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2013: Black Friday and Cyber Monday Survival Tricks

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2013: Black Friday and Cyber Monday Survival Tricks

Photograph Credit: iCLIPART

The mayhem is about to commence. During Thanksgiving week, stores are gearing up for deep discounts, crowds of customers, and money in their safes.

In preparing for the crunching numbers craze, I found these Black Friday and Cyber Monday survival tricks to make the best use of our time this shopping season.

Black Friday

  • Tips – Yes, take the store advertisement with you.
  • Store hours
  • Apps – Without a smart phone, I cannot confirm the usefulness of these apps. However, I trust the source from which these recommendations came.
  • Early online deals
  • Amazon deals

Cyber Monday

Our 2012 Black Friday Experience

Though Black Friday is quite popular, our family has found Cyber Monday and on-line deals a better option. Last year, we missed a Black Friday deal for a 40-inch television priced at $250. We chose to spend time with our family rather than wait in long lines at the store.

Fast forward to a week before Christmas when Amazon put a better quality 40-inch television on sale, we snagged it at the $250 price. We received the television on Christmas Eve at our doorstep, and our television was one of our favorite deals of 2012.

As you scour the advertisements and find really great deals on items you or your family needs, know your bottom line. If the deal does not match your need or your budget, then let it go. There really will be other opportunities.

In using time wisely, use your knowledge and your Black Friday and Cyber Monday survival tips to maneuver through the deals to find the ones that best fit your needs. Happy hunting!

Question: For what item(s) are you searching this holiday season? 

Tying up 2013 and Ringing in 2014

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Tying up 2013 and Ringing in 2014On this last day of the year, our family is looking ahead while tying up 2013 and ringing in 2014.

As we are underway in our current remodeling project – redecorating our children’s bedrooms – and out-of-town family is still visiting, we are glancing back and pressing forward.

Tying up 2013

The end of the year is a good stopping point. Though I may not be done with my 2013 goals, I take time to reflect and evaluate.

As I was thinking about the lessons I learned, I realized the growth I’ve experienced this year by focusing on my priorities, investing in true friendships, and refusing to feel guilty when I declined an opportunity that conflicted with my priorities.

In tying up 2013, I found these two exercises fun and helpful:

1. 2013 Time Capsule from Amy McGuire @ The Finer Things in Life

This fun printable is great for each family member to fill out. Hide the pages away or stuff them in a paper towel holder with aluminum foil rubber banded on each end. You can either bury it or store it away in your Christmas items for next year.

This is our first year filling out a time capsule form, so we’ll see if this becomes one of our family’s traditions. I think we will store our forms with our Christmas items as we keep our decorations up until after the start of a new year.

2. 20 Questions for a New Year’s Eve Reflection written by Tsh Oxenreider @ The Art of Simple (formerly Simply Mom).

These 20 questions focus on the specifics of 2013. If you journal, these are great starting points. Not into writing and journaling, no problem. Tsh included a printable form with the 20 questions if you would like to record your answers and then look them over next year to see how far you’ve grown.

Ringing in 2014

Miss 6 is ready for New Year’s Eve night. One of our favorite traditions is to eat crackers with “squirt” cheese – making smiling faces and mini towers – while we wait for the ball to drop. Usually we all huddle into the master bedroom bed and snuggle up together watching the firework displays outside.

Yes, crumbs get everywhere, but that is why we have a vacuum cleaner. 😉 It’s one night, and these together moments bring excitement and enjoyment to the start of our new year.

If you are looking for ideas for ringing in 2014, check out these additional resources:

1. Dixie cup party lights from The Krazy Coupon Lady to spice up any room in your home.

2. Party ideas from Celebrations.

3. A midnight dinner idea from Money Crashers.

4. 6 different New Year’s party themes at International Business Times.

Whether you are throwing the bash of the year or spending New Year’s Eve quietly at home, may you continue using time wisely tying up 2013 and ringing in 2014. See you in the New Year!

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Question: How you are planning to ring in 2014?

Gift of Curiosity: Winter Printable Pack

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Gift of Curiosity: Winter Printable Pack

Photograph Credit: Gift of Curiosity

Katie @ Gift of Curiosity has put together a Winter Printable Pack for children ages 2-7.

The package includes 77 activities of which many have multiple versions for parents and caregivers to adjust the difficulty for each child’s skill level.

The activities contained within this pack include the following:

  • Shapes
  • Colors
  • Same vs. different
  • Sorting
  • Sequencing
  • Categorizing
  • Puzzles
  • Mazes
  • Math

To download this printable pack, you must to subscribe to Katie’s free e-mail list. She will then send you a link to the Winter Printable Pack to download, open, and save. I appreciate these printable packs as my girls love to work on the pages. With fun activities, my girls forget they are learning and practicing their gross motor and fine motor skills.

I am sharing Katie’s Winter Printable Pack without compensation or affiliate benefits. Finding her packs beneficial, I offered to share Katie’s resources on Using Time Wisely. Hope you can use these activities with little ones or pass along the information to others. Happy printing!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Printable Packs and Resources

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Printable Packs and Resources

Photograph Credit: Blessed Beyond a Doubt

As a leader of the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life is honored on the third Monday of January each year.

In recognition of his accomplishments, the following Martin Luther King, Jr. printable packs and resources focus on his contributions:

May you find these resources practical in remembering the civil rights movement and the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Happy learning!

Question: What additional resources would you add to this list? 

Super Bowl Food Ideas

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Super Bowl Food Ideas

Photograph Credit: Flickr (alsis35)

Woo hoo! Super Bowl weekend is on the horizon. Have I mentioned how much I love football season?

Though my Florida Gators had a rough, OK, bad season, I’m glad to see Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos going to the Big Game.

My husband, Paul, is a Denver Broncos fan, so there will be lots of orange and blue in our house Sunday night.

I do like the Seattle Seahawks, and I’m glad they made it as well. But I like the way Peyton Manning plays and will still route for the Broncos.

If you have avid football fans and need some chow during the 4+-hour game, then try a few of these Super Bowl food ideas:

With all these great options, I’m sure you can find something to keep the football fans fed during the afternoon, evening, and into the night.

Many of the slider and BBQ recipes could be doubled and cooked in the crock pot. Love using our crock pot during parties as the food can stay out and warm for hours without spoiling.

Wishing you all a wonderful Super Bowl celebration!

Question: Who do you think is going to win the Big Game: Seattle Seahawks or Denver Broncos?