Hello, dear blog readers! I realize that the timing of this month lends itself to "New Year's Resolutions." Personally, I try NOT to resolute anything, because I don't think I've ever really succeeded.
That said, I have two new challenges for the upcoming months that I'd like to share in case there those of you readers out there who can offer some good tips.
Challenge #1: To figure out the dSLR camera we got on sale for my b-day. My sweet hubby saw that I wasn't making leaps and bounds in my amateur photography via reading the owner's manual, so he bought the "Digital Cameras and Photography for Dummies" book. I have to say that it has been extremely helpful. I only started reading it an hour ago, and already I feel like I understand some of the camera junkie lingo a little better! Here's hoping I am a junkie in the making. I would love to have better kiddie pictures and family pictures to grace our walls.
If any of you are digital camera (dSLR) users, do you have any valuable tips on things that were helpful to you when you were in the learning phases?
Challenge #2: To increase the household budget in order to work less-than-part-time by next fall via coupon savings at local merchants. It can be done, as was describe to me by a co-worker who had managed to do just exactly this after she had her son. In terms of playing the coupon game, she has made it a varsity sport!
While at work last night (we were particularly slow--only two post-partum couplets), someone introduced me to two websites that were extremely helpful for showing how to collect/use coupons for massive savings. The first: www.krazycouponlady.com. The second: www.thekrazycouponlady.com. Subtle difference, I know. But they really tell you how to start your coupon collection such that you can save funds.
For example, this morning I went to Rite Aid (after having only spent about 20 minutes on those two sites) and spent about $10.00 for needed household supplies on stuff that normally would have cost $29.46. Cool, huh?
Another thing I've found helpful is setting up a coupon binder. My sister-in-law (thanks, April!) turned me onto www.saveathomemommy.com, where I was able to purchase a binder that was pre-set with page divideers, etc. and tips for how to collect coupons. Normally something like this would have been cheaper had I bought everything individually (well....Again, maybe not!), but there is an advantage of having the pros tell me how to get started and helping by already doing some of the organization for me. It's a little bit cumbersome to take to the store, but it's great for "around the house" coupon collection and storage. My "varsity" coupon coworker uses a small photo album for going well-armed to the store of choice. And today I finally got around to ordering two Sunday papers--I hear that newspapers on the weekends have great coupon bargains.
Any coupon words of wisdom, anyone? I'm open for suggestions. Here's to being at home more, taking more quality pictures, and other "small victory" challenges! Happy Wednesday, dear blog readers!
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As a person in the consumer promotions business, I say kudos to both of you and April for doing so well with it. Walgreens is doing great things lately with their REGISTER REWARDS which are cash off next purchase (Catalina). This month they are featuring Jingle Cash - with a $5 reward for every purchase of $25. Many items are also on sale so you can piggy back your savings. I subscribe to the Walgreens emails so I get their savings every month. They have good prices on many household items. I think the biggest challenge to coupon savings is expiration dates on the offers. But having said all of the But the most important thing to remember is that coupons are not issued by manufacturers to save you money. They are offered to you to get you to spend MORE. It takes alot of discipline to make the coupon game pay off for you, rather than for them. I've never personally mastered it... but one of these days I'll be retiring and you can all teach me what you've learned. And in the meantime -- i'll work on my discipline!
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