Archives for 2012

Free Promotions Starting September 28, 2012

September 28, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Krispy Kreme

Need a little pick-me-up or change of scenery this weekend? Thanks to the free promotions at 7-Eleven, Pretzelmaker, Krispy Kreme, Smithsonian Magazine, and National Parks, we have these options:

Friday, September 28, 2012

7-Eleven – CofFREE Day!

Pretzelmaker – Free pretzel with coupon, expires tomorrow, September 29, 2012

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Krispy Kreme – National Coffee Day!

Smithsonian Magazine – Free Museum Day!

National Parks – Free park entrance for National Public Lands Day!

As you enjoy your weekend activities, keep using time wisely. To add more family-fun activities and free promotions to your calendar, visit Using Time Wisely’s Facebook event page. Happy planning!

Register Review: July 10, 2012 Edition

September 27, 2012 by Tracy

This register review post comes from my Publix and Bi-Lo shopping trips on July 10, 2012.

Though that week did not stock my freezer, I snagged some fantastic deals spending a total of $7.07 for 15 items. 🙂

The listed deals within this post are not currently available. Please do not run out to your local Publix and Bi-Lo as these deals will not work. But, like previous Register Review posts, these same savings strategies stacked together yield deep discounts.

Publix

6 – Barilla pasta, 13.25-16 oz.

$1.45 each, on sale buy one, get one free ($0.72-$0.73 each)

Paid – $0.73, $0.72, $0.73, $0.72,$0.73, and $0.72

1 – Kraft Miracle Whip, 30 oz.

$4.89, on sale by one, get one free ($2.45 each)

Paid – $2.45

Subtotal: $6.80

Tax: $0

Total: $6.80

Without using coupons and purchasing buy one, get one free items, I purchased $13.56 worth of groceries for $6.80 for a savings of 45.7%. My goal is 50% savings, and this trip was really close.

In using time wisely, you can save without coupons by concentrating on the buy one, get one free sales. Though this trip was good, I stepped up my savings at Bi-Lo.

Bi-Lo

8 – Chi Chi’s Burrito Tortillas, 8-20 count

$2.09, on sale buy one, get one free ($1.04 each)

Used 8 manufacturer’s coupons for $.50 off which doubled to $1.00 off each

Paid – $0.04, $0.04, $0.04, $0.04, $0.04, $0.04, $0.04, and $.04

Total: $0.32

Tax: $0

Bag Credit: $0.05

Total: $0.27

By combining manufacturer coupons (that double) with buy one, get one free deals, I purchased $16.67 in merchandise for $0.27 which is a 98.3% savings. Yeah! I made my 50% savings goal.

My total for these two transactions resulted in purchasing $30.23 for $7.07 which is a savings of 76.6%. The best part was that I stayed within my $80 per week food budget and saved money for future deals.

Whether you use coupons or just concentrate on the buy one, get one free sales, you can feed your family without paying full price. Now, one cannot live on flour tortilla shells, Miracle Whip, and pasta. But with a fully-stocked freezer and pantry, you can choose to only purchase the big deals of the week.

As this register review comes to close, I would love to hear how you are saving money while feeding your family and using time wisely. Happy savings!

Question: What is your favorite savings strategy?

Using Time Wisely: Counting my Blessings (103 – 109)

September 26, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

My days start earlier and end later these days. Coming home from the grocery store at 10:00 p.m. is not how I planned today, but that’s how it went. *sigh* Yes, my days are very busy, but I get to enjoy them with my children.

I am truly blessed!

In this on-going Counting my Blessings series, I periodically reflect on all the amazing opportunities and privileges I have in this journey of using time wisely.

Continuing from last month’s post highlighting my end-of-summer blessings, I present the start of the school year edition:

103. Great school. Just so thankful for all those who teach, protect, and encourage my children as they learn their place in life and how to act responsibly.

104. Reliable transportation. With the amount of time I spend in the van, I am so thankful for the confidence in knowing that when I turn the key, the van will start and carry us to our destination.

