Yes, it is the season for a wallet that appears cavernously empty and credit cards that are screaming for mercy. At least it is for most people. I've been doing my best to end up with stockings full of freebies or under $1 items, and gifts that cost me at least half of the MSRP. Sounds impossible? Read and learn, my friends.
Let's start with the stockings. Starting around September or October, I start scouring every freebie page I can find. I find freebies for coffee, tea, snacks, stickers, cookbooks, and anything else that someone I know might like, and request them all. Then I start going out to any website for anything that my friends or family might like, and get on all the mailing lists. That way I am set up for any freebies they may put on their site. This year, I added Facebook to this routine. I became a fan of any product or company that I like their stuff, and kept checking for any freebies. I've gotten some interesting stuff so far (I can't say what because my family and friends read the blog), and boy are some people going to be surprised. I also keep an eye out for $1 deals everywhere I go. My local Avon lady has an open house in late November every year, so I can stock up on hand cream, lip balm, shower get, and anything else I can think of for under $1 each. I also scour the $1 section of any store I go to.
The 50% off gifts is a little harder to do, but very possible. I start in September again, and check the clearance area of every store I go to each time I shop. I've found the coolest stuff in the Halloween clearance area. If I've got coupons, I use those on the clearance items to get even more off the price. I have never been turned off by "accidentally" opened Lego boxes in the clearance area. After starting to build the kit, if a piece is found missing, I just call Lego's help line and tell them the kit number and what pieces are missing, and they replace them no problem or cost (as long as it is a recent kit). Then I start combing the internet. I find EVERY coupon I can. I search for printable coupons to take to stores, and get books, jewelry, clothes, and toys way cheap. I search for coupon codes, and stack as many as possible on WAY discounted items online all the way up to early December. I also hit any discount or bargain store in my area for odd-ball stuff. I've found weird stuff in my local grocery store, like REALLY cheap books or Food Network videos in the clearance area.
The best cheap gifts tend to come with the "gift with purchase" deals. You buy one item, and get something else for free, and you can gift any or all for cheap. Here's an example I can use because my dear mother-in-law doesn't read this blog (Anyone who knows her that tells her is in HUGE trouble). I've been wanting a waffle maker for a long time, but hadn't had the time or money to get one. One day, while scouring freebie sites, I found a code for Gevalia coffee where you could get a waffle maker and an insulated coffee mug when you bought 4 boxes of coffee or tea for $20. I got 2 boxes of decaf, ground, gourmet coffee for my mother-in-law, two teas for the household, and got the waffle maker (that turned out to be a Cuisinart) and the coffee mug for my mother-in-law. Not a bad deal. I also keep a look out to see if Hallmark is giving a free ornament if you purchase 2 (I almost always buy 2 ornaments every year anyway, so free gift for someone). Bath and Body Works sends out coupons for a free item under $13 with any purchase of $10 or more. Buy a bunch of travel size things to get to $10, choose your freebie according to your coupon, and you've got little gifts for any occasion ready at a moment's notice. Just keep your eye out for clever ways to make any of these available coupons or offers work FOR you.
Yeah, I still get some stuff full price. Hey, you can't find a coupon for everything! But my goal always is to see how much I can get for the least amount of money. If I have to purchase without a coupon, I try to make sure that my money benefits more people than just me. An example is that I purchase most of my holiday books through my son's Scholastic book order or at the book fair that the school holds in December. That way the money benefits the school. Or I try to buy from brands or stores that are having fundraising days for different charities.
By doing all my shopping this way, I tend to be mostly done by Black Friday, with just a few things to pick up on Cyber Monday with all my coupon codes. Hey, this is the time to enjoy the season with your family, not witness the local mall become "the maul". Have a wonderful holiday season all, and stay sane!!!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Eco equals expensive...?
How many times have you been in a store and walked by a display of "ecofriendly" or "organic" products and wondered if they are really worth the price? They all cost more than your normal brands, and it's hard to be sure if they really are more ecofriendly than your regular products. How can you balance your desire for being better to the environment with your desire to stay on a budget? Here's how.
First, you need to prioritize what you are willing to pay more for. This varies from person to person. My family, for example, buys organic for most of my son's food. We get organic milk, oatmeal, crackers, and mac and cheese. We made these decisions after reading a lot of articles about hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics, and decided that these were the best items to insist on organic. When it comes to cleaners, we've bought everything organic/ecofriendly since before our son was born.
Next, how do you know what brands are best for you? You need to do research. I know, more work, but it is worth it in the end. With food, we researched the different organic standards and check the products we buy for what organic standards they meet. With ecofriendly cleaners, it gets a bit trickier. CHECK YOUR INGREDIENTS!!!! This is where you can get tricked by some of the companies. You shouldn't be able to find anything that is related to a petrochemical in the product. Some companies say that their products are ecofriendly, but really all they did was manufacture it with solar or wind power, or they use a higher recycled content container, and they charge you more because it is the ecofriendly alternative of their products. This is known as "green washing".
Now comes the savings. Once you have decided on the standards you are going to insist upon go shopping. See what brands are available in your area. More and more stores are starting their own store brand organic lines. In our area, that is Meijer and Kroger. We've found that while they are still more expensive than the regular food products, they are less expensive than the name brands, plus you can really save when they have store brand sales. Create your list of brands, and then make a list of prices of these items at each store you shop at. It's tedious at first, but you will soon know who has the best prices on what items, and (better yet) when a sale is really a good deal. Now, go home and go to the website for any name brand organic/ecofriendly products you saw and liked and sign up for their e-mail lists. Most of these companies will have printable coupons, and a few snail mail coupons. Also, if you are on their e-mail list, some will have specials if you buy directly from their website. Our favorite organic mac and cheese, Annie's Homegrown, sometimes has case sales on their website. Compare your local unit price to the unit price for the case, you may be able to save some big bucks.
I know, there are so many other organic/ecofriendly areas that I didn't cover, like clothes, sheets, and appliances. It depends on your priority levels. You can find good deals, but you have to keep in perspective the pricing. Remember, there are a lot of standards that have to be met to get certified. This tends to mean that the raw materials are in a more limited supply, and cost more to produce. I have found some product tend to be better made because of this, but again, it depends on the manufacturer. Check customer reviews to see if others have found the lifespan of the product balances out the added expense.
It's a tough balance, but you will find your level. It took us a while to figure out what products really worked, were ecofriendly, were a tasty organic alternative, and the company was as responsible as their products. Start small, make a change a month, and just keep what works. Don't drive yourself crazy, just have some fun exploring your eco-alternatives. Let me know what you find!
First, you need to prioritize what you are willing to pay more for. This varies from person to person. My family, for example, buys organic for most of my son's food. We get organic milk, oatmeal, crackers, and mac and cheese. We made these decisions after reading a lot of articles about hormones, pesticides, and antibiotics, and decided that these were the best items to insist on organic. When it comes to cleaners, we've bought everything organic/ecofriendly since before our son was born.
Next, how do you know what brands are best for you? You need to do research. I know, more work, but it is worth it in the end. With food, we researched the different organic standards and check the products we buy for what organic standards they meet. With ecofriendly cleaners, it gets a bit trickier. CHECK YOUR INGREDIENTS!!!! This is where you can get tricked by some of the companies. You shouldn't be able to find anything that is related to a petrochemical in the product. Some companies say that their products are ecofriendly, but really all they did was manufacture it with solar or wind power, or they use a higher recycled content container, and they charge you more because it is the ecofriendly alternative of their products. This is known as "green washing".
