Wells Fargo Retail Services -  The retail services and research division of the savings and loan firm.

The NPD Group - Market research firm that studies consumer trends, sales and marketing issues.

Retail Forward - A research firm specializing in retail statistics, retail consulting and brand management.

GOVERNMENT RESEARCH

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Labor fact-finding agency for the federal government that tracks unemployment rates and other key economic indicators.

U.S. Department of Energy - Government department dedicated to advancing energy technology and energy innovation in the U.S.

U.S. Commerce Department - Primary source of statistics on macro trends in the U.S. economy.

COUPON TIME

We’ve got our own spring resource list:  a great list of Spring Break Coupons!  Don’t miss it!

I have an upright freezer in the basement and it’s pretty well-stocked.  But there are some irresistible deals out there this month on frozen items.  Last week’s coupon insert offered a full page of nothing but coupons for various frozen foods.  (Check out our printable coupons section for even more deals!)

While you’re restocking the freezer, now is a good time to organize what’s in there and make sure that it’s still good to use.   Most frozen prepared foods are good for 3 to 4 months in the freezer.  Uncooked meats keep longer–up to 12 months, depending on the type.  It’s a good idea to write the date on packages of meat before you freeze them.  It’s also a good idea to label those packages; there are a couple of “mystery bags” in my freezer right now.  Could be chicken, could be pork.  Some day when I’m feeling adventurous I’ll defrost them and figure out what they are and what I can cook with them!

If you like to save money by purchasing in-season fresh produce, then March is the time to buy artichokes, asparagus and peas.  It’s not the best time for fruit, and unfortunately, citrus season is just about over.  Oranges are getting expensive again, which is not good news for my daughter.  She eats 2 or 3 of those a day!

Retailers and manufacturers of eco-friendly products are cashing in on the “all things green” appeal of St. Patrick’s Day with sales and promotions tied into the holiday.

What used to be a holiday for selling green beer and corned beef and cabbage has been put to good use by retailers now invested in earth-friendly green products ranging from organic cotton apparel to greeting cards made of recycled paper. And with sales of eco-friendly products expected to hit $300 billion in 2010, more retailers than ever are using the holiday and its green theme to promote new products.

Target has St. Patrick’s Day-themed t-shirts on sale from Jade Heather for juniors and young women. The Think Green t-shirts are made of 100% cotton and partially made from organic cotton. JC Apparel is appealing to parents of newborns and toddlers with its series of Baby’s First St. Patrick’s Day t-shirts made from 100% organic cotton.

Eco-friendly Recycled Greeting Cards, which began manufacturing cards out of recycled paper in the early 1970s, has a new line of St. Patrick’s Day cards available on line and in stores made of 100% recycled paper products. And Hallmark is selling eco-friendly St. Patrick’s Day Cards under its Connections line. The cards are smaller than standard cards and are made of 50-percent recycled paper and 50-percent sugar cane pulp and come with envelopes made of 100-percent recycled paper. The cards are available at retailers including Wal-Mart, as well as online.

Online eco-friendly pioneer Natures Market Organic has dozens of different St. Patrick’s Day products on sale for 15 to 35 percent off. The online site is promoting the Irish theme by encouraging shoppers to “find their own organic pot of gold” at the end of the rainbow with products that include green tea, hand sanitizers, organic children’s clothes and stuffed animals made of all-natural products.

Going the same route is online retailer EcoFabulous and its True Meaning of Green promotion. The site promotes the sale by pointing out that “St. Patrick’s Day is a fantastic, festive holiday but one that also generates tons of waste with 12 million greeting cards sent each year,” and encourages shoppers to “drink green and dress green with our top eco-fabulous picks that are high on fun and low on environmental impact.” The St. Patrick’s Day lineup includes organic green eye shadow, green-colored t-shirts made of organic cotton and a roster of 10 eco-friendly beers. And if you prefer a glass to drink all that beer, it has green beer glasses made of recycled car windshields.

