It's That Time Of Year

Did you know that there is less than four months left until Christmas Day? Yeah, I am stressing out just a little bit about that.  Last year, my kids didn't have much under the tree, and I don't want this year to be the same.  I want to be able to get them everything they want, but deep down, I know that just isn't possible.  Ryan and Kasi are getting too old for toys.  They want expensive electronics.  I caught Ryan checking out Geek Magazine the other day, and he was drooling over some of the gadgets on there.

He already has a laptop, and I would love to be able to get both of my girls their own, but even with a million Apple promo codes I couldn't afford it before Christmas.  Last year, when I got my tax refund, I gave each of the kids $100 to spend however they wanted.  All three of them bought cell phones.  This year, I think I might just get the girls their laptops instead of handing them cash.  I'm just hoping that after I pay for my divorce and buy a new car there is money left over.

Until then, I am going to try and do a little shopping here and there when I have some extra cash.  I plan on doing some shopping online, and using a Target promo code or two to save some money.  All I need first is a list of things my kids want for Christmas that I may actually be able to afford.

I'm Already Thinking About Christmas

 Last Christmas was hard on me.  I barely had enough money to have gift for my own kids under the tree, and I didn't have any money to buy for my family and friends.  I do not want that same thing to happen this year, so I am going to start my shopping early. 

I want to try and do a lot of my shopping online, and have it shipped directly to my house.  That way, everything will be in sealed boxes and my kids can't snoop.  I found some cute stuff on Geek Gadgets 2012, and I also found some weird stuff.  For instance, they have an ice tray that makes ice cubes that look like pot leaves.  Who would want something like that?

My mom is always easy to shop for, but my dad is difficult.  I know he likes to read, so I was thinking of using a few AbeBooks coupons and getting him a book or two.  The only problem is that I have no idea what to get.  I love reading fiction, but I think he is more into biographies and Christian books.  Anyone have any recommendations?

If worse comes to worse, I can find some Amazon promotional codes and buy a bunch of generic gifts that will work for anyone. There have been times in the past when someone has given me a gift and I had nothing to give in return, so I would make a plate of cookies for them.  I want to avoid that from now on, so having a secret stash of gifts would be wonderful.

Mission Tuition

I get so many requests on Facebook for games, sweepstakes, and shopping sites.  Most of the time I just ignore them, because I don't do sweepstakes, I only play one game, and I do not do too much shopping online, unless it's on etsy.  I love etsy!

Today I found out about a shopping site called Mission Tuition . Let me explain how it works.  Simply put, you can shop online through their site and earn cash rewards that are put into a saving account that you can use to send your kids to college. Signing up is free, and you will also get access to coupons you can print out and use to buy groceries or eat at thousands of restaurants nationwide.  You really should check out their list of participating merchants. When you are ready to access your rewards, you can have a check sent to you, or you can have the money transferred to your bank account or college fund.  How cool is that?

I plan on doing a lot of shopping in the next few weeks, thanks to the tax refund I am looking forward to getting.  I can't think of any reason why I shouldn't shop through this site for the things we need.

No More Rack

My sister-in-law came out yesterday to take my mom shopping and show her how to get the most out of using coupons. I will admit to using coupons in the past, but I am not very good at it.  I usually end up spending more money because I buy what I have coupons for, even if they are for things I don't normally buy.  For me, it's easier to shop clearance sections, and plan my meals around the deals I find. 

The same holds true for everything I but.  I refuse to pay full price for things like shoes and clothes.  I only buy what is on clearance.  It's a good thing I am not too worried about dressing in the latest fashions.  When I learned about No More Rack, I knew I had to check it out.

Simply put, you can save tons of money on some pretty cool stuff.  They offer merchandise for up to 90% off retail prices, but you have to be quick.  They have new deals everyday, and they even have free stuff sometimes.  That's right.  I said free.  And who doesn't like free stuff?

I did a little research, and some people believe that there is a nomorerack scam because their site was hacked.  I know of several very reputable sites than have been hacked in the past, so to base your opinion on this one thing can make you miss out on some awesome deals.  Plus, there are all kinds of nomorerack reviews you can read written by people who have used the site and know what they are talking about.

I just clicked on the site to see what kind of deals they are offering right now, and they have a Nikon Coolpix S4100 digital camera for less than $7.  It was one of their insane deals.  I wish I had signed up, because I would have snatched that up.  They also have a $2 flat shipping rate, so you don't have to worry about huge shipping costs.

After checking out their current deals, I plan on signing up.  I don't want to miss out on any more of the awesome deals they offer.

It's Over

The kids and I had a wonderful Christmas.  It's funny how after waiting all year long it is always over way too quickly.  I was worried that I didn't get the kids enough, but they loved everything they received, not just from Santa, but from my family as well.  We spent the day with my mom, sister, brother, and their families.  Nothing is better than being surrounded by the people you love.

Now that Christmas is over and I spent all my money on my kids, it's time for me to find some cash to spend on myself.  I need new clothes and sneakers, but honestly, I just want money to blow.  I want to buy things I want, not need.  I do have a birthday coming up in a few weeks.  The big 4-0.  I am thinking about making a list of the things I want, making it easy for those of you who love me to buy me gifts.  Searching sites like www.paviliongift.com and www.h2-z.com can make putting a list together pretty simple.  It also makes it easier for people to buy me things, since they can do it from the comfort of their own home. 

Okay, so I am not really that into the whole "I'll tell you exactly what I want so buy it for me".  In fact, I would rather spend time with the people I love instead of getting a bunch of presents. 