Now comes the savings. Once you have decided on the standards you are going to insist upon go shopping. See what brands are available in your area. More and more stores are starting their own store brand organic lines. In our area, that is Meijer and Kroger. We've found that while they are still more expensive than the regular food products, they are less expensive than the name brands, plus you can really save when they have store brand sales. Create your list of brands, and then make a list of prices of these items at each store you shop at. It's tedious at first, but you will soon know who has the best prices on what items, and (better yet) when a sale is really a good deal. Now, go home and go to the website for any name brand organic/ecofriendly products you saw and liked and sign up for their e-mail lists. Most of these companies will have printable coupons, and a few snail mail coupons. Also, if you are on their e-mail list, some will have specials if you buy directly from their website. Our favorite organic mac and cheese, Annie's Homegrown, sometimes has case sales on their website. Compare your local unit price to the unit price for the case, you may be able to save some big bucks.
I know, there are so many other organic/ecofriendly areas that I didn't cover, like clothes, sheets, and appliances. It depends on your priority levels. You can find good deals, but you have to keep in perspective the pricing. Remember, there are a lot of standards that have to be met to get certified. This tends to mean that the raw materials are in a more limited supply, and cost more to produce. I have found some product tend to be better made because of this, but again, it depends on the manufacturer. Check customer reviews to see if others have found the lifespan of the product balances out the added expense.
It's a tough balance, but you will find your level. It took us a while to figure out what products really worked, were ecofriendly, were a tasty organic alternative, and the company was as responsible as their products. Start small, make a change a month, and just keep what works. Don't drive yourself crazy, just have some fun exploring your eco-alternatives. Let me know what you find!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
I'm buying stuff where?
Okay, it's time to think out of the box. When you are looking for bargains, you've got to try places you would never have shopped before. The strangest places have great deals on all sorts of things. Here are a few ideas.
How many times have you driven by that craft store while on your way shopping? Stop someday and take a look around. There are some great bargains. If you need plain t-shirts, this is the place to go. For a few bucks you can get all sorts of plain, crewneck t-shirts, and sometimes sweatshirts. Hey, while you are there, you can pick up some other stuff to embellish your shirts. You can also find great deals on all sorts of other items, things like tealights, baskets, and other decorative items.
How about the big home improvement stores? I have found great deals around the holidays on toys, crafts, and games at Menard's. I've also gotten some great deals during the three day weekends like Labor Day at Lowe's. They sometimes put out big carts full of majorly discounted merchandise, like curtains, small appliances, and holiday decor. Can't beat getting your curtains for under $5 a panel.
Besides these places, I have found all sorts of things in weird places. I've found great paperback books for under $2 each at a local hardware store, as seen on TV products in the clearance area of a local grocery store, and great deals on snack foods at the dollar store. All you have to do is take the time to look around.
I know, it seems weird. These are not the places you would normally look. All you need to do is adjust your thinking each time you are going out shopping. Poke your head in a store you haven't been in for a while, and look for the oddest thing there. Most likely, you'll find a great deal on something you never expected. Try it and let me know what you find.
How many times have you driven by that craft store while on your way shopping? Stop someday and take a look around. There are some great bargains. If you need plain t-shirts, this is the place to go. For a few bucks you can get all sorts of plain, crewneck t-shirts, and sometimes sweatshirts. Hey, while you are there, you can pick up some other stuff to embellish your shirts. You can also find great deals on all sorts of other items, things like tealights, baskets, and other decorative items.
How about the big home improvement stores? I have found great deals around the holidays on toys, crafts, and games at Menard's. I've also gotten some great deals during the three day weekends like Labor Day at Lowe's. They sometimes put out big carts full of majorly discounted merchandise, like curtains, small appliances, and holiday decor. Can't beat getting your curtains for under $5 a panel.
Besides these places, I have found all sorts of things in weird places. I've found great paperback books for under $2 each at a local hardware store, as seen on TV products in the clearance area of a local grocery store, and great deals on snack foods at the dollar store. All you have to do is take the time to look around.
I know, it seems weird. These are not the places you would normally look. All you need to do is adjust your thinking each time you are going out shopping. Poke your head in a store you haven't been in for a while, and look for the oddest thing there. Most likely, you'll find a great deal on something you never expected. Try it and let me know what you find.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A Shopping We Will Go...
So far, we've worked on the change of mindset, we've got our coupons, and we know what we need in our closet. "What's next?", you may ask. SHOPPING!
Okay, I know that most of you want to smack me now. Shopping is still that nasty word to most of the world, especially the female half. Remember, we aren't going out with a goal to actually purchase anything. This will be an expeditionary trip. We are going out to find which stores are good for what types of clothes. Really, this works. Grab a friend who is honest, kind, and has a big enough purse to hold a stash of chocolate and head for your favorite shopping center/mall.
By now, you should have a list of what you need in your closet, either on paper or in your head. You know what clothes you are always reaching for, and what clothes you tend to kill because you wear them to death. My two big ones are jeans and t-shirts. I'm lucky if I can get my t-shirts to last 2 years before they are so faded and pilled that I can only wear them when painting or under other tops. We are going to map out your mall for places to get those types of pieces, and to get a good idea of what stores have clothes that actually fit you.
Yep, you get to try on clothes. This is why I suggested you bring a friend and some chocolate. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to go into EVERY clothes store that has your size range and at least look around. Yes, even the stores that have sweaters only a kindergarten teacher or grandmother would wear (or "crones-wear" as one of my friends terms it.) You are looking for items on your list that fit your new clothing look. Your friend is there to help you find items, help drag them to the dressing room, critique the fit, and feed you chocolate as necessary. Here is a scenario to help you get the idea of what we are trying to do.
WF (wonderful friend, she would have to be to help with this mission) and I are at the mall and we see a Christopher & Banks store. I normally wouldn't go in, but we are on "THE SHOPPING MISSION", so we head on in. I go through the store and find several styles of t-shirts with interesting details (tone-on-tone embroidery, interesting neckline, etc.), and a couple pairs of jeans that look like they might be the style I am looking for. I grab a couple sizes in each one that looks interesting. After about 10 minutes in the dressing room, we determine that only one style of t-shirt fits right, and none of the jeans are close enough in fit to be workable. Now I know that when I am filling out my wardrobe, I can come here to peruse the clearance rack for that style of t-shirt in multiple colors. Most important, I know what not to bother with.
You will repeat this process for EVERY store. I know, it will be exhausting, your hair will be a mess, and you will probably go through every piece of chocolate your friend is carrying. I promise, this will be worth it in the long run. You now have a list of stores that you know carry clothes you like and what sizes and styles you need in each store. This makes an actual buying trip easier. You now know what stores you can skip completely, and what stores you can pick up items quickly.
If there is one store that really has a lot of items you like and actually fit, you may want to go back a couple times a season. This is so you can check out the new styles, try on some new things, and, most importantly, check the clearance regularly. For me, that store is Target. It is less than 5 minutes from my house, and they carry a good range of items that fit me and are a style I like. Because I'm there so often, I did a little extra recon there. I chatted up the sales staff, and found out when they go through different departments to move items to clearance. At Target, they move items to clearance in the Ladies department on Tuesday. I will try to get there around 11am on Tuesday or first thing Wednesday morning so I have the best selection at the 75% off rack. I have gotten t-shirts there anywhere from $3.25 to $1.50.
I know, I'm making you talk to people again. It is so worth it to ask the sales people at your favorite stores when they move items to clearance. Then you don't make wasted trips, and you are always there right when they have the biggest selection for the least amount of money.
This all makes your buying trips so much easier. You can time your trips to when items go to clearance, and you already know what styles and sizes you need. That way you can just grab and go instead of having to try on a whole pile of stuff. Also, if the stores you like have an e-commerce site, like http://www.express.com/, http://www.oldnavy.com/, or any other mall store, you can make life even easier. You can find your coupon codes (free shipping is my favorite), then peruse the store online. You already know what styles and sizes you need, so you can just let your fingers do the typing and it will arrive at your house in a week. No bad lighting, dressing rooms, extra impulse items, and you typically have a better color selection than you would find in the stores. Plus, if there is a problem, most of the stores will let you return your online purchases at your local store (check this out with each store before you buy if you are worried.)