Resources

Buying Green But Not for the Planet

Organic St. Patrick’s Day Sale

The True Meaning of Green

COUPON TIME

Planning a party for St. Pat’s?  Check out our full selection of coupons for party necessities!

And one of the most-popular book sections in any elementary-school library is the shelf that holds the World-Record Books.  It used to be that “Guinness” had a monopoly on such books, but lately, other publishers have gotten into the act as well.  The kids don’t seem to care who prints the books; we can’t keep them on the shelves.

My own eight-year-old is fascinated by these books.  He’s an endless source of trivia questions about everything from pets to music to the biggest, smallest, heaviest and tiniest whatever-it-is, and the record books are right up his alley.  He read his 2009 world-record book so often that the covers fell off and pages started coming out.

Now there are specialty record books for kids–books about sports records, animal records, and even a Gamer’s Edition.  If you’ve got a reluctant young reader, I recommend leaving one of these world-record books around the house.

COUPON TIME

$5 off orders over $50 at Alibris
Use coupon code LAMB at checkout.
Valid through: March 31, 2010
Minimum purchase amount includes only the cost of books, movies or music, and not shipping or any applicable state taxes. Cannot be applied to previous orders. Cannot be combined with any other coupons.
See other alibris coupons!

10% off the list price of books at Borders.com
If all your items are already 10% or more off list price, you won’t get a discount. Use promotion code AARP8145.
Valid through: March 18, 2010 11:59pm ET
Valid only at Borders.com. Not valid in stores. Certain exclusions apply. Coupon cannot be combined with any other offer, including but not limited to “3 for 2,” “Buy 4, Get 5th Free,” or “Buy 1, Get 1 Half Price” offers. Excludes previous purchases, non-stock special orders, bargain books, gift cards, newspapers, magazines, comics, coupon books, eBooks, digital downloads, self-publishing programs, Rosetta Stone software, shipping, and all electronics, including the Sony Reader and the Zune. May not be combined with other coupons, sale pricing, corporate, classroom, or other group discounts. Promotion code good for single-use only.
See other Borders coupon codes!

Here are some of the best lines from M*A*S*H’s long run:

• “I’ve eaten a river of liver and an ocean of fish!”
• “I’ll carry your books, I’ll carry a torch, I’ll carry a tune, I’ll carry on, carry over, carry forward, Cary Grant, cash and carry, carry me back to Old Virginia, I’ll even ‘hari-kari’ if you show me how, but I will not carry a gun!”
• “You can cut me off from the civilized world. You can incarcerate me with two moronic cellmates. You can torture me with your thrice-daily swill. But you cannot break the spirit of a Winchester. My voice shall be heard from this wilderness, and I shall be delivered from this fetid and festering sewer.”  (there’s a lesson in SAT-worthy vocabulary!)
• “Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice.”
• “Your picture’s in my wallet and I’m sitting on it.  And if that isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”
• “Those two are ruining this war… for ALL of us!”
• “I’m not so think as you drunk I am…”
• “Attention, all personnel - we interrupt your sweet dreams to bring you the following nightmare.”
• “Horse Hockey!”

Attention all personnel:  it’s time to bring out the DVDs!

COUPON TIME

Free shipping on orders of $75 or more at the Discovery Channel Store
Click “Enter a Coupon” in your cart and use code FREESHIP.
Valid through: March 31, 2010
See other Discovery Channel Store coupons!

15% off orders over $100 at Shop PBS
Use this link to activate the promotional code.
Valid through: March 31, 2010
Not valid on orders already placed. Not applicable through group sales, special orders, purchase orders, or gift-certificates. This promotional offer may be modified or terminated at any time without notice.
See other Shop PBS coupon codes!

Unfortunately, the fans (especially the one in the living room) have become a target for the kids.  Why do kids always want to throw things at spinning ceiling fans?  I’m not going to accept the excuse that this is a physics experiment.  How many physics experiments can they possibly conduct?

Don’t answer that.