105. Fantastic teachers. My kids have teachers that are perfect for them. My daughter’s teacher is very nurturing which is exactly what my daughter needs. My son’s teacher is fun, creative, and challenging which is exactly what my son needs.

106. Approachable administration. When issues arise, our administration welcomes feedback which allows problems to get addressed before escalating.

107. Great friends. With the constant questions and meeting needs all day, I crave adult conversation. Knowing I need the social contact, Paul takes the kids while I attend a mom’s group. I love it and really appreciate the time away with my friends.

108. My buddy. When the going gets tough and I need to talk out an issue, my buddy listens. We share our struggles and pains while encouraging each other on this journey to glorifying God, loving our husbands, caring for our children, and living life to its potential. My buddy loves me for who I am, not for what I do or say. Wow, I appreciate her so much!

109. Using Time Wisely readers. Each of you is a blessing. Even when I get behind on posts, you wait patiently and come back. How fortunate I am to interact with you.

As I count my blessings from the start of the school year, I joy in these gifts. When I get overwhelmed or discouraged, I count my blessings which puts my issues into perspective.

Whatever situation you may find yourself, there is ALWAYS someone who would love to be in your shoes. In using time wisely, redirect your focus from what you don’t have to all that you have received while counting your blessings.

Question: For what are you thankful today?

2012: My Upcoming Family Events

September 25, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

When I shared my upcoming 2012-2013 events last week, I failed to mention my upcoming family events. As I wrote the other post, I was in the midst of planning, searching, and nailing down vendors and acts for our Fall Festival. With school projects on my mind, I only shared the school-related events.

On Monday afternoon, my toddler kept asking for “her cookie.” Figuring she wanted a cookie, I offered her one. But she didn’t want that cookie, she wanted “her cookie.” Really confused, I asked if she could show me. To which she trotted off to get the weekly ad from the Sunday paper. Then, I realized the miscommunication.

Toddler’s Birthday Party

Over the weekend when I went through the newspaper, I found the advertisement with all the birthday decorations. With my toddler close by, I asked her what kind of birthday party she wanted. She worked her way through the sales flyer naming the characters until she chose Mickey Mouse.

Though her birthday is not until the winter months, my toddler is ready for her Mickey Mouse birthday party and “her cookie.” The cookie part is because brother and sister each got a large chocolate chip cookie to share on their birthdays.

With a one-track mind, I think I need a distraction less my toddler remembers every day for the next few months. 😉

Halloween Bash

In skipping our annual Halloween Bash last year due to illness after the Fall Festival, I return to planning this year’s Halloween party. While shopping with my older children on Saturday, we found some cute Halloween crafts in the Target $1 Spot section as well as a Halloween game.

For accountability, I mentioned our party to a friend to put on her radar around Halloween. I still have a few details to work out, but I usually keep the same schedule to make planning simple and the party predictable. My kids love knowing the plan and repeating the games.

In using time wisely, my toddler’s birthday party and our Halloween bash comprise my upcoming family events. Thankfully, I have hosted both of these themes in the past, so recreating or tweaking these ideas will save me money, energy, and time. Happy planning ahead!

Question: What events are on your calendar or radar this fall and winter?

Homework Helper: Dry Erase Markers

September 24, 2012 by Tracy

Stocking up on dry erase markers during back-to-school sales proved very helpful in my home. Besides the quick note and emergency numbers on the family white board, we use dry erase markers for homework practice.

In our home, we have a Crayola easel with a white board on one side and a chalkboard on the other. My son used to practice his spelling words on this vertical white board for K5 and first grade.

When shopping at Target during the back-to-school deals this year, I found dry erase boards with dotted notebook lines. Perfect!

As my children practice writing spelling words, cursive letters, and paragraphs, they write on their dry erase boards. Even my toddler enjoys her “homework.” 😉

These boards make learning fun, save money on paper, and clean up quick and easy.

In using time wisely, our dry erase markers are our favorite homework helper. We love them so much that we included writing strips and packages of dry erase markers in my daughter’s teacher’s gift bag. It seems that our homework helper is also a favorite classroom helper. 🙂 Happy helping!

Question: What school supply is your family’s favorite homework helper?

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