See, there is a method to the madness. I would never put you through all the agony without good reason. So get your list together, grab a friend (don't forget the chocolate), and go have some fun at the mall! Hey, if you're feeling adventurous, or just plain silly, go ahead and try on a sexy prom dress. It's not like you actually need one, but it is just plain fun to do. Try on a big twirly one for me!
Okay, I know that most of you want to smack me now. Shopping is still that nasty word to most of the world, especially the female half. Remember, we aren't going out with a goal to actually purchase anything. This will be an expeditionary trip. We are going out to find which stores are good for what types of clothes. Really, this works. Grab a friend who is honest, kind, and has a big enough purse to hold a stash of chocolate and head for your favorite shopping center/mall.
By now, you should have a list of what you need in your closet, either on paper or in your head. You know what clothes you are always reaching for, and what clothes you tend to kill because you wear them to death. My two big ones are jeans and t-shirts. I'm lucky if I can get my t-shirts to last 2 years before they are so faded and pilled that I can only wear them when painting or under other tops. We are going to map out your mall for places to get those types of pieces, and to get a good idea of what stores have clothes that actually fit you.
Yep, you get to try on clothes. This is why I suggested you bring a friend and some chocolate. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to go into EVERY clothes store that has your size range and at least look around. Yes, even the stores that have sweaters only a kindergarten teacher or grandmother would wear (or "crones-wear" as one of my friends terms it.) You are looking for items on your list that fit your new clothing look. Your friend is there to help you find items, help drag them to the dressing room, critique the fit, and feed you chocolate as necessary. Here is a scenario to help you get the idea of what we are trying to do.
WF (wonderful friend, she would have to be to help with this mission) and I are at the mall and we see a Christopher & Banks store. I normally wouldn't go in, but we are on "THE SHOPPING MISSION", so we head on in. I go through the store and find several styles of t-shirts with interesting details (tone-on-tone embroidery, interesting neckline, etc.), and a couple pairs of jeans that look like they might be the style I am looking for. I grab a couple sizes in each one that looks interesting. After about 10 minutes in the dressing room, we determine that only one style of t-shirt fits right, and none of the jeans are close enough in fit to be workable. Now I know that when I am filling out my wardrobe, I can come here to peruse the clearance rack for that style of t-shirt in multiple colors. Most important, I know what not to bother with.
You will repeat this process for EVERY store. I know, it will be exhausting, your hair will be a mess, and you will probably go through every piece of chocolate your friend is carrying. I promise, this will be worth it in the long run. You now have a list of stores that you know carry clothes you like and what sizes and styles you need in each store. This makes an actual buying trip easier. You now know what stores you can skip completely, and what stores you can pick up items quickly.
If there is one store that really has a lot of items you like and actually fit, you may want to go back a couple times a season. This is so you can check out the new styles, try on some new things, and, most importantly, check the clearance regularly. For me, that store is Target. It is less than 5 minutes from my house, and they carry a good range of items that fit me and are a style I like. Because I'm there so often, I did a little extra recon there. I chatted up the sales staff, and found out when they go through different departments to move items to clearance. At Target, they move items to clearance in the Ladies department on Tuesday. I will try to get there around 11am on Tuesday or first thing Wednesday morning so I have the best selection at the 75% off rack. I have gotten t-shirts there anywhere from $3.25 to $1.50.
I know, I'm making you talk to people again. It is so worth it to ask the sales people at your favorite stores when they move items to clearance. Then you don't make wasted trips, and you are always there right when they have the biggest selection for the least amount of money.
This all makes your buying trips so much easier. You can time your trips to when items go to clearance, and you already know what styles and sizes you need. That way you can just grab and go instead of having to try on a whole pile of stuff. Also, if the stores you like have an e-commerce site, like http://www.express.com/, http://www.oldnavy.com/, or any other mall store, you can make life even easier. You can find your coupon codes (free shipping is my favorite), then peruse the store online. You already know what styles and sizes you need, so you can just let your fingers do the typing and it will arrive at your house in a week. No bad lighting, dressing rooms, extra impulse items, and you typically have a better color selection than you would find in the stores. Plus, if there is a problem, most of the stores will let you return your online purchases at your local store (check this out with each store before you buy if you are worried.)
See, there is a method to the madness. I would never put you through all the agony without good reason. So get your list together, grab a friend (don't forget the chocolate), and go have some fun at the mall! Hey, if you're feeling adventurous, or just plain silly, go ahead and try on a sexy prom dress. It's not like you actually need one, but it is just plain fun to do. Try on a big twirly one for me!
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Something For Nothing
Who doesn't like getting things for free? I don't know a single person who won't stop in the grocery store for a free sample. So little seems to be free now that we'll take any freebie we can get and run. Freebies aren't always around when you are shopping, so how do you get them? Glad you asked!
I am a self confessed freebie junkie. I will get ANYTHING (well, almost anything) for free if I can. After about 10 years of digging across the Internet, I have found some great ways to get freebies in quite a few categories.
First, you need to find a couple reliable sites that catalog freebies daily. You can find some on the sites I posted earlier (BensBargains and SlickDeals), but there are sites that really put a lot of freebies together. My favorites are http://www.totallyfreestuff.com/ and http://www.sweetfreestuff.com/. Also, the coupon site http://www.savingsmania.com/ has a good freebie section, but they don't necessarily update daily. You can also check store websites, like Walmart or Kroger, to see if they have any freebies available. I have gotten everything from a Guiness magnet, to a t-shirt, to full sized products, all mailed to my front door. Can't beat that. Just be sure that any link that you click on is actually a free item, not a "participation in offers" required site. You can easily tell by the first page you go to. If they only ask for your e-mail address, and there is a little link at the bottom that says "Terms and Conditions", you are probably looking at a too-good-to-be-true kind of offer. If you try to go through with one of these, your e-mail may be spammed into oblivion. I just recommend staying away from them for sanity's sake.
Second, you need to be willing to get some e-mail on a semi-regular basis. By this, I mean you need to sign up for some online mail lists and programs. One example is http://www.kraftfirsttaste.com/. This, of course, is run by Kraft and features their family of products. By joining the program, every month or so they make coupons or samples available to their members. The most recent offer I signed up for was this week. They will be mailing me coupons for one of each of these items: Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh lunchmeat (the new varieties), DiGiorno Deep Dish Pizza, Kraft 100 calorie cheese packs, Kool Aid Fun Fizz, Kraft Mac and Cheese Homestyle kit, Ritz Crackerfuls. Yep, each coupon will be for one of the item FREE. After I've had enough time to get the coupons and try the items, they will e-mail me a link to a survey to see what I think. Hey, I figure a few extra minutes online to answer a survey is worth a couple free meals.
These type of advisory programs are available all over. You just need to sign up for the e-mail list for any product you use regularly. Sometimes they will ask if you are willing to take surveys and try new products. Free stuff...heck yes I'll fill out surveys. I've done this with Harlequin books. I periodicaly go out to their website, http://www.eharlequin.com/, and request a couple free books, then cancel the program after I get my free books. Because I'd been a member for several years, they asked me to be on their advisory panel. Oh, darn, I'm a Guinea pig for corporations. And I get to tell them what I like and don't like, which may make improvements in products I already buy. Sounds like a real hardship, doesn't it?
Also, if you sign up for e-mail lists for restaurants, you can get freebies. I get at least 10 offers for free dinners, desserts, or buy one get one free offers for local restaurants for my birthday each year, and most of the offers are good for anywhere from a week to a month around the day. I got something free each day for a week around my birthday this year. I was a happy girl. This also works for kids. My son is a part of every kid's club (all contact is through my e-mail, of course) I could find. We get free food from just about any place that has a kids menu. I even signed up for chains that aren't local, just in case we are traveling around anyone in the family's birthday. That makes traveling cheaper. During the rest of the year, we get coupons for different things, like buy one get one or a free or reduced price for new menu items. We've gotten pretty good at being able to get two adult entrees for the price of one anytime we eat out.
