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Archives for October 2011

On-Line Shopping: Cash-Back Sites – Part 1 of 5

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (ideas4Christmas2010)

Are you getting ready for Christmas? I know it is about 2 months away, but planning ahead and watching for sales will save you money, energy, and time.

Believe it or not, I really do not like shopping. I would rather be playing with my children or organizing my home. But because shopping is a necessity that must be done, I choose to shop on-line as often as I can.

With free shipping, coupon, and promotional codes, I can snag some really great deals that are delivered to my front door without using my time and gas going to the store.

For example, my husband received cash for his birthday to spend on a waffle iron that he requested.  Knowing he wanted the waffle iron, I had been watching sales until I saw this awesome deal posted on swaggrabber.com. J.C. Penney had the Cooks waffle iron on sale for $29.99 (regular price $59.99). To snag this deal at a rock bottom price, I stacked my savings.

In this series of on-line shopping, I will share 5 ways to stack your savings. The first way is by using a cash-back site.

#1: Use Cash-Back Sites

The best two I have discovered are Ebates and Shopathome.com. Both of these sites offer free registration for you to setup an account. Then when you want to make a purchase on-line,

1. Login to your account,

2. Search for your desired store, i.e. J.C.Penney,

3. You will be directed to the store’s web site, and

4. Within 30 days of your purchase, you may log back into your account to view your cash back award.

For the waffle iron, I used Shopathome.com since the offer was 9% cash back from J.C. Penney. The Ebate cash back was only 3%.

While shopping on-line, I am glad to earn a little extra along the way by using these cash-back sites. Since you can only use one site per purchase, I check both sites to see which one offers the best cash back deal. For example, Ebates may be offering a 5% back at your store while Shopathome.com has an offer for 9% cash back. Remember, the offers change, so in using time wisely, check both sites to compare your savings before making a purchase.

For more details about Ebates and Shopathome.com, you can read this great explanation from thekrazycouponlady.com. I love the table showing the payment schedule.

When shopping on-line, use a cash-back site like Ebates or Shopathome.com to increase your overall savings. The links included in this post are my affiliate links for these businesses. If you choose to register and make purchases through these sites, Using Time Wisely is compensated. If you choose not to use these links, you can go to each company’s web site to setup your account. However you decide to sign up, enjoy the extra savings as you make on-line purchases. Keep stretching your dollars!

Question: Do you already use a cash-back site when making on-line purchases? If so, how large is your typical payment?

Family Activities: 2011 Halloween Weekend Adventures

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Photograph Credit: Lowe's

Besides December and May, I think October is the next busiest month for my family. With field trips, fall festivals, family birthdays, and Halloween events, we stay very busy.

Though we do not participate in every activity offered through the month, we have lots of choices to keep us busy. Here are some of the local and national activities going on this weekend:

Friday, October 21, 2011

6:30 p.m. – Free Movie Night at our local minor league baseball field (entrance on Field Street only).  Bring blankets to sit on to watch Toy Story 3 in the outfield.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.  –  Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic: Monster Truck

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Michaels’ Halloween T-shirt Event

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Simon Kidgits’ Halloween Event

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. – A.C. Moore’s Halloween Costume Event

There are lots more Halloween events being offered. Be sure to stay updated on continuing family outing opportunities by checking Using Time Wisely’s Facebook Event page. As I hear of different events, I will post them with details on Facebook. If you find other activities, please be sure to add the information in a comment or on a post. Hope you enjoy using time wisely with your family this weekend.

Question: What activities do you plan to attend this weekend?

Grocery Shopping: Gathering your Savings – Part 2b of 3

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Leonard McAlpine)

As I went grocery shopping with my daughters yesterday, I followed these steps. Though I had to backtrack once, due to the seasonal items being rearranged, I shopped both stores in under an hour. Finding a system that works for me has increased my efficiency while shopping to help me in using time wisely.

In Part 2a, I shared about knowing your store and including your children. This week I will continue with the next two steps in my grocery shopping adventures:

STEP THREE: Considering the Price per Unit

When I need to purchase an item that is not Buy One Get One Free (BOGOF) or on sale, I will seek to purchase items with a coupon. By considering the price per unit on these items, purchasing the largest bottle is not always the better deal. For example, 48 tea bags are $5.98. However, the 24 tea bag box of the same brand is $2.55. Purchasing 2 boxes of 24 tea bags for $5.10 is less expensive than the one box of 48 bags.

Finding the price per unit for each size will determine the best deal. By using time wisely to consider the options, I have snagged some very inexpensive items by using coupons without a sale price.

STEP FOUR: Reinforcing Math Skills

On the shopping trips where my son is with me, I ask him to help me determine the prices of items when we use a coupon. Through these lessons, he is learning to divide the price in half for BOGOF deals and subtract the coupon amount. If the coupon is doubled, then he subtracts the coupon amount again. Depending on his mood, he may perform 2-3 math problems throughout our shopping trip.

I love interacting with my children, teaching them life skills, and running an errand all at the same time. Besides using time wisely, I am spending time with my children and giving them the attention they need.

Entering the store with a plan to execute keeps me using time wisely. Though I might take a little time to consider the price per unit and reinforce math skills, I am spending time with my children and gathering savings for our family. As you shop and gather your savings, I hope you are discovering a plan that works for you. Happy savings!

Question: Do you use a calculator as you grocery shop? I am curious to know how this helps you. Please let me know.

Using Time Wisely: Giving Mommy-Time

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Andrew @ cubagallery)

On this rainy day, our temperatures are dropping here in South Carolina. I am enjoying the cooler weather snuggled in my blanket with my socks warming my feet.

This week has been a bustle of activity having finished a large fundraising event on Saturday and getting my household back to running smoothly. My To-Do list is far from complete, but I am doing the next thing and making progress.

My kids have gotten a little more Mommy-time this week which has greatly improved their behavior. We have spent time at the playground, taking family walks, reading together, and going to the library.

As you complete your responsibilities and time gets short, remember to spend time with those you love. In using time wisely, you will not regret investing in the lives of your family and friends. Happy fall!

Question: How do you handle the busy seasons of life? I would love to hear your tips.

Inspiration: More Halloween Party Ideas – Part 2

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Photograph Credit: Flickr (Kimberly Cadena)

Pumpkins are purchased, our fall festival is complete (more details coming in later posts), and life is returning to normal busyness. As I look at the calendar, the Halloween events for our family begin this weekend. If you are planning a Halloween celebration and need some more inspiration, try these great party menu ideas:

Pumpkin Cream Cheese

Pumpkin Pie Dip, Popcorn Witches, Ghost Pretzels, Cheese Fingers, and Ghost Poop (My kids will love this last one.)

Halloween dinner with spaghetti, sauce, meatballs, and green peppers for spiders

Spook-tacular Yogurt Cups

Beverage service from a pumpkin – love this idea!

Are your creative juices flowing? Lots of great ideas for making your next Halloween party a great success. If you need tags for your menu or decorating, check out these free printable labels. My kids will love to cut and decorate with these labels with or without a party.

I think I might be making the Halloween dinner with spaghetti, sauce, meatballs, and green peppers before Trick-or-Treating. In fact, I could see this dinner becoming a new family tradition. However you celebrate, enjoy making your Halloween adventure special!

Question: What are your Halloween traditions? If you feel comfortable doing so, leave your answer in the comments.