Retailers are great at playing mind games with consumers.  It is very common practice, but something that you don’t have to fall victim to.  Here are some tactics they use that you just need to be aware of, so that you don’t spend more than you need to at the store.

1.  The “2-fer” Sale.  You have probably noticed when flipping through the pages of the ad circular or walking the aisles of the grocery store, many items are marked 2/$5.00 or 3/$5.00 or even 5/$5.00.  This equates to $2.50, $1.67 and $1.00 each, respectively, for these items.

Unless it is specifically stated in the advertisement that you must purchase the quantity listed to get the reduced price, you can purchase just one and get the sale price.

Something to keep in mind is that if retailers fail to mention that you must purchase a specified number of items to get a sale price, it is considered false advertising.  If you find this happening, you will want to contact the FTC (Federal Trade Commission).

2.  The “Limits” Sale.  Sometimes you will see an item that shows a sale price and also says “Limit 3.”  This is another pitfall you do not want to fall victim to.

When consumers see the word LIMIT, it immediately makes them think that they would be missing out on something hot if they didn’t not only purchase it, but didn’t purchase the limit.  Don’t feel you must purchase limits, or even anything associated with a limit to get a great deal. Always compare the original price and sale price to make sure it really is a good deal.

3. The “Real” Price.  This actually can go hand in hand many times with the “2-fer” sale.  Check the original price before you think it is a good deal. 

For example, there is a grocery store here that puts Pringles Crisps on sale 2/$3.00 all of the time.  If you check the original price, you will see that they are normally priced at $1.59 each – so you really are saving only $0.09.  Not really a sale, if you ask me.

So, now that you know some advertising tactics, you can be more aware and hopefully not fall victim to them.  You can still get what you would like, but not have to get more than what you need.

Sales.  We all love them and are always on the lookout for them.  So, what do you think constitutes great savings?  15%?  25% ? 50% or more?  Well, there was a time when I thought saving 20% off of my grocery or any other retail purchase was pretty amazing.  However, with the more I learn, it seems the more jaded I have become. 

When I have a week when I spend $ONLY $60 and I saved 25% on my weekly grocery bill.   So what if I can’t spend only $15.00 a week like people I read about.  I am still saving money and that is ALWAYS a good thing.

The same thing happens when I shop at my favorite retailer.  I only shop there when things are marked down 40-50%.  And of course, I don’t shop without a coupon, which gives me at least another 15% off (sometimes as much as 30% off).  So, I normally save 65% when it comes to purchasing clothes for my family. 

When I head to the clearance racks there and see items marked 60% off, I don’t consider it a bargain.  As I walk away, I sometimes shake my head and say “What are you thinking?  60% off is a great deal – even if you don’t have a coupon!  Now turn around and go pick up those shorts or you will kick yourself later.”  Nine times out of ten, I turn around and grab the bargain I nearly passed up.

So, remind yourself that it doesn't matter how much you save. Whether you save 5% or 85% - you still didn’t pay full price.   Sometimes that inner frugal shopper reminds me that I did well.  But, the times when she tries to tell me that I didn’t save QUITE as much as I should have, I just try to shut her up.  It seems chocolate can quiet her quite nicely.

    It was another cold, wet, and dreary day as I surveyed my family room. The couch pillows were piled everywhere. Throw pillows made paths to mountains of couch cushions. My children were no where to be seen but I could hear them easily enough. They'd abandoned their crazy mess in the family room in order to play in their rooms. Judging from the noise, their play hadn't gotten any calmer. I knew I needed to do something. I needed to get my three children, who obviously suffered from cabin fever, back in control. Anxiously glancing out the window every 15 seconds in the hopes of seeing my husband arrive home early from work was doing nothing to calm the chaos inside our house.

    After thinking of options to divert their attention from tearing down the house, I found one that seemed a good possibility. I knew any type of craft or Play-doh activity was out of the question. Five years of parenting has taught me that it very unwise to give already wound up children access to things like glue, scissors, markers, and colored dough that has the nasty habit of finding its way into my carpet.