Third, you need to be willing to save receipts and UPCs. There are rebate offers all over, and sometimes there are gift with purchase offers that you can send in for. One example of this is the Dove tote bag program. For 3 years, they offered you a free tote bag with free samples and some coupons if you purchased a certain amount of products within a certain time period. You just needed to fill out the printable form, and enclose your receipts with it when you sent it in. They turned out to be really nice tote bags, and I didn't need any travel sized products for a long time. It really wasn't all that hard to do, and I was already getting the products. I've also gotten mail-in rebates for toilet cleaners, snack foods, and cheese, among others. It's a little work and a stamp, but getting a check for $5 or $10 here and there is worth it.
Last, you can sign up to have a house party for a product. This a new type of viral marketing that invests in people, not traditional advertising. The premise is this; you go out to a site like http://www.houseparty.com/ and sign up, then fill out an application to host a party that sounds interesting. If you are accepted, you use the provided site for planning your party and inviting guests. A week or so before the party you will receive a party pack from them containing coupons (free product for the host, really nice dollar off for your guests), party favors, host gifts, and more. You host the party on the agreed upon date, have fun with your friends and take some pictures. After the party, you post the pictures on the provided party site. You will be sent a survey to complete as the host, and then a survey to send to all your guests to fill out about their experience. It's a great way to get people to try your new products, get feedback, and have people spread the word for you. I've hosted a party for Jell-O Mousse Temptations/Your Shape for the Wii, and one for DiGiorno Pizza. It's easy, inexpensive, and a great excuse to get your friends together. Everyone had a great time, and I got some cool stuff to keep.
This can sound pretty weird until you start getting things in the mail. I have a couple baskets in my upstairs linen closet that have samples for just about any personal care product you could possible ever need. I never need to buy small sizes when flying, and I haven't had to buy deodorant or toothpaste (unless I get a coupon deal that makes them free) for a couple years now. I have tried out tons of snacks from a variety of companies for free, and had a great coupon to buy a full sized box if I liked it. I've even recently applied to test a new HP wireless printer (don't know if I'll get that one yet.) It's fun getting things in the mail, and even more fun trying out products knowing that you didn't lay out any money to try them.
I imagine that there will be even more ways to sign up for freebies in the future. I've seen some you can get by texting from your phone or by using Twitter, neither of which I do at the moment. All I know is that I will always be keeping my eye out for ways to get things for free. Now if you'll excuse me...I haven't checked Walmart's site for freebies yet today.
I am a self confessed freebie junkie. I will get ANYTHING (well, almost anything) for free if I can. After about 10 years of digging across the Internet, I have found some great ways to get freebies in quite a few categories.
First, you need to find a couple reliable sites that catalog freebies daily. You can find some on the sites I posted earlier (BensBargains and SlickDeals), but there are sites that really put a lot of freebies together. My favorites are http://www.totallyfreestuff.com/ and http://www.sweetfreestuff.com/. Also, the coupon site http://www.savingsmania.com/ has a good freebie section, but they don't necessarily update daily. You can also check store websites, like Walmart or Kroger, to see if they have any freebies available. I have gotten everything from a Guiness magnet, to a t-shirt, to full sized products, all mailed to my front door. Can't beat that. Just be sure that any link that you click on is actually a free item, not a "participation in offers" required site. You can easily tell by the first page you go to. If they only ask for your e-mail address, and there is a little link at the bottom that says "Terms and Conditions", you are probably looking at a too-good-to-be-true kind of offer. If you try to go through with one of these, your e-mail may be spammed into oblivion. I just recommend staying away from them for sanity's sake.
Second, you need to be willing to get some e-mail on a semi-regular basis. By this, I mean you need to sign up for some online mail lists and programs. One example is http://www.kraftfirsttaste.com/. This, of course, is run by Kraft and features their family of products. By joining the program, every month or so they make coupons or samples available to their members. The most recent offer I signed up for was this week. They will be mailing me coupons for one of each of these items: Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh lunchmeat (the new varieties), DiGiorno Deep Dish Pizza, Kraft 100 calorie cheese packs, Kool Aid Fun Fizz, Kraft Mac and Cheese Homestyle kit, Ritz Crackerfuls. Yep, each coupon will be for one of the item FREE. After I've had enough time to get the coupons and try the items, they will e-mail me a link to a survey to see what I think. Hey, I figure a few extra minutes online to answer a survey is worth a couple free meals.
These type of advisory programs are available all over. You just need to sign up for the e-mail list for any product you use regularly. Sometimes they will ask if you are willing to take surveys and try new products. Free stuff...heck yes I'll fill out surveys. I've done this with Harlequin books. I periodicaly go out to their website, http://www.eharlequin.com/, and request a couple free books, then cancel the program after I get my free books. Because I'd been a member for several years, they asked me to be on their advisory panel. Oh, darn, I'm a Guinea pig for corporations. And I get to tell them what I like and don't like, which may make improvements in products I already buy. Sounds like a real hardship, doesn't it?
Also, if you sign up for e-mail lists for restaurants, you can get freebies. I get at least 10 offers for free dinners, desserts, or buy one get one free offers for local restaurants for my birthday each year, and most of the offers are good for anywhere from a week to a month around the day. I got something free each day for a week around my birthday this year. I was a happy girl. This also works for kids. My son is a part of every kid's club (all contact is through my e-mail, of course) I could find. We get free food from just about any place that has a kids menu. I even signed up for chains that aren't local, just in case we are traveling around anyone in the family's birthday. That makes traveling cheaper. During the rest of the year, we get coupons for different things, like buy one get one or a free or reduced price for new menu items. We've gotten pretty good at being able to get two adult entrees for the price of one anytime we eat out.
Third, you need to be willing to save receipts and UPCs. There are rebate offers all over, and sometimes there are gift with purchase offers that you can send in for. One example of this is the Dove tote bag program. For 3 years, they offered you a free tote bag with free samples and some coupons if you purchased a certain amount of products within a certain time period. You just needed to fill out the printable form, and enclose your receipts with it when you sent it in. They turned out to be really nice tote bags, and I didn't need any travel sized products for a long time. It really wasn't all that hard to do, and I was already getting the products. I've also gotten mail-in rebates for toilet cleaners, snack foods, and cheese, among others. It's a little work and a stamp, but getting a check for $5 or $10 here and there is worth it.
Last, you can sign up to have a house party for a product. This a new type of viral marketing that invests in people, not traditional advertising. The premise is this; you go out to a site like http://www.houseparty.com/ and sign up, then fill out an application to host a party that sounds interesting. If you are accepted, you use the provided site for planning your party and inviting guests. A week or so before the party you will receive a party pack from them containing coupons (free product for the host, really nice dollar off for your guests), party favors, host gifts, and more. You host the party on the agreed upon date, have fun with your friends and take some pictures. After the party, you post the pictures on the provided party site. You will be sent a survey to complete as the host, and then a survey to send to all your guests to fill out about their experience. It's a great way to get people to try your new products, get feedback, and have people spread the word for you. I've hosted a party for Jell-O Mousse Temptations/Your Shape for the Wii, and one for DiGiorno Pizza. It's easy, inexpensive, and a great excuse to get your friends together. Everyone had a great time, and I got some cool stuff to keep.
This can sound pretty weird until you start getting things in the mail. I have a couple baskets in my upstairs linen closet that have samples for just about any personal care product you could possible ever need. I never need to buy small sizes when flying, and I haven't had to buy deodorant or toothpaste (unless I get a coupon deal that makes them free) for a couple years now. I have tried out tons of snacks from a variety of companies for free, and had a great coupon to buy a full sized box if I liked it. I've even recently applied to test a new HP wireless printer (don't know if I'll get that one yet.) It's fun getting things in the mail, and even more fun trying out products knowing that you didn't lay out any money to try them.
