Post Roundup-September 2014

I thought it would be fun and helpful for my readers if I did a post roundup every month, and divided everything into categories for easy access to all the recipes and articles I put up. What do you think? Is it helpful to post a roundup every month?

Special Needs/Junior

• You Know You're a C.I. Parent If...

Recipes

• 8 Gameday Menus on a Dime 
• Fantastic Fall Apple Crisp
• Leftover Chili Tortilla Pie

Homeschool

• Beating Homeschool Burnout Before it Begins
• Classical Conversations Giant Board Game Review

Saving Money

• Ask Sara: "Where Do You Shop?"

Book Reviews

• Get to Know King David (Children's)
• The Quick Start Guide to the Whole Bible (Bible Reference)
• The Berenstain Bears: Blessed are the Peacemakers (Children's)
• Love Letters from God (Children's)
• Your Family in Pictures (Photography)
• Good News for Weary Women (Women's Encouragment)

Make sure you continue to see all my posts! Get My Posts Emailed to You!
Join our Facebook Community or follow me on Pinterest! 

Pin This!!

Ask Sara: Where Do You Shop?

"Where are your favorite places to shop? I never know if I'm getting the best deal on something."
-Courtney

Hi Courtney,

If you're happy with the deal you got, then it's a good deal! But, I have found my "favorites" when it comes to purchasing specific things.

Here are some of my go-to places to shop for various items...

Primary Groceries: Trader Joes
Trader Joes has basically everything I need for the week. I purchase most of my canned/jarred items, dairy, and frozen goods there. Not only are they significantly less expensive than our local grocery store, but the items are often organic.

Meat: Costco
Costco has good meat quality at a reasonable price. They also have organic beef and chicken for half the price of the grocery store.

Produce: Sprouts or Costco
When Costco has their organic fruit in season, I typically purchase most of my fresh fruit there. If not, I get fruit at Sprouts. While Sprouts can be more expensive, they typically have several produce items on special every week that we will pick up. As for vegetables, I like the frozen organic vegetables from Costco. They taste fresh, and don't cost too much.

Kid's Clothes (New): Gymboree, Children's Place
We have been blessed with many hand-me-downs, but if you prefer to purchase your kid's clothing new instead of gently used, I have had good luck at Gymboree buying on clearance with a 20% coupon or Children's Place online using coupon codes which they have frequently. I don't spend more than $3 per new item for my toddler, or $5 per new items for my 6 year old (who is in size 8, thus more expensive clothes). But, because I buy quality clothes, I can sell them for $1 to $2 each at a yard sale, and almost make my money back! 

Kitchen Items: Costco Business Center, Homegoods, Ikea
If you happen to have a Costco Business Center in your area, don't be fooled by the name, you can find some great deals for your home. Since it's built for businesses and restaurants, the Business Center doesn't carry the fun stuff (clothes, books, toys, etc), but they carry a ton of restaurant (ie kitchen) supplies at very low prices. They have pots and pans, utensils, servingware, and other items. One of my favorite items to get there is the digital meat thermometer, only $3 each. Similar thermometers are $10-12 anywhere else. I also like Homegoods for good cookware, and Ikea for miscellaneous items, such as spatulas and straws.

Women's Clothing: Target, Nordstrom Rack
I love the tank tops at Target. They go under anything, and I can often get them for $4 each when they have a sale and a clothing coupon. I've gotten many cute outfits at Target for a fraction of the cost anywhere else.
Nordstrom Rack is hit-or-miss. You have to be patient, but on occasion you can find some incredible deals. My daughter was recently the flower girl in a wedding, and I found an amazing white satin flower girl dress marked down from $100 to $24.99. I could not have purchased the fabric to make the dress for cheaper than that!

Toys: Homegoods, Costco
Homegoods has a really nice toy section, and they're often good quality, such as Melissa and Doug. When I'm purchasing for a birthday party or baby shower, Homegoods is my first stop. During Christmas season, Costco has wonderful deals on toys, which I often purchase to use as birthday gifts throughout the year.