I’ve already had to stop my children from tossing balled-up socks at the fan to see if it will bat them across the room.  Another time, it was chunks of Play-Doh (yet another good reason why I hate having Play-Doh in the house!)  And just last week, I confiscated every last elastic band in the house, because my two teenagers were aiming them at the fan.

COUPON TIME

$10 off orders over $150 at Lamps Plus
Use coupon code 36AFFDC6.
Valid through: December 31, 2010
Not valid at LampsPlusOpenBox.com. Minimum purchase requirement excludes shipping and applicable taxes. Offer valid on regular priced, in-stock merchandise only; not valid on special orders or previous orders, sale items, mark-downs, clearance center items, or with other coupons or discounts. One coupon per customer, one time use only. Offer is non-transferable and not redeemable for cash or gift certificates.
See other Lamps Plus coupons!

5% off your order at AllergyBuyersClub.com
Use coupon code SPRINGFIVE2010.
Valid through: April 30, 2010
Cannot be combined with other coupons. Not valid on previous purchases.
See other AllergyBuyersClub coupon codes!

My favorite shows didn’t just present recipes; they also shared techniques for cooking and for saving money.  One of these was a show out of Roanoke, Virginia called Cookin’ Cheap.

The guys who cooked on this show were not ashamed to open cans and boxed mixes on the air.  In fact, it was a rare recipe that didn’t include a can or box of something.  Watching that show, I learned a very important money-saving (and sanity-saving) tip:  don’t rip open the bag that’s inside the box.  If you do, the contents will fly everywhere and you’ll lose ingredients–and make a big mess.  Instead, use scissors! The Cookin’ Cheap guys learned this the hard way, which made for a very funny TV moment–but they lost almost half a package of cake mix in the process.

And while most of the Food Network chefs don’t seem to own a measuring cup or spoon, it’s a good idea to measure your ingredients if you want to save money.  Otherwise, you might use more than you needed to.  “Eyeballing” ingredients usually means that you’ll be more generous in your use of those ingredients than the recipe requires.  So if you want your food (especially baked goods) to turn out right, always measure!

When you save money on ingredients, you’ll have money left over for cookware!

COUPON TIME

Receive a $30 Gift Card with the purchase of a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer at Sur LaTable
Details can be found under Special Offers in the Sale section.
Valid through: March 27, 2010
See other Sur La Table coupons!

10% off select Roasted Garlic products at StonewallKitchen.com
Use this link to view eligible items. Discounts will appear on item pages.
Valid through: March 31, 2010
See other Stonewall Kitchen coupon codes!

In the late winter, when the mercury tops 50 for the first time, they jump off the school bus and start rummaging for shorts and tank tops.

It’s nowhere near hot enough for shorts and tank tops, but that’s what my kids want to wear.  I’m still in long pants and a sweatshirt, but my neighbor insists that this is perfect capris-and-flip-flops weather.

In the past week, my eight-year-old has lost two sweatshirts because he left them behind at friends’ houses.  Yesterday I told him not even to bother putting the sweatshirt on before he headed down the street.  It’s easier to keep the clothes if I make him keep them at home.

It’s no better when I send them off to school in the morning.  At 7:30, it’s still chilly enough that the kids need a light jacket.  But by 3:00 dismissal time, they’re ready for short sleeves.  Getting them to take a jacket in the morning is getting challenging; making sure they don’t leave it on the school bus is even more so.

I just hope that this nice weather isn’t just a tease before yet another blizzard.  Just to be sure, I refuse to pack away the hats, gloves, boots and snow pants until our first 75-degree day.

COUPON TIME

Receive a $25 Savings Card for every $50 you spend at Ann Taylor Loft
Valid through: March 14, 2010
Receive a $25 savings card for every $50 you spend only on full-priced styles, prior to tax, at Loft Stores and Loftonline.com now through March 14, 2010 while supplies last. Savings cards valid on future purchases of $50 or more from March 15, 2010 though March 27, 2010 only on full-priced styles. To redeem, card and promotional code must be entered online. Each $25 Savings Card may be used only once. Taxes, shipping and handling fees, purchases of gift cards, charges for gift boxes and payment of Ann Taylor or Loft credit card accounts do not count towards the qualifying amount and are excluded from any discount. Not valid at Ann Taylor stores, Ann Taylor Factory stores, Loft Outlet stores or AnnTaylor.com.
See other Ann Taylor LOFT coupons!