I imagine that there will be even more ways to sign up for freebies in the future. I've seen some you can get by texting from your phone or by using Twitter, neither of which I do at the moment. All I know is that I will always be keeping my eye out for ways to get things for free. Now if you'll excuse me...I haven't checked Walmart's site for freebies yet today.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
The Coupon Game - Part 2
The last post was about coupons for grocery use. This one is the really fun one for me, coupons for other stuff. It's like a giant scavenger hunt with your little prizes being online, but your big prize being where ever you want to shop.
I gave one example about the deal I got on a Victoria's Secret bra in the last post. Here's another one I got today. I've been trying to replace a lot of white tops for the summer, but I don't have a lot of money to use. In yesterday's mail, I got a $25 Express gift certificate from one of the survey sites I participate in (more on that in another post), so it was time to dig. First, I went online to see if they had tops I was looking for. I found some I liked that were buy one, get one 50% off. The next step was to look for coupon codes or printable coupons. I found a code for 15% off your total order, which happened to be the best deal. Off I went to the local Express store to try on the tops to make sure they worked. They did, and I pulled out my coupon and gift card. My final total that I had to pay out of my own money...$1.35 for two tops.
Coupon codes and printable coupons are your friends. There are many sites that post great deals, like BensBargains.net and Slickdeals.net. Some also keep track of active coupon codes, like CouponMountain.com. They even typically tell you when the different codes were posted and expire. I use those, but when I know I'm just looking for a deal at my favorite store or site, I just use Google.com. The best way to search that I've found is by typing in the name of the store, followed by the words "coupon" and "code". So, when I was searching for Express coupons and codes, I typed in "Express coupon code". It brought up a TON of sites. I just dug through the first 4 or so to get an idea of how many valid codes were out there and what they were for, made my decision, and printed it out.
Coupon codes are really simple to use online. Almost every online vendor has a spot at checkout where they ask for any discount or coupon codes. If they ask, they probably have them out there. All you have to do is quickly search, and you can find codes for dollars off, percentage off, free shipping, and even free items. If you don't want to search for the codes or use sites like the ones I mentioned earlier, you can just sign up for the e-mail lists for your favorite stores. They will e-mail, and sometimes snail mail, you printable coupons and coupon codes. I've gotten everything from percentage off to coupons for free items by doing this. I haven't bought a panty in 3 years because I've gotten a bunch of coupons for free panties from a variety of stores. Hey, any lingerie is expensive, so I'll take all I can get.
The big thing to check when using the codes online is to see how many codes you can use at a time. Some you can enter several codes, one after another. Some only allow one. Some, like Victoria's Secret, only let you enter 3 at one time. Just start with your best code, and keep adding as many of the others as they will let you.
With printable coupons or any coupons snail mailed to you, you need to read the fine print. Sometimes you can only use the coupons on regular priced items. Sometime special categories of items in the store , like Fashion Bug's MVP (most valuable price), aren't eligible. Sometimes you can use them on anything. It just depends. I always feel like I've scored when I find a $10 off $10 or more coupon at a store with no restrictions on what items I can use it on. I go straight to the clearance section and get as many items as I can get that get me as close to $10 as possible. It works great.
Again, this does require a bit of work and planning, but it is so worth it. It adds to the "hunt" aspect of "the coupon game" and I find it a ton of fun. Now it's time for me to head out to search for more great deals.
I gave one example about the deal I got on a Victoria's Secret bra in the last post. Here's another one I got today. I've been trying to replace a lot of white tops for the summer, but I don't have a lot of money to use. In yesterday's mail, I got a $25 Express gift certificate from one of the survey sites I participate in (more on that in another post), so it was time to dig. First, I went online to see if they had tops I was looking for. I found some I liked that were buy one, get one 50% off. The next step was to look for coupon codes or printable coupons. I found a code for 15% off your total order, which happened to be the best deal. Off I went to the local Express store to try on the tops to make sure they worked. They did, and I pulled out my coupon and gift card. My final total that I had to pay out of my own money...$1.35 for two tops.
Coupon codes and printable coupons are your friends. There are many sites that post great deals, like BensBargains.net and Slickdeals.net. Some also keep track of active coupon codes, like CouponMountain.com. They even typically tell you when the different codes were posted and expire. I use those, but when I know I'm just looking for a deal at my favorite store or site, I just use Google.com. The best way to search that I've found is by typing in the name of the store, followed by the words "coupon" and "code". So, when I was searching for Express coupons and codes, I typed in "Express coupon code". It brought up a TON of sites. I just dug through the first 4 or so to get an idea of how many valid codes were out there and what they were for, made my decision, and printed it out.
Coupon codes are really simple to use online. Almost every online vendor has a spot at checkout where they ask for any discount or coupon codes. If they ask, they probably have them out there. All you have to do is quickly search, and you can find codes for dollars off, percentage off, free shipping, and even free items. If you don't want to search for the codes or use sites like the ones I mentioned earlier, you can just sign up for the e-mail lists for your favorite stores. They will e-mail, and sometimes snail mail, you printable coupons and coupon codes. I've gotten everything from percentage off to coupons for free items by doing this. I haven't bought a panty in 3 years because I've gotten a bunch of coupons for free panties from a variety of stores. Hey, any lingerie is expensive, so I'll take all I can get.
The big thing to check when using the codes online is to see how many codes you can use at a time. Some you can enter several codes, one after another. Some only allow one. Some, like Victoria's Secret, only let you enter 3 at one time. Just start with your best code, and keep adding as many of the others as they will let you.
With printable coupons or any coupons snail mailed to you, you need to read the fine print. Sometimes you can only use the coupons on regular priced items. Sometime special categories of items in the store , like Fashion Bug's MVP (most valuable price), aren't eligible. Sometimes you can use them on anything. It just depends. I always feel like I've scored when I find a $10 off $10 or more coupon at a store with no restrictions on what items I can use it on. I go straight to the clearance section and get as many items as I can get that get me as close to $10 as possible. It works great.
Again, this does require a bit of work and planning, but it is so worth it. It adds to the "hunt" aspect of "the coupon game" and I find it a ton of fun. Now it's time for me to head out to search for more great deals.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Coupon Game
I remember as a child going grocery shopping with my father. Yes...Dad did the grocery shopping. He would go with a list, but he would just pull stuff off the shelves. This was great when I was in the teenage "experiment with the hair and makeup" phase (it was the 80s, so sue me), but he never looked at sales or coupons. He just didn't think coupons or sales were worth it. If he needed it, he just got it.
This seems to be a common thought process. Quite a few people I know never touch the coupon section of their paper or look at the store specials. Most of them have never heard of coupon codes, and don't understand why you would actively seek them out. This is something I have been changing in myself and all my friends.
Coupons are your friends! They are a way to seriously save on everything you purchase, everywhere you go. They are even better when you combine them with the sale circulars from your local stores. Let me explain by giving an example.
Today I was flipping through the paper and found the Target circular (we love Target) and saw that they have a variety of Kashi items on sale. This always catches my eye because we love their cereals, cereal bars, and frozen foods, but they are pricey. Too pricey to get without a sale or coupons in my humble opinion, no matter how good they are. This, however is a REALLY good deal. $2.88 an item, and if you purchase 5 you get a $5 Target gift card. Sounds pretty good, right? I can make it better with the magic of COUPONS. Whenever we see those coupons lying about in dispensers at the grocery store, we grab at least 3 for any product we get on a regular basis even if we aren't buying any that day. Boy does that pay off, like it will later this morning. We have a variety of coupons for anywhere from $0.75 to $1.oo off Kashi items. This means that we will get our Kashi products for $2.13 to $1.88 each, plus we get a $5 card for every 5 items we buy. If you take that into account, we are getting the Kashi items for $1.13 or $0.88 EACH!!!!! Not too shabby, right? Plus, it really didn't take that much effort to do.
