Using Time Wisely

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Archives for February 2011

Money Saving Tips

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Saving money in the long run may require spending money at the onset. For example, I took my car to the mechanic for routine maintenance. The car needed an oil change and tire rotation. Since I get free tire rotation where I bought the tires, I paid for the oil change and drove to Discount Tire.

When the tires were rotated, the Discount Tire technician found my new front tires were worn down. The recommendation was to apply the credits from our warranty on the existing tires to purchase two new tires.  With the credits, I would owe $130 for two new tires, which is about the price of one.

Though I could have driven with the existing tires, I would have worn them out in about a year and had to purchase two new tires at full price, costing around $260. My husband and I chose to pay the $130 now to save $230 in the long run. My husband then took the car for a front-end alignment which should correct the wear on the tires.

I love to save my family money. Whether it is finding deals on items, events, memberships, or insurance policies, I desire to get the most out of each dollar spent.

Did you know you could get free toothpaste at CVS this week? Yes, in the CVS sales flyer (Feb. 13-19), All Colgate Sensitive 6 oz. or Total Advanced 5.8 oz. tubes are on sale for $3.79. After purchasing the toothpaste with your CVS card, your receipt will print with a $3.79 Extra Bucks (which is store credit) at the end. You could then use the $3.79 Extra Bucks for anything you need at CVS.

The scenario above would be getting the toothpaste minus tax for free. Since I currently have two coupons for Colgate Total in the amounts of $1.00 and $.75, I would use the coupons and get two tubes (limit of 2 per the advertisement). I would checkout with $3.79 (one tube) + $3.79 (2nd tube) = subtotal: $7.58. Then I would use my two coupons: subtotal $7.58 -$1.00 (coupon)-$.75 (coupon) = total $5.83 + tax. I would pay around $6.20 and receive a store coupon on the end of my receipt for $7.58 ($3.79 for each tube). I would have made $1.38 in store credit and have 2 tubes of toothpaste.

The cabinet under our bathroom sink houses the 30+ tubes of Colgate toothpaste I have acquired by playing the drugstore game. Stay tuned each Saturday as I share more  money saving tips.

Family Time

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My life revolves around my family. My kids need their individual time with Daddy and with Mommy. Although I enjoy painting my daughter’s fingernails, stacking cups with my baby while she knocks them down, and snuggling with my son, I also enjoy the family activities we do together.

Activities can get expensive when you add in the snacks and meals while away from home. In an effort to save money and have a blast with each other, I seek to find activities that are age-appropriate, fun, and inexpensive for our family. On Fridays I will post about activities we enjoy for our growing family. Come join me next Friday for a family game night post including my Top 5 list of preschool board games.

Feeding my Family

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Thursday mornings are my low point of the week. I just battle getting up and going. Since I know this time is difficult for me, I do not plan activities or appointments on Thursdays instead I try to stay at home. If nothing else gets accomplished on Thursday morning, my 12-month old gets to nap in her crib.

Having a morning at home really helps to get some basic cleaning done. I spent a little less than an hour this morning picking up the downstairs, vacuuming the floor, cleaning up the breakfast dishes, and preparing for dinner tonight. By having my dinner planned, I am bypassing the 4 o’clock anxiety I get when I have no idea what to make for dinner. I work hard to keep my menu planning up-to-date, but life does happen. There are days when I hit that wall of “what do I do for dinner?” That’s when I turn to my stockpile and put together a meal to feed my family.

What’s a stockpile? Well, come back on Thursdays as I share my food tips including menu planning, grocery shopping, couponing, stockpiling, recipes, and more.

Odds and Ends

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Hump Day has arrived! I first heard this term during my first semester of college. A professor welcomed the class on a Wednesday afternoon with, “Happy Hump Day!” I remember staring at him and thinking, “What in the world is ‘hump day’?”  After consulting an upperclassman, I learned that Wednesday was Hump Day. The explanation continued that the week is like a hill. After climbing the hill on Monday and Tuesday, you will reach the hump on Wednesday. Take a breath. Then the decline takes place on Thursday and Friday ending with the welcomed weekend.

Upon reaching the top of the hump today, I am taking a breath. This includes catching up on items that have been toss to the side during my busy Monday and Tuesday, preparing for the rest of my week, and relaxing for a few minutes to refresh.

In the spirit of calm, I plan to post on Wednesdays miscellaneous items that have helped me along the way. For example, next Wednesday I’ll share what I do when I only have a few minutes to spare. Until that time, I wish you a breath of fresh air as you enjoy the rest of this Hump Day.

Event Planning 101

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Did someone say party? I love attending a well-organized event where structure and order are balanced with spontaneity and free time.  When I was in high school, I remember attending a rehearsal dinner that was so structured that I felt like I needed to ask permission to sit down. The event was very organized but lacked free time.

On the other hand, I attended a friend’s birthday party that was entirely spontaneous. The food was out, gifts scattered around, and attendees milling about visiting with each other. The hostess enjoyed socializing and failed to execute any order to the event’s schedule. About half an hour into the party, I was ready to go, but the food had not been eaten nor gifts opened by the recipient. This party was extremely spontaneous but lacked structure.

Having attended and planned a number of gatherings, I will share on Tuesdays how I attempt to implement structure and fun into a well-organized event. Stay tuned for next week’s topic: Hosting a dinner party.