And honestly, the only thing I am looking forward to getting for my birthday is a divorce.

Shopping Virtual Malls

 I am fairly new to online shopping.  I am not a fan of shopping in general, because crowded stores kind of freak me out.  I am not one of those people who feels the need to have the latest and best of everything.  I refuse to stand in line just to have the latest phone or whatever.  I would much rather sit at home with my computer and shop online.  I can ever do it in my pajamas!

There are so many virtual stores to shop in, and people are opening their own stores every day.  In fact, you can visit a Virtual Mall and find just about everything you need. You could even open your own store in less than twenty minutes, with very little start up costs.  I am going to try really hard to give only handmade gifts this year for Christmas, and those that I can not make myself, I am going to buy online.  I would much rather give my money to an individual than a big store.

Last year, I did the majority of my Christmas shopping online, and this year I hope to do the same.  I have no time these days to do much of anything, and being able to have the gifts I buy online delivered to my home would be such a time saver.  Plus, I can shop whenever I want, even at two o'clock in the morning.  I know a lot of other people feel the way I do, and it makes me wonder what the future holds.  I mean, if we can eventually find everything we need online, who is going to shop in "regular" stores?  The only thing I don't buy online is clothes, but that is because I have a hard time finding clothes that fit me properly and I like to try things on. 

What are the things you do or don't buy online?  Why?

If The Shoe Doesn't Fit

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of If The Shoe Doesn't Fit. All opinions are 100% mine.


I love the idea of this site!  My kids are heading back to school in less than a month.  I can not believe summer vacation has gone by so quickly, but I am looking forward to getting back into the routine of bedtimes again.  Brandi has been staying up with me until Junior gets up for work at 2am, and then sleeping in past noon every day.  I probably need to start breaking her of this soon.

Going back to school also means buying school supplies, which are not cheap.  Notebooks and book bags alone cost a small fortune, and then we still have to buy clothes and shoes.  Shoes for three kids can get really expensive, and that is why I was happy to hear about Sell, swap or shop for shoes.  On this site, you can buy or sell shoes, auction style.  There are Buy Now shoes, too, where you can just flat out buy the shoes for the price set by the seller.  You can even offer up a swap with another seller, if you have something they want, and they have something you want.  I was browsing the site, and the selection is pretty awesome!  The only thing I would like to see, but I couldn't find, is the option to search by shoe size.

I will most definitely be using If The Shoe Doesn't Fit to find Kasi a pair of boots for school. She is at that age where shoes from Walmart are no longer cool, but I refuse to pay mall prices for shoes.  This site is a great option for finding cool shoes at decent prices.

New Comforter For Kasi

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Linens 'N Things. All opinions are 100% mine.
Kasi's birthday was last Friday, and I still haven't gotten her a gift.  I want to get her something special, because it was her 13th birthday.  I keep asking her what she wants, and she always says she doesn't know.  So this means I have to decide all on my own.

Great.

I was thinking that maybe I would buy her a new comforter for her bed.  We are not allowed to paint the walls here, so when we moved in, I let the girls pick out big stickers for the walls in their room.  They picked big brown and pink circles.  At the time, I only had money to buy matching curtains, so Kasi has been using her old comforter, which is kind of childish.  I started looking online, and I found a cute comforter at Linens 'N Things.  

I think it would look great on her bed.  It has the pink and brown, and also purple, which is her favorite color.  It was kind of hard deciding which comforter I thought she would like, because there were so many to choose from.  Linens 'N Things carries more than just comforters, too.  They have a nice selection of  kitchen gadgets, bathroom supplies, and even vacuums.

Now that I have found what I want to get for Kasi, I am going to show it to her first, just to make sure she likes it.  I would hate to get her something she didn't love.  If she decides she likes it, I am going to order it, and get free shipping.

How am I going to do that, you ask?  Well, I have a coupon code for Mommy Bloggers like myself to use.  It's MOMBLOG.  Easy enough to remember, right?  It can be used on all orders over $26 until June 1, 2010.

So get shopping!

Saving Money Is Fun To Do

Shopping online is going to become the norm someday. Why do we need malls and super stores when we can buy the same things from the comfort of our homes in our pajamas? Heck, even grocery stores are starting to deliver groceries. Hermits like me can live forever, and never leave home. I just need to convince Junior that we need to move closer to a Chinese restaurant that delivers. And a pizza place. Oh, and maybe a McDonald's. Can you imagine how much money McDonald's would make if they delivered? Maybe I need to pitch this idea to my local franchise owner, who I happen to know personally since I have worked for him in the past, for many, many years.

I think I am getting a little off topic, which was shopping. I am not a big fan of shopping. At all. But, I know that sometimes I just have to suck it up and buy the things that my kids and husband need. That's right, very rarely do I buy myself anything. Only when I get gift cards and money for my birthday, which happens to be in three days. Then I like to shop. I am hoping to get enough money together this year to buy myself the wii fit. This is something I really want, because I have heard such good things about it. I also want the Biggest Loser wii game. Maybe I will get enough money to buy both. Who knows.

But before I buy anything, I will check online for the best deals. If I can buy them while sitting here in my comfy clothes, that would be awesome. I love finding sites that offer coupon codes and discounts, like DealTattle.com - Coupon Codes & Discounts. Having coupon codes can save me money, and sometimes I can find deals for free shipping. Saving money is high on my list of priorities these days. In fact, I think saving money is high on a lot of people's lists these days.

I am off to see what other types of deals I can find. I want bookshelves for the kids room when we move, and I'm hoping to find a good deal on those. Wish me luck!