    Rather than reach for an art activity, puzzle, or book, I grabbed Twister Hopscotch. My daughter recently received it as a birthday present. I'd seen it in the store, but didn't know much about the toy. It turns out that the game simply consists of 13 rings in 4 different colors. There are several purple clips to join the rings together. A game spinner, directions, and mesh storage bag are also included in the package. The clips can be used to snap the rings into various patterns and paths. The directions show players how to make 8 different designs, but there are many more possibilities. The rules are very simple. Each player spins the spinner and hops through the path while avoiding the color of ring which the spinner landed on. There are variations where the players also either dance, wiggle, sing, or clap as they play the game.

    Interestingly, the game says that it is for ages 6 and older. Other than not being able to easily put the pieces together, I see no reason why children 3 and older couldn't play. My two older children are 5 and 3. However, even my one-year-old got in on the action. The rings are rather small, so I'm not sure that older children would be able to play the game without stepping on the rings. I know that was a challenge for me! In fact, the reviews on Amazon seem to agree that this is a game that is enjoyed most by those under 6 years. Reviewers with older children didn't rate the game as positively.

    I would have to agree with the reviewers who said their children really liked the game. Now, I hope I don't mislead you into thinking that the game actually made my children completely calm. Twister Hopscotch isn't a quiet game. It did, however, give them a way to use their energy in a constructive way. It also provided me with a way to enjoy those crazy moments that make up the last few hours before bedtime.

    So, what tricks do you have up your sleeve for the long winter months that will soon be here? If you need some ideas, head over here, but not before you leave me a comment with some cabin-fever-busting tips. My sanity may depend on it.

We have reached the point with our nearly 17 month old daughter that at times, carrying around the diaper bag feels like the extra, unnecessary suitcase that should have been left at home for the vacation. I used to need all those pockets and extra storage space for so many things that a newborn required. Now, as long as I've got a couple of diapers and wipes, that's all she really needs.

My friend dropped off her son a few weeks ago at my house for me to watch, and I noticed that she seemed to walk into my house with ease and comfort. She was even carrying her son, but still she seemed lighter, quicker, as if she had lost 10 pounds. Even better than losing a few extra unwanted pounds is losing the diaper bag! That was it! She had traded in the old diaper bag for the necessities - diapers and wipes - and it was in a cute carrying case that made it all the more desirable.

This peaked my interest of course. I did some searching around online, and there are all sorts of places to purchase a diapers and wipes case. I went to a favorite website of mine, www.Etsy.com. This website  adverstises, "Your place to buy and sell all things handmade." I found a great seller on there that had tons of fabric option and reasonable prices, and just yesterday, my dipaers and wipes case arrived!

It can hold 3-4 diapers as well as a travel case of wipes (the one you would normally carry in that awfully big diaper bag). The one I ordered also has a pouch on the outside, where you could place a bottle of Desitin or powder, or even another diaper if you needed it.

This case is great for a quick run out, going to church, running to a friend's house for a playdate, or any other 2 hour or so errand. You just bring what you need, and you don't have a lot of extra baggage to carry around. For any moms out there who are at that transition stage of your baby becoming a toddler, consider downsizing to just a diapers and wipes case. It's a great change.....and it's also a fashionable one!

    I'm known as a planner. My children's birthday parties are planned months in advance with goodie bags filled and ready to go. Christmas presents have been purchased and wrapped for months now (this year I was exceptionally early with a baby due in early December... simply I want to spend December enjoying the new baby and holidays with my family without the stress of last minute gift prep). My freezer is stocked with premade chili, meatloaf, and other meals to cover on cold/sick/baby is here days. Preparing ahead is in my nature and I like to have things scheduled and planned. Chaos, disorder, and "unpreparedness" is a source of stress in my life, so I strive to avoid it to the extent I can.

    Even though I'm a Type A (or the "Very Definition of Type A" as my husband puts it)... I have my limits!

    Growing up, I was Home Educated which meant I spent my life knowing at least one expectant mom at all times. In High School, I paid for my first car, babysitting for families, several times overnight with older siblings when parents went to the hospital to deliver the new baby. Through all the stories and experiences I heard, one thing seemed to be a new trend when I became a mom myself and that was the trend toward scheduled inductions.