Where Do You Like To Shop? Let me know in the Comments!

Join our Facebook Community

Pin This

Costco Finds--Back to School

Every once in a while Costco will put stuff on clearance, and you can find a steal! This week I went in looking at clothing since they're beginning to switch out summer clothing for fall clothing. Here are some of the good deals I found. Perfect for back to school!

*Prices and selection may vary depending on store

How adorable is this dress...it was in sizes 2T to 6X, and was only $4.97!

These dresses went all the way up to size 8, and were only $6.97. I actually picked one up for Stinker for Christmas.

These little boy super hero sweatshirts were not on clearance, but $9.99 was still a good price. They seem like good quality.

Again, these boots were not on clearance, but they are awfully cute and less than $20. They're sherpa lined and super soft.

Junior has one of these jackets, and they're perfect for fall...or deep winter in San Diego! One of the best prices I have seen on jackets anywhere.

These kid's socks are really good quality--they're Stride Rite brand and were 8 pair for $6.99. Only about $0.87 per pair.


Costco is one of my favorite places to do back to school shopping, and if you can catch them in between seasons, you can get clearance prices for even better deals!

Join our Facebook Community!

Pin This!

"Is Ebates For Real??"

 

I get questions about cash back and points sites often. People want to know the whats, hows, and fine print before signing up. One site I receive frequent questions about is Ebates. Here's the scoop:

1. How does Ebates work?
-The stores that Ebates offers cash back on give Ebates a referral commission for each purchase you make through them. For example, Home Depot might offer a 7% commission to Ebates for each purchase that is made going through the Ebates referral link. Of that 7%, you receive 3% cash back. Essentially, Ebates makes their money through your purchases, then shares the commission with you in the form of cash back. 

2. So, is Ebates legititmate?
-In short, yes. The site is a legitimate way to receive cash back on online purchases.

3. Okay, it sounds too good to be true. What is the fine print?
-There are some stipulations in order to receive your money. There must be at least $5 in your account in order to receive your check, which are sent out 4 times a year. Now, this isn't usually an issue during Christmas time when I do quite a bit of online shopping, but there are times when I only receive one or two checks a year.

4. Are there any drawbacks to using Ebates?
-For me, there is the temptation to spend more, knowing that I will receive cash back on a purchase, so it's been a testing of my self-control to only purchase what I was planning, and not making impulse buys :)

I have been using Ebates for about 3 years now, and have nothing but good things to say. And, since most of my shopping is done online anyway, it's nice to get a little something back.

Browse more Money Saving Articles here

Join Our Facebook Community

*Links may be a referral link, but all opinions and ideas are my own, and have not been skewed in any way. 

Saving Money...Quick Tips at Target!

Target is one of my happy places. Sometimes on the weekends, I'll leave the kids with my husband and go for a drive. That usually means I'm going to the nearest Target to wander around the aisles in peace.

One of my favorite parts of Target is browsing their clearance sections. While they often have an excellent clearance selection, purchasing unnecessary items obviously increases the risk of overstepping our budget. Here are a couple tips for staying on budget in the clearance aisles of Target:

1. Keep an Eye out for "Online Items"
-Items that were purchased online and returned in stores are as much as 90% off. Because it's not a store item, they want to liquidate at quickly as possible. The areas that I've seen the most online items are in the baby section (baby shower returns), and the furniture/home section. They're often just tossed into the regular clearance area, though, so keep an eye out. But, it's very hit or miss, and these deals are often scooped up quickly.

2. Check Reviews Before Buying
-Recently I saw a toy that I thought would make a good Christmas present for my daughter. It's was 70% off. However, I pulled out my phone, went on Amazon, and checked the reviews for the product. It only received 2 stars in multiple reviews for being poor quality. I decided not to purchase it. If it's poorly made, even on clearance, it's probably not a good deal.

3. You Don't Need Every Deal
-Being largely homebound with Junior for the last 16 months has taught me that I don't need every single good deal that pops up. If there's no room in my budget, or it's just clutter that I really don't need, it's not a good deal for me. When you look to purchase something, even if it's just a few dollars or on clearance, ask yourself "Do I really need this?" "Do I have a place for it?" These questions help me realize if I'm buying something that will truly be used, or just buying for the sake of buying.