This kind of thing can apply to ANYTHING you buy. Another example should illustrate this. Being female, I am always on the lookout for a good priced bra. Hey, those things are EXPENSIVE! Anyway, I was out on the Internet perusing my favorite freebie sites (more on that in a later post), and I saw a good deal listed for a Victoria's Secret bra, lotion, and panty for $11. That, my friends, is a deal. When I looked at how the deal was done, this was what I had to do. I added the appropriate bra and panty to my cart, then when I got to check out I put in three codes (Victoria's Secret allows 3 coupon codes per order). One code was for a percentage off, one was for the free lotion, and one was for the free panty. After that, I checked out to a grand total of $11.65 for the WHOLE THING!!! I may not have needed the lotion, but that could go into a box I've started to keep for stocking stuffers or quick gifts. FREE IS FREE!!!!
The trick with coupons is learning how to use them to their maximum. First, find out how your local store handles coupons. Do they double? Do they have triple coupon days? Do they double all your coupons? (This is a big one in my area because one store I go to only doubles one coupon for any item, and you only get face value for the rest on the same item.) Can you use multiple coupons on the same item? (Most of the time this only works if you have a manufacturer's coupon and a store coupon.) The BIG thing to look for at any store you shop at is if they have a store savings card. Most of the time these are free. We had to pay to join at a local health store, but they gave us a coupon for that amount to use in the store on anything, so it was essentially free to join. Those savings cards really help, and sometimes give you bonus advantages beyond special sales. Some will total up your purchases and then give you money off a purchase. Most of the time, they will allow you access to coupons you can pre-load on your card (once you register it on the Internet) to use at the store, and you can typically stack that with another coupon. I've also entered instant win contests, and had coupons for the full price of items loaded on my card. Hey, free frozen pizza is a free dinner!
The next step with coupons is to check your circulars. It seems like a pain, but for about 15 minutes worth of planning your shopping list, you can get at least 20% off your order on average. First, try to only buy things on sale so you are starting with a discounted price. Then check your coupons. Most stores will only double a coupon that has a face value of $0.50 or less. Grab as many of those $0.50 coupons as you've got so you can get an additional $1 off each sale item. Also, check for buy one, get one free offers. You can use 2 coupons, even if you are technically only paying for one item.
Now here comes the part that people get squeamish about...talk to the people in the store and actively seek them out. When you see an item that says something like "3 for $5", ask if they price has already been reduced on each item to reflect that price, or if you actually have to buy 3 to get the special price. Most of the time, you can get the special price on just one item. Plus, you typically only have to talk to the store people once about this because they can let you know what the store policy is about this type of special.
To acquire coupons, there are several methods. The first, and most common, is to get your Sunday paper. They typically have coupon flyers in there and you can do the traditional clip and save. The other place to look for more coupons is to check your magazines. They have been putting inserts into magazines now, and occasionally printing them on the pages. You can check in stores for the dispensers. Most of the time, those coupons are good for a couple months, and there should be one sale on that item in that time frame. The Internet is my favorite place to look now.
Yes, you will have to get online and be prepared to print!!! There are coupon sites like SmartSource.com, RedPlum.com, and others out there. You can search for other sites, like SavingsMania.com, that have a more diverse set of coupons than just grocery. Some sites like this one keep track of mail-in offers and rebates as well as standard coupons to print. Also, requesting free samples from companies is a good way to get coupons, as they tend to enclose a coupon with the sample (and a pretty good one at that.) The best place to get high value coupons is from the companies themselves. Any name brand product you use or ever think of purchasing, go to their website and sign up for their e-mail list. Yeah, you are going to get a lot of e-mails, but you will get links to coupons that the general public won't. Sometimes they even send you coupons for a free full size product when they introduce new items. It's worth the extra 5 minutes deleting e-mails to get those coupons.
I know that this post has mostly been about dealing with grocery coupons. I promise, I'll get to online coupons soon. I'm just so geeked to get my list together and go get my deals at the grocery store today! Time to go freak out the Target cashier with how cheap I'm getting my Kashi for! Time to go play.
This seems to be a common thought process. Quite a few people I know never touch the coupon section of their paper or look at the store specials. Most of them have never heard of coupon codes, and don't understand why you would actively seek them out. This is something I have been changing in myself and all my friends.
Coupons are your friends! They are a way to seriously save on everything you purchase, everywhere you go. They are even better when you combine them with the sale circulars from your local stores. Let me explain by giving an example.
Today I was flipping through the paper and found the Target circular (we love Target) and saw that they have a variety of Kashi items on sale. This always catches my eye because we love their cereals, cereal bars, and frozen foods, but they are pricey. Too pricey to get without a sale or coupons in my humble opinion, no matter how good they are. This, however is a REALLY good deal. $2.88 an item, and if you purchase 5 you get a $5 Target gift card. Sounds pretty good, right? I can make it better with the magic of COUPONS. Whenever we see those coupons lying about in dispensers at the grocery store, we grab at least 3 for any product we get on a regular basis even if we aren't buying any that day. Boy does that pay off, like it will later this morning. We have a variety of coupons for anywhere from $0.75 to $1.oo off Kashi items. This means that we will get our Kashi products for $2.13 to $1.88 each, plus we get a $5 card for every 5 items we buy. If you take that into account, we are getting the Kashi items for $1.13 or $0.88 EACH!!!!! Not too shabby, right? Plus, it really didn't take that much effort to do.
This kind of thing can apply to ANYTHING you buy. Another example should illustrate this. Being female, I am always on the lookout for a good priced bra. Hey, those things are EXPENSIVE! Anyway, I was out on the Internet perusing my favorite freebie sites (more on that in a later post), and I saw a good deal listed for a Victoria's Secret bra, lotion, and panty for $11. That, my friends, is a deal. When I looked at how the deal was done, this was what I had to do. I added the appropriate bra and panty to my cart, then when I got to check out I put in three codes (Victoria's Secret allows 3 coupon codes per order). One code was for a percentage off, one was for the free lotion, and one was for the free panty. After that, I checked out to a grand total of $11.65 for the WHOLE THING!!! I may not have needed the lotion, but that could go into a box I've started to keep for stocking stuffers or quick gifts. FREE IS FREE!!!!
The trick with coupons is learning how to use them to their maximum. First, find out how your local store handles coupons. Do they double? Do they have triple coupon days? Do they double all your coupons? (This is a big one in my area because one store I go to only doubles one coupon for any item, and you only get face value for the rest on the same item.) Can you use multiple coupons on the same item? (Most of the time this only works if you have a manufacturer's coupon and a store coupon.) The BIG thing to look for at any store you shop at is if they have a store savings card. Most of the time these are free. We had to pay to join at a local health store, but they gave us a coupon for that amount to use in the store on anything, so it was essentially free to join. Those savings cards really help, and sometimes give you bonus advantages beyond special sales. Some will total up your purchases and then give you money off a purchase. Most of the time, they will allow you access to coupons you can pre-load on your card (once you register it on the Internet) to use at the store, and you can typically stack that with another coupon. I've also entered instant win contests, and had coupons for the full price of items loaded on my card. Hey, free frozen pizza is a free dinner!
The next step with coupons is to check your circulars. It seems like a pain, but for about 15 minutes worth of planning your shopping list, you can get at least 20% off your order on average. First, try to only buy things on sale so you are starting with a discounted price. Then check your coupons. Most stores will only double a coupon that has a face value of $0.50 or less. Grab as many of those $0.50 coupons as you've got so you can get an additional $1 off each sale item. Also, check for buy one, get one free offers. You can use 2 coupons, even if you are technically only paying for one item.
Now here comes the part that people get squeamish about...talk to the people in the store and actively seek them out. When you see an item that says something like "3 for $5", ask if they price has already been reduced on each item to reflect that price, or if you actually have to buy 3 to get the special price. Most of the time, you can get the special price on just one item. Plus, you typically only have to talk to the store people once about this because they can let you know what the store policy is about this type of special.
