So I was walking around Publix (a major grocery store here in the southern United States) and I started thinking about summer break. I will have four hungry kids running around the house demanding that I feed them. And not just your three main meals! These minions will want snacks! Lots and lots of snacks!! The realization: that we only have about a month of school left, made me see that I need to start stocking up on summer time essentials ASAP! Today, in the by one get one free sales at my local Publix I started my summer stockpile of things like cereal, crackers, and juice.
I know what you're thinking, "but mom, how does your local grocery store sales save me money?" Well....While I was shopping I starting flipping through the money saving apps I keep on my cell phone. I have a few favorites that definitely help with my summer food budget:
My favorite couponing app is Ibotta (we both get a few bonus dollars if you use my link to register!). Ibotta is a digital couponing app. When you get home from shopping you go into the app and select all the items you purchased. It makes you watch a ten second commercial or asks you a multiple choice question about the product to unlock the coupon but it's worth the few seconds. Once you've unlocked all your coupons you will scan the bar codes on the product packaging with your phone, and take a photo of your receipt. Within 24 hours the money appears in your account and when you reach $20 you can cash it out into a paypal account or select from a bunch of different gift card options. Super easy! There are a ton of other coupon apps out there. Ibotta seems to have the best selection and easiest user interface, at least for me, but here are some other links for coupon apps I pair with ibotta. Sometimes they'll have the same discount and you end up getting items for free once you submit to each app!
Checkout 51
Saving Star
MobiSave
Aside from coupon apps there are quite a few more that will end up saving you money. Walmart has their Savings Catcher feature that allows you to scan your Walmart receipts and they then look for local stores with better prices digitally. Then they refund the difference between the better price and the one you paid onto a Walmart gift card. Of course, this limits your spending of that money to just Walmart but we all stop there on occasion. I have about $30 in my Walmart account right now (I save this particular app for a rainy day- like when I pick up a nail in my tire and have an unexpected repair).
Receipt Hog lets you take photos of your grocery, gas, and other receipts in exchange for points. You then turn your points into cash, amazon gift cards or magazine subscriptions. Quick and easy!
ShopKick is a pretty neat app! You open the app before you go into the store and it gives you "kicks" just for walking in! Then it gives you the option to scan a few random items within the store to earn more "kicks." You trade the "kicks" in for gift cards and merchandise. It also gives you bonus "kicks" if you purchase any of the random items it has you scan. Pretty simple and the gift cards add up! It funds my occasional visits to Starbucks!
If you do not currently use Ebates! Go download it immediately! Seriously- what the hell is wrong with you? Why don't you already use this site?!? This is the GOAT (greatest of all time!!) of money saving apps!! If you shop online, if you book rental cars or airline tickets online, if you are a Groupon addict, like myself, then you NEED this app! When you log into the app it has lists of companies that offer small percentage refunds when you purchase via Ebates! On our last vacation we booked our rental car, airfare, and hotel online and when we got back I had a 7%-9% refund in my Ebates! account (about $100). I know that 9% doesn't sound like much but it adds up fast! Ebates! deposits your savings every three months into a paypal account. My checks are generally between $25-$100 depending on how much shopping I do online.
I have one more suggested app for you that I have just recently started using. It's called Raise. It allows you to purchase gifts cards at a discount. You can also sell unused gift cards to them. I purchased my first gift card from them last week and it worked perfectly. I save 10% on an itunes gift card which I then used to renew my husband's MLB at bat subscription. They offer gift cards to most major retailers- iTunes, target, walmart.... etc... etc...
Do you guys have a favorite money-saving trick? An app you absolutely love? Let me know!!
I hope these help you guys save a little bit of cash to fund your next adventure!
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Friday, April 14, 2017
Sunday, April 2, 2017
My Kids Are Dreamers
My kids come up with the craziest shenanigans imaginable! They are dreamers- they live by the rules of Shel Silverstein and they believe the unattainable is not only possible but probable. I encourage that and I wish that for your children as well.
I spend my time searching for activities to cultivate the "I can" attitude in my children. Rather that be an ability to use tools safely in their quest to become a carpenter (Kids workshop information), buying a $3 children's cookbook so that my 8 year old can live out her Chopped fantasy (try your local library first or the Salvation Army generally has books for less than $1), or letting my oldest daughter commune with nature in her quest to save every animal on the endangered list; I am going to do my best to make it all happen. That's the reason I started this little blog. So we find ourselves here- listening to me ramble about how wonderful local events are and suggesting activities that will make our children grow into the adults we wish we were, while, hopefully, keeping them children just a minute longer. It's a balancing act.