Earn $25 in PacLoot for every $50 your spend at PacSun.com
Redeem your PacLoot between March 13, 2010 and April 3, 2010.
Valid through: March 12, 2010
$50 qualifying amount must be met with merchandise only.
See other PacSun coupon codes!

You’re welcome.  (For the record, it’s stuck in mine too).

The weather is finally nice around here–I’ll go so far as to say the weather is beautiful around here.  The snow piles are almost gone, and crews are filling the potholes that the plows left behind.

What’s not beautiful is the exterior of my car.  Once a shiny dark green, now it’s grayish-white from all the road salt that is stuck to it.  It’s time to give my car a bath.

I could let the kids do it, but it’s dangerous to have them climbing up on the roof of the minivan to get it all clean.  Instead, I’m going to take it to the professionals.  It’s time to go to the Car Wash.  Today’s Wednesday, and that means it’s Ladies’ Day at the local car wash.  Some might say that’s sexist, but 50% off is 50% off.  I’ll take it.

The only problem is, I’ll have to wait until the kids get home from school.  My second-grader loves going to the car wash.  If he comes home and sees my nice, shiny van, he’ll know I went there without him.  So the plan is to pack a snack and hustle him right into the car after the school bus drops him off.

If only it were so easy to get the inside of the van cleaned.  But that’s a story for another day.

COUPON TIME

10% off orders over $50 at CarParts.com
Use discount code BAC10.
Valid through: March 31, 2010
This offer may not be used with any other promotion, sale price or discount. Shipments outside the continental U.S., freight items (numbers ending in “E”), Express Delivery orders and very large or heavy items requiring FedEx Ground Delivery are excluded. Only one discount per order.
See other CarParts.com coupons!

Free Standard Shipping on orders over $75 at JCWhitney.com
Use promo code SAVENOW in your shopping cart and click “Add Promo”.
Valid through: March 31, 2010
Valid online only. Standard shipping within the continental U.S. only. Excludes freight items (numbers ending in “E”), Express Delivery orders and very large or heavy items requiring FedEx Ground Delivery. Minimum purchase amount is based on merchandise total only and excludes the purchase of Gift Certificates. This offer may not be combined with any other promotion, sale price or discount.
See other JC Whitney coupon codes!

Three little boys playing video games.

Next question:  why do they always have to play at my house?  Maybe I’m the only mom who will let them in.  I don’t know.  But as fast as they got in the other day, I kicked them right back out.

It wasn’t just that it was a nice day, an absolutely beautiful day, way too nice to be inside playing video games.   I could have put up with them for a little while.

But then the brawl started, and I’m not talking about “Super Smash Brothers Brawl.”  I’m talking about the one where they fought about what game to play, who would go first, and who got the favorite controller.  And I wasn’t in the mood to put up with much, especially when there was no good reason that these boys needed to be inside.  So I kicked them out.  They can save the video games for a rainy day.  That’s when I’ll have to let them in, and I’ll be looking for some noise-cancelling headphones.

COUPON TIME

Free Value Shipping on orders over $25 at Gamestop.com
Enter coupon code SAVER in your cart and click “Activate.”
Select USA Value as your shipping method
Valid through: March 31, 2010
Excludes consoles & console bundles. Only one offer per order.
See other GameStop coupons!

10% off your order at LeapFrog.com
Use promotion code CSTEN10 in your shopping cart.
Valid through: unknown
Purchase amount necessary to qualify for discount does not include tax or shipping. No substitutions or cash equivalents. LeapFrog reserves the right to change this promotion at any time. Offer void where prohibited or restricted by law. This offer can not be used for purchases made through LeapFrog School or the Employee Store.
See other LeapFrog coupon codes!