Join our Facebook Community and share your own experiences with clearance shopping!

Quick Tip for Retail Shopping...Save 50%!

I was looking for a new stroller for Junior that was compact and lightweight, but still had good maneuverability. Our current umbrella stroller was a nightmare to steer, so I wanted to upgrade a bit.

After researching several sites for reviews and price (including online stores that offered coupon codes as well as cash back on Ebates), I found the stroller I liked for 15% off with free shipping. Just before I purchased it, however, I decided to make a quick run to Babies R Us to "test drive" the stroller to make sure it had the features I wanted before ordering it online.

Upon arrival to Babies R Us, I discovered they had two colors of the same exact stroller on the floor. One color had a lot of boxes in stock, the other had no remaining boxes. I asked a crew member if they would offer a discount since the stroller was a floor model, and after quickly conferring with the manager, she said they would take 30% off. I also happened to have a 20% off one item store coupon, and while they told me it likely wouldn't accept the coupon, the computer did accept it. Making the stroller 50% off! The lesson?

Ask for floor model discounts!

This actually wasn't my biggest deal by purchasing a floor model. When we were first married, I wanted to purchase my husband a grill for Christmas, but the top quality brands and grills just weren't in my price range. I found the exact make and model I was looking for at Home Depot, but it happened to be the last one in stock. The manager gave me almost 60% off because it was a floor model and had some scratching in the back (which is not visible the way our grill faces in our yard). I was so excited to purchase a $600 grill for $250. (And we still use it weekly in the summer!)

Have you ever asked for a discount and received a great deal? Let me know in the comments!

Find more money saving tips on our Facebook Community!

My Favorite Things at Trader Joes: Snacks and Chips

Once a week when I was younger, my dad and I would sit in the living room, munch on "Little Fishies" (aka Goldfish) and have a Wonder Years party. I think my fondness for snacks stems in part from this experience; quality time with my dad. Wednesday nights were almost sacred, and he never forgot to pick up Little Fishies on his way home from work so we could watch our favorite show with our favorite snack. (Except once he got plain instead of cheddar, and ew.) 

Growing up, when I would ask for a snack, my mother would direct me to the refrigerator for fruit. Really? Fruit was not an acceptable snack in my opinion. It lacked the saltiness and crunch and overall satisfaction that I used to equate with snack foods. Now, I've come a long way in the healthy department, but I still have a weakness for the crispy, crunchy snack foods of long ago, so I apologize if this list is a little light in the "healthy snacks" department.

Favorite Snacks at Trader Joes:

Nuts and Dried Fruit:

I love making homemade trail mix, and Trader Joe's has a great selection of both.

 

Organic Popcorn:
Homemade popcorn is so much healthier than microwavable bags, and this organic popcorn is even better for you.

Kettle Corn:
Perfect sweet salty mix. I may have been known to eat a whole bag in one day. (Shhhh!)

Potato Chips:

These potato chips taste like a major brand, but aren't nearly as greasy. Perfect for lunches or a side for BBQ!

Organic Corn Chips:

I love Fritos on my chili. These are organic and cheap! Score!

Pita Chips and Hummus:

The pita chips are delicious and crispy and the roasted red pepper hummus (my favorite) is well spiced. 

What do you consider to be a snack food? What are your favorite snack foods at Trader Joe's?

Join our Save Money, Live Joyfully Facebook Community!

Saving Money: Online Coupon Codes

While I haven't had the opportunity to do as much couponing since my second child was born last year, I have been able to do more online and comparison shopping. Barring groceries, I often find what I'm looking for cheaper online. Before I purchase anything, I check online for the lowest price and scour the web for coupon codes. Here are some of my favorite sites for gathering coupon codes:

• Save1.com
• Save1.com is like other coupon code sites, but with a humanitarian twist. If you use one of their offered coupon codes when you check out at a retailer (they offer coupons for several thousand online retailers), this family-owned company receives a small commission. Part of that commission is then used to fund several BBB-accredited, non-profit charities that provide meals for needy children. Since their inception in 2012, they have provided over 93,000 meals for malnourished children around the world!