Why aren't you out exploring our national parks?! We spent a day, last week exploring Joshua Tree National Park, in southern California, and my children still haven't stopped raving about climbing rocks and "Dr. Seuss trees!" If you have a fourth grader then you have until August of 2017 to get
a free pass for your entire family. I know I have talked about national
parks before but I don't think enough of you are listening! I saw very few children at the park with us that day.... and it was spring break! No excuses! I have some day trip blogs for national parks in the works, as I know they can be a little intimidating with their sheer size. Google is your friend and there are tons of bloggers just like me who have wonderful ideas and day plans for you to follow! I did my research and I saw photos of the Joshua Trees. We read Dr. Seuss's the Lorax while we ate our picnic lunch (though, in our family, Seuss is law and we can all recite the most important passages from this story. "I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues,"). Teach your children about conservation. 'Environmentalist' is not a dirty word. If you don't live near a national park, your child can still become a Junior Ranger and learn about our world HERE. There are free resources and printable workbooks available for you!
Maybe you're indoor folks... that's cool too! I live in Central Florida and it's getting to be that time of year when stepping out my front door means melting. The television is not your child's enemy. My 7 year old is a little outside the target demographic for Julie Andrews' new Netflix endeavor but she loves it! Loves it! If you aren't a Netflix subscriber there is a free month waiting for you HERE (maybe save that free month for this summer- or wait until late fall/winter depending on where you live). She is inspiring another generation of kids to get interested in the arts.
I guess the moral of my story today is to talk to your kids. What do they want to be when they grow up? Let them dream!! My littlest monster has told us for years that she wants to be a Blue Angel. We've taken her to several airshows and toured countless military museums. My middle daughter wants to play Olympic level soccer. We put her on our local youth league team- she has to start somewhere! My oldest wants to be an actress. A week of summer day camp at our local children's theatre for her! Some of this stuff is costly, some of it's free. For summer camps and local clubs, I always look into scholarship assistance. The scholarships are offered for a reason and if you qualify don't be ashamed to apply. Most summer programs offer payment plans as well- start looking into these programs now! The earlier you plan, the longer you have to figure out the money. I know my blogs have been pretty spaced out but I am out there living! So go! Have an adventure!
I spend my time searching for activities to cultivate the "I can" attitude in my children. Rather that be an ability to use tools safely in their quest to become a carpenter (Kids workshop information), buying a $3 children's cookbook so that my 8 year old can live out her Chopped fantasy (try your local library first or the Salvation Army generally has books for less than $1), or letting my oldest daughter commune with nature in her quest to save every animal on the endangered list; I am going to do my best to make it all happen. That's the reason I started this little blog. So we find ourselves here- listening to me ramble about how wonderful local events are and suggesting activities that will make our children grow into the adults we wish we were, while, hopefully, keeping them children just a minute longer. It's a balancing act.
Why aren't you out exploring our national parks?! We spent a day, last week exploring Joshua Tree National Park, in southern California, and my children still haven't stopped raving about climbing rocks and "Dr. Seuss trees!" If you have a fourth grader then you have until August of 2017 to get
a free pass for your entire family. I know I have talked about national
parks before but I don't think enough of you are listening! I saw very few children at the park with us that day.... and it was spring break! No excuses! I have some day trip blogs for national parks in the works, as I know they can be a little intimidating with their sheer size. Google is your friend and there are tons of bloggers just like me who have wonderful ideas and day plans for you to follow! I did my research and I saw photos of the Joshua Trees. We read Dr. Seuss's the Lorax while we ate our picnic lunch (though, in our family, Seuss is law and we can all recite the most important passages from this story. "I am the Lorax. I speak for the trees. I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues,"). Teach your children about conservation. 'Environmentalist' is not a dirty word. If you don't live near a national park, your child can still become a Junior Ranger and learn about our world HERE. There are free resources and printable workbooks available for you!Maybe you're indoor folks... that's cool too! I live in Central Florida and it's getting to be that time of year when stepping out my front door means melting. The television is not your child's enemy. My 7 year old is a little outside the target demographic for Julie Andrews' new Netflix endeavor but she loves it! Loves it! If you aren't a Netflix subscriber there is a free month waiting for you HERE (maybe save that free month for this summer- or wait until late fall/winter depending on where you live). She is inspiring another generation of kids to get interested in the arts.
I guess the moral of my story today is to talk to your kids. What do they want to be when they grow up? Let them dream!! My littlest monster has told us for years that she wants to be a Blue Angel. We've taken her to several airshows and toured countless military museums. My middle daughter wants to play Olympic level soccer. We put her on our local youth league team- she has to start somewhere! My oldest wants to be an actress. A week of summer day camp at our local children's theatre for her! Some of this stuff is costly, some of it's free. For summer camps and local clubs, I always look into scholarship assistance. The scholarships are offered for a reason and if you qualify don't be ashamed to apply. Most summer programs offer payment plans as well- start looking into these programs now! The earlier you plan, the longer you have to figure out the money. I know my blogs have been pretty spaced out but I am out there living! So go! Have an adventure!
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