A quick word...

The downfall of any shopper is the impulse buy. The desire to take something home without thinking about it, hits me at Dollar Tree and the 99 cent store like nothing else. It may be a cute hair tie, a book for my daughter, that solar flower that Dollar Tree likes to advertise, but don't just buy it because it is cheap!

3 Rules to prevent impulse puchasing at any price -

1. Do I need it? - Are you really going to use this thing? Need it to sustain life, clean the house, already on your shopping list?

2. Do I want it? - Has it been an item on your wish list for a while? If you are not sure, keep it in your cart for a while or wait until your next shopping trip. If you forget about it when you leave, you probably didn't want it that badly.

3. Will I enjoy it 3 months from now? 1 year from now? - Do you really want this crowding your shelf, closet, cupboard?

So, think about it before you buy it and remember that old saying, "Joy is not in things, it is in us."

Greek Yogurt

Having recently discovered the amazing properties of greek yogurt,(thick, creamy, savory, protein packed), I also discovered that it's price tends to be twice that of your average cup of cultured dairy!

Luckily, The 99 cents Only Store continually packs name brand yogurt at $39 cents a container compared to the $1.00 or so you would pay elsewhere. So far, I have seen Athenos and Yoplait available on a weekly basis. They also have regular Yoplait yogurt available often.

Usually flavors can be limited as the 99 cent store seems to carry items that were overstocked at other stores and close to their expiration date. Normally, yogurt can be eaten up to one week after it's "best by" stamp date and I usually see items within a week of even hitting that date. Despite these limitations, as some may call them, I have enjoyed a variety of good yogurt at 50-60% off the regular market price. Delicious!

A New Year's Resolution for Walmart...

Dear Walmart -


Here is a copy of the email that I sent to Walmart regarding the attitude/vibe that I got when I used their Ad Match feature for 1 item;


"Recently I went to my local Walmart on Southern and Rural in Tempe,Arizona. I had wanted to pick a few things and use price match on an item. The price match was for 1 item and was within your policy of a specific item (brand, size). I was questioned over whether or not the competing ad had expired and if I had the ad with me, even though customers are required not to bring them into the store.


While my cashier was nice, she and her manager were hesitant to match the ad at first. It was a price match for some liquid soap at 99 cents vs. your price of 1.47. I was a bit taken aback at the amount of bartering that I had to do on it. Because of this behavior, I've decided to simply shop for the item I want at this listed price I want, at another store. Please don't use price match as a selling point, if your employees will be afraid to commit to it."




Again, Walmart, if you are going to sell a feature, trust the folks that want to use it a bit more. Who would have known how long of a process it would have been if I had tried to price match several things.

Citations - 0007418226090_500X500. Digital image. Walmartimages.com. Web. 02 Jan. 2012. .

Baby's budget items

There are about a thousand different sites, stores, and programs that offer different ideas of the best prices. If you qualify (see their requirements), WIC, can be a great way to take care of your needs. Most of us are financially well enough to be on our own, so we get to hunt out the best deals and salvage items from friend, family, and co-workers.

If you are expecting, or have kids, it is always a good idea to take a look at pricing and trends in your area in order to get the best deals. Here is what I have found.

Diapers - Social butterfly moms will do well on Diapers.com. They often have codes that you can share for savings and in turn, will give you savings. For me, Amazon's subscribe and save program has made it easy for me to get a $40.00 box of Luvs for about $26.00... Store brand items can also help you save money, but I would suggest buying a smaller package before committing yourself to an item that may not work.

Wipes - Costco or Sam's Club have brands that save you a few bucks. Sam's club wipes work well for my baby. Dollar Tree has 80 wipes in a package with Care Bears on it. While these work fine as well, they do contain alcohol and may be too much for a rash or other types of sensitive baby bottom.

Formula - We all know breast -feeding is best, but if you need formula, Sam's Club and Wall- mart have brands that have the same added vitamins and minerals as bigger name brands. Powdered formula is cheaper to purchase. If you are stuck on a name brand, search websites and stores for the best deal and buy in bulk.

Food - It is easiest to make your own. Most items you make at home can be softened, cut up, or modified for your baby. If you are going to get baby food, look for sales and buy in bulk. Food clubs will most likely not have better deals than a grocery store, but you can keep your eye out for coupons.  

Clothes - Goodwill has 50% off Saturdays were you can find baby clothes. Get there early and only choose items that are in decent shape. You can also go any day of the week and shop for the items that are on sale for the day. Goodwill picks one tag color every day that has a 50% discount.  Hit up outlet mall baby stores and head for the clearance rack. Shop for clothes out of season (i.e. - Shop in the fall for summer clothes for the following year.) Some stores have coupons and stamp cards that can help you save even more. Find a friend to go with to split the minimum purchase price and make it more manageable if you need to. Also, ask the sales associates when things get marked down. Most retailers do this once a week on a particular day and the sales attendants are usually willing to share what they know.

Don't be afraid to ask friends and co-workers with young children if they know of anyone who has baby clothes that they are selling. Lots of people have a box of clothes sitting in a closet that they will just give to you if you ask, or will sell to you for a decent price.

On your search to take care of your baby, just remember to be courteous, inquisitive, and love your baby. Things don't have to be name brand to be good, they just have to do the job well.

Additional Sites for Savings

http://www.retailmenot.com/ Coupons and discount codes

http://www.amazon.com/baby - Amazon's Baby Section