To acquire coupons, there are several methods. The first, and most common, is to get your Sunday paper. They typically have coupon flyers in there and you can do the traditional clip and save. The other place to look for more coupons is to check your magazines. They have been putting inserts into magazines now, and occasionally printing them on the pages. You can check in stores for the dispensers. Most of the time, those coupons are good for a couple months, and there should be one sale on that item in that time frame. The Internet is my favorite place to look now.
Yes, you will have to get online and be prepared to print!!! There are coupon sites like SmartSource.com, RedPlum.com, and others out there. You can search for other sites, like SavingsMania.com, that have a more diverse set of coupons than just grocery. Some sites like this one keep track of mail-in offers and rebates as well as standard coupons to print. Also, requesting free samples from companies is a good way to get coupons, as they tend to enclose a coupon with the sample (and a pretty good one at that.) The best place to get high value coupons is from the companies themselves. Any name brand product you use or ever think of purchasing, go to their website and sign up for their e-mail list. Yeah, you are going to get a lot of e-mails, but you will get links to coupons that the general public won't. Sometimes they even send you coupons for a free full size product when they introduce new items. It's worth the extra 5 minutes deleting e-mails to get those coupons.
I know that this post has mostly been about dealing with grocery coupons. I promise, I'll get to online coupons soon. I'm just so geeked to get my list together and go get my deals at the grocery store today! Time to go freak out the Target cashier with how cheap I'm getting my Kashi for! Time to go play.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Step 2 - You did what?
"You did what" seemed to be a good title for the second stage of the evolution of Zen Shopping. It sometimes seems strange, but the change in thinking has worked well. Bear with me.
After working on the mental attitude change, I decided that I needed a new start. I got ruthless with my closet. Anything that didn't fit (too big or small)...gone! Anything that didn't look good on or fit into the new clothing styles I wanted...gone! If I was in doubt, I got a friend to look at me wearing the outfit and be ruthless. Kind, but ruthless. If it wasn't working, it needed to go.
Yeah, that left some BIG holes in my wardrobe. I had to figure out what worked for my lifestyle, which is never easy. I created my mental list of things I needed so I wouldn't be caught flat-footed and have to do emergency shopping (the most frustrating thing on the planet). I got inspiration from "What Not to Wear" (no, I'm not a fan...not at all), "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style", and a variety of books and websites. I also paid attention to what I would reach for time and again when I would get dressed in the morning, and what I ran out of most quickly (I hate doing laundry unless I have a huge pile to do.)
Okay, I've got my list, now what? How do I shop and have it be fun and not break the bank? I have an addictive personality, which means I'm not good at restraint. I had to find a way to work around that and make it fun. I made it a game. I'm good at games, and I'm competitive, even with myself.
Here are my rules:
1) There is "shopping" and "buying". "Shopping" means that you are just looking at things, and are not planning on a purchase. If you find something that you "need" or "want", it is a bonus and you are happy because you found something. If you don't, you aren't disappointed because you weren't looking to buy anything anyway. "Buying" is when you HAVE to get something. You have to focus, and may need some chocolate in your bag to deal with the stress.
2) I may not pay over my self imposed price for any item on my "need" list, and I must try for sales whenever possible.
3) If purchasing online, I must have at least one coupon code for money off or free shipping. I'll talk more about coupon codes in later entries.
4) "Wants" are just that. They are something you would like to have, but you do not need. If you find a "want", it must be at least 50% off before you are allowed to purchase it and you can't spend more than $20 on the total of "wants". The amount for your "wants" may be different than mine, but $20 worked with my budget at the time.
This was not an easy transition. Compulsive behavior is hard to change, but the rules of the game made it easier. The whole process is now a giant game for me. When I go out shopping, I have a ton of fun figuring out what stores are a good place to "play the game". I don't get tempted as easily anymore, and shopping isn't nearly as onerous.
When I explained the change to my husband, he looked at me and said "You did what?" I had to explain the logic to him, and he was understandable skeptical until he watched it in work. When he saw me apply it to every aspect of shopping as my mindset changed, he started joining in on the fun. We now happily pop into the house after a grocery trip to brag about how much we saved on the trip in store deals and coupons. People look at us like we are nuts when we do a fist pump at the checkout lane, exclaiming "YES!" We don't care, we are "winning the game".
After working on the mental attitude change, I decided that I needed a new start. I got ruthless with my closet. Anything that didn't fit (too big or small)...gone! Anything that didn't look good on or fit into the new clothing styles I wanted...gone! If I was in doubt, I got a friend to look at me wearing the outfit and be ruthless. Kind, but ruthless. If it wasn't working, it needed to go.
Yeah, that left some BIG holes in my wardrobe. I had to figure out what worked for my lifestyle, which is never easy. I created my mental list of things I needed so I wouldn't be caught flat-footed and have to do emergency shopping (the most frustrating thing on the planet). I got inspiration from "What Not to Wear" (no, I'm not a fan...not at all), "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style", and a variety of books and websites. I also paid attention to what I would reach for time and again when I would get dressed in the morning, and what I ran out of most quickly (I hate doing laundry unless I have a huge pile to do.)
Okay, I've got my list, now what? How do I shop and have it be fun and not break the bank? I have an addictive personality, which means I'm not good at restraint. I had to find a way to work around that and make it fun. I made it a game. I'm good at games, and I'm competitive, even with myself.
Here are my rules:
1) There is "shopping" and "buying". "Shopping" means that you are just looking at things, and are not planning on a purchase. If you find something that you "need" or "want", it is a bonus and you are happy because you found something. If you don't, you aren't disappointed because you weren't looking to buy anything anyway. "Buying" is when you HAVE to get something. You have to focus, and may need some chocolate in your bag to deal with the stress.
2) I may not pay over my self imposed price for any item on my "need" list, and I must try for sales whenever possible.
3) If purchasing online, I must have at least one coupon code for money off or free shipping. I'll talk more about coupon codes in later entries.
4) "Wants" are just that. They are something you would like to have, but you do not need. If you find a "want", it must be at least 50% off before you are allowed to purchase it and you can't spend more than $20 on the total of "wants". The amount for your "wants" may be different than mine, but $20 worked with my budget at the time.
This was not an easy transition. Compulsive behavior is hard to change, but the rules of the game made it easier. The whole process is now a giant game for me. When I go out shopping, I have a ton of fun figuring out what stores are a good place to "play the game". I don't get tempted as easily anymore, and shopping isn't nearly as onerous.
When I explained the change to my husband, he looked at me and said "You did what?" I had to explain the logic to him, and he was understandable skeptical until he watched it in work. When he saw me apply it to every aspect of shopping as my mindset changed, he started joining in on the fun. We now happily pop into the house after a grocery trip to brag about how much we saved on the trip in store deals and coupons. People look at us like we are nuts when we do a fist pump at the checkout lane, exclaiming "YES!" We don't care, we are "winning the game".
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Here we go!
Hello all!
Okay, here is where I started on this whole thing. I am the size I am and a number doesn't give me or take away my value. I credit long marathons of "What Not to Where" for this. They are always talking about how the number on the tag has no value except to let you know which way to go if the clothes don't fit.
I know, easy to day, less easy to follow. My thought process went something like this: I have loads of things I don't like about myself. I've got "mummy tummy" that will never go away unless I can afford a psychotic personal trainer that will make me workout for a disgusting number of hours daily, or I want to go under the knife. That's just the way it is. I could lose a zillion pounds and would probably look like a skin covered skeleton with a little skin pooch on my tummy. It's just stretched out skin that proves I've had a kid. Oh well. I'm not willing to give up my life (or my bank account) just to get rid of it. I also am kind of odd-proportioned, so it takes forever to find anything that fits right. My feet are the only thing average sized on my entire body (size 7), but they have low arches and widen in a strange way when I put my weight down which makes shoes fit weird. See what I mean? Everyone has the laundry list of things they don't like about themselves. Is this list EVER going to go away just because you can get into a size (insert your dream size here)? Nope.