•  RetailMeNot.com
• Retailmenot.com is the largest of the coupon code sites. Coupons are updated constantly and allow user contributions. It also allows people to vote on whether or not a particular coupon worked for them, allowing you to find the most reliable coupons quickly.

• Ebates.com
• Ebates really comes in handy during Christmas season when I do a lot of online shopping. By using their retailer links and provided coupon codes, they offer you a percentage of their commission as cash back. I have been using Ebates for about 5 years, and have enjoyed getting a little extra money in my mailbox every few months.

See More Saving Money articles HERE

Come Be a Part of Our Facebook Community!

My Favorite Things at Trader Joes: Refrigerated

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite stores to shop at. I do the bulk of my shopping here. For starters, they claim to not use foods that are GMO (genetically modified), plus they offer many high quality or novelty items at very reasonable prices.

I am often asked about my favorite items when shopping at Trader Joe's, so I thought it would be fun to compile my favorite (and possibly not so favorite) things at Trader Joe's. What are your favorite things to purchase here?

First up are my top 5 Refrigerated Items:

Trader Joe's Uncured Apple Smoked Bacon
Who doesn't like bacon? My late mother-in-law was allergic to it, but other than allergies, there are no excuses. TJs bacon is uncured (read: nitrate free), and cooks up crisp and flavorful. While it's not super thick, it's also not a paper thin pathetic excuse for bacon that some stores sell.
The only downside is that there are about 8 slices in a pack, which is enough for one meal. Stinker, my 4 year old, once commented about a meal I had prepared that "I can't eat this. It doesn't have bacon."
Better buy two packs :)  

Trader Joe's Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls

I buy these about once a month as a treat for breakfast, and we look forward to them all month! They're sweet but not overly so, with a perfect balance of cinnamon and sugar. Plus, the frosting is fabulous. I cook these a little longer than noted, just because I don't like undercooked, soggy dough, and the result is a firm exterior and soft, fluffy interior, dripping with just enough frosting to satisfy an early morning sweet tooth.

Trader Joe's Peeled Garlic

Okay, I don't normally buy produce at TJs, but these peeled garlic packets are ingenious. Each packet contains several cloves of peeled garlic, vacuum sealed for freshness. Brilliant!

Trader Joe's Mirepoix

Again, not normally a produce shopper at TJs, (it's shipped in, and not always as fresh as can be), but this combination of pre-cut carrots, onions, and celery make my life so much easier when I need to throw together a quick soup or stew. Cutting veggies takes me forever, so this pack of pre-cut veggies literally shaves 25 minutes off my prep time. If you can chop veggies like a whiz, skip this, but if you like convenience or need a quick prep meal, this is wonderful.

Trader Joe's Cilantro Salad Dressing

I struggle finding salad dressings I love, but this dressing is so versatile, I always have it on hand. Delicious on a salad sprinkled with tortilla strips, I also use it as a sauce for fish tacos, and it is the ultimate dipping sauce for these amazing Southwestern Egg Rolls.

Runners Up:

• Pizza Dough-The plain is great. I can't say the same for the whole wheat or herb. I'd still rather make my own dough, but in a pinch this is good.
• Cheese-Trader Joe's cheese is priced pretty well compared to the grocery store. They also have a wonderful selection.
• Biscuits and Croissants-These refrigerated gems taste just like, scratch that, better than Pillsbury without all the preservatives.
• Pre-Cut Veggies-These can be hit-or-miss. Pick them up if convenience is necessary.
• Deli Meat-I don't really buy meat at TJs, haven't had the best experiences, but the lunch meat is nitrate free and preservative free and actually pretty good quality. I like to buy pepperoni here for our homemade pizza.

Join us next time to see which Snack Foods made the list of my favorite things at Trader Joe's!

I'd love for you to join our Facebook Community!