I figured that I would just have to accept the things I don't (and probably never will) like but can't change. I can't get taller, I can't have no fuss hair, and I definitly can't change my body's proportions. I have my list of things to work on, but the top priority became getting healthy and in good shape. That shape doesn't have to have a size attached to it, heck, it doesn't even need a weight attatched to it. I figure I'm doing pretty good if I can make it through a full tournament round of Wii Sega Superstars Tennis without wanting to lie down on the floor gasping for breath and complaining for the next 3 days about how many muscles ache that I didn't know that I had. It hasn't been easy, and there are days (actually one particular week) where I can feel that water-retention wiggle and I think "AAAGHHHH!!!!" I know it will pass, but I still gripe about it. I just try not to waste too much time on it.
That acceptance has let me "let go" of fashion I can't wear EVER AGAIN. No tummy bearing tops. Jiggle is not fun for anyone to look at, especially if there is muffin top to go along with it. Leggings make my odd-proportioned legs look like sausages in a too small casing unless I wear something long enough to disguise most of my thighs. I have let go of the dream of a strapless dress or top. Hey, when you don't have much up there, to wear one of those things you either can't breathe (so tight it won't move ever) or you worry that if you let your breath out the garment will be around your ankles. Skinny jeans will NEVER happen for me. Oh, well. I'm not 16 any more, and I really wouldn't want to be (who needs the acne.)
That led to the quest for stuff that WOULD look good on my and would camouflage my faults. Again, long marathons of "What Not to Wear", along with books like Bradley Bayou's "The Science of Sexy" led me to a list of things to look for and things to just walk on by in the stores. Yeah, who doesn't covet the idea of being able to wear short shorts without everything hanging out? It doesn't mean that I think that will ever happen, it just means it is time to walk by with limited depressing wishful thinking.
I know, mind over the evidence in the mirror is never easy. It's an ongoing struggle, even after 6 years. I just try to keep positive, work on what I can, and have a sense of humor about what I can't change. I've come to find that my "mummy tummy" is pretty amusing, and is a good guide for how well my ab workouts are going by the level of wiggle when I walk. I'm the only one who knows, so why not make it my own private joke. The new mantra "Giggle at the jiggle." We'll have to see how well it keeps working....
Okay, here is where I started on this whole thing. I am the size I am and a number doesn't give me or take away my value. I credit long marathons of "What Not to Where" for this. They are always talking about how the number on the tag has no value except to let you know which way to go if the clothes don't fit.
I know, easy to day, less easy to follow. My thought process went something like this: I have loads of things I don't like about myself. I've got "mummy tummy" that will never go away unless I can afford a psychotic personal trainer that will make me workout for a disgusting number of hours daily, or I want to go under the knife. That's just the way it is. I could lose a zillion pounds and would probably look like a skin covered skeleton with a little skin pooch on my tummy. It's just stretched out skin that proves I've had a kid. Oh well. I'm not willing to give up my life (or my bank account) just to get rid of it. I also am kind of odd-proportioned, so it takes forever to find anything that fits right. My feet are the only thing average sized on my entire body (size 7), but they have low arches and widen in a strange way when I put my weight down which makes shoes fit weird. See what I mean? Everyone has the laundry list of things they don't like about themselves. Is this list EVER going to go away just because you can get into a size (insert your dream size here)? Nope.
I figured that I would just have to accept the things I don't (and probably never will) like but can't change. I can't get taller, I can't have no fuss hair, and I definitly can't change my body's proportions. I have my list of things to work on, but the top priority became getting healthy and in good shape. That shape doesn't have to have a size attached to it, heck, it doesn't even need a weight attatched to it. I figure I'm doing pretty good if I can make it through a full tournament round of Wii Sega Superstars Tennis without wanting to lie down on the floor gasping for breath and complaining for the next 3 days about how many muscles ache that I didn't know that I had. It hasn't been easy, and there are days (actually one particular week) where I can feel that water-retention wiggle and I think "AAAGHHHH!!!!" I know it will pass, but I still gripe about it. I just try not to waste too much time on it.
That acceptance has let me "let go" of fashion I can't wear EVER AGAIN. No tummy bearing tops. Jiggle is not fun for anyone to look at, especially if there is muffin top to go along with it. Leggings make my odd-proportioned legs look like sausages in a too small casing unless I wear something long enough to disguise most of my thighs. I have let go of the dream of a strapless dress or top. Hey, when you don't have much up there, to wear one of those things you either can't breathe (so tight it won't move ever) or you worry that if you let your breath out the garment will be around your ankles. Skinny jeans will NEVER happen for me. Oh, well. I'm not 16 any more, and I really wouldn't want to be (who needs the acne.)
That led to the quest for stuff that WOULD look good on my and would camouflage my faults. Again, long marathons of "What Not to Wear", along with books like Bradley Bayou's "The Science of Sexy" led me to a list of things to look for and things to just walk on by in the stores. Yeah, who doesn't covet the idea of being able to wear short shorts without everything hanging out? It doesn't mean that I think that will ever happen, it just means it is time to walk by with limited depressing wishful thinking.
I know, mind over the evidence in the mirror is never easy. It's an ongoing struggle, even after 6 years. I just try to keep positive, work on what I can, and have a sense of humor about what I can't change. I've come to find that my "mummy tummy" is pretty amusing, and is a good guide for how well my ab workouts are going by the level of wiggle when I walk. I'm the only one who knows, so why not make it my own private joke. The new mantra "Giggle at the jiggle." We'll have to see how well it keeps working....
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
And we begin....
Hello!
This all started about 6 years ago when I was trying to regain my body from the ravages of pregnancy. I was miserable trying to figure out how to shop for my new figure. Either the fit was horrible, the price was staggering, or there was nothing that seemed to look good. I finally sat down during my son's naptime and said to myself, "There has to be a better way." This is what I came up with.
"Zen Shopping", you say. Sounds like a weird self help book or some cult. Sort of, in an unusual way. It evolved into a way for me to regain my enjoyment of shopping without going bonkers or killing my budget. It's a way of looking at yourself, your wardrobe, and your budget without cringing, crying, or screaming. After all these years, it's still working pretty well for me. There are those times that nothing is going to help (like swimsuit shopping), but that can be solved by a really good chocolate confection after the torture.
Hopefully you will all find this informative, useful, fun, and sometimes just plain goofy. I warn you now, I've got an odd sense of humor and a weird outlook on just about every aspect on life. I don't pull too many punches, especially about myself, so be prepaired. I'm not out here to try and hurt anyones sensabilities, I'm just stating my opinion. I think that's enough disclaimers.
Here's to making the world safe for fun and sane shopping!
This all started about 6 years ago when I was trying to regain my body from the ravages of pregnancy. I was miserable trying to figure out how to shop for my new figure. Either the fit was horrible, the price was staggering, or there was nothing that seemed to look good. I finally sat down during my son's naptime and said to myself, "There has to be a better way." This is what I came up with.
"Zen Shopping", you say. Sounds like a weird self help book or some cult. Sort of, in an unusual way. It evolved into a way for me to regain my enjoyment of shopping without going bonkers or killing my budget. It's a way of looking at yourself, your wardrobe, and your budget without cringing, crying, or screaming. After all these years, it's still working pretty well for me. There are those times that nothing is going to help (like swimsuit shopping), but that can be solved by a really good chocolate confection after the torture.
Hopefully you will all find this informative, useful, fun, and sometimes just plain goofy. I warn you now, I've got an odd sense of humor and a weird outlook on just about every aspect on life. I don't pull too many punches, especially about myself, so be prepaired. I'm not out here to try and hurt anyones sensabilities, I'm just stating my opinion. I think that's enough disclaimers.
Here's to making the world safe for fun and sane shopping!
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