    As an expectant mom, I am amazed at how many times I've been asked (with all three pregnancies), "When are you due?" followed by, "Do you know the baby is coming on that date?" In other words, inductions are so common everyone knows many moms are scheduling their baby's birthday.

    I read an article recently that confirmed my observation. Inductions are a growing trend (1 in 5 new moms are induced) and hospitals are actually tightening rules on inductions because of the high percentage before 39 weeks, many resulting in babies in NICU and additional expense. Seriously... all so we can schedule our lives? Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33483153/ns/health-pregnancy/

    As I talk to other women and read articles or posts, the reasons for inductions frequently DO NOT include medical need. Before I continue, I want to be crystal clear that I understand there are times of medical emergency, or "signs of labor" i.e. water breaking naturally, when induction may be necessary. However, it is becoming increasingly common to schedule inductions for the convenience of the adults involved... be it scheduling around visiting relatives, work commitments, holidays, babysitting for older children, doctors' vacations, or "I like this day best on the calendar and would like it to be my child's birthday." Yes, the unknown arrival of a new baby can be inconvenient for everyone to plan, but people have managed for centuries to creatively solve this problem, why can't we now?

    For me, it always boiled down to: 1) I believe God knows when the baby is supposed to come, 2) Induction is not a pleasant experience from all accounts, 3) Based on 1 and 2, I would only choose induction if it were absolutely medically necessary. 

   I love to plan ahead. I love to "have my ducks in a row." I do not enjoy pregnancy (9 months of morning sickness, back pain, and sleepless nights is not my cup of tea), and after 3 pregnancies in 5 years the novelty has worn off. Also, I progress over a long period of time which can mean additional discomfort, and still my two daughters both arrived 5 days late. I also have VERY anxious relatives who call, email, and even predict early arrivals adding to the constant "when will she come?" I know how hard and tedious the last stretch can be... believe me... but, despite it all, I've found it's still worth the wait.

    Besides the medical benefits of waiting (let the baby develop and grow until it is time for the best possible health of the child), I also think waiting is good practice for new parents because the "anticipated due date" is only ONE way children rock "Type A" worlds. Our schedule is frequently adjusted according to their health (home last Thanksgiving with two sick little ones), sleep habits, and needs. Waiting for baby's arrival is just the beginning!

    And meanwhile, the Type A in me is having to take a break and "flexibly" plan a Thanksgiving holiday of "Maybe We Wills...." as we excitedly await 16 Days and counting until the "due date" (whatever that REALLY means) for our next baby girl!

We still have over a month until Christmas, but NOW is the time to start thinking about sending out holiday greetings to your friends and families.  Christmas and Holiday cards are a wonderful tradition that allows us all to keep in touch with one another over the years.  It's so nice to see a photo of an old classmate with their new baby or read about a your second cousin's wonderful European vacation.  But as we all know, those greetings can be VERY expensive!  By time you buy the cards, print the photos, put an address label and stamp on each one, and get them in the mail, a big chunk of your holiday budget could be missing.  But there ARE ways to save!  Here are a few cheaper ways to spread holiday cheer.

1.  Skip the printed cards and send out an e-Greeting.  A friend of mine did this last year and I thought it was a great idea.  Type up your standard holiday letter, add a few photos, get creative with a background design or some clip art and email it out to your Christmas Card list.  Sure, it's not quite as personal or tangible as an actual card in the mail, but the sentiment is the same and in this day of financial hardship for so many, I think this is a great way to cut back during the holidays.

2.  Check out Hallmark's new Holiday Card service.  For as low as $.39/card (for postcard designs like these), you can choose a card design, personalize it with your message and photos, and Hallmark will address and mail the cards to your list of recipients!  Talk about EASY and such a great deal!  And, if you spend at least $30, you can get 30% off your order with the code HOLIDAY30.

3.  Get in on some freebies!  Vistaprint has a ton of great products to help you get your holiday cards out for less.  You can get adorable return address labels for FREE (just pay shipping) through this link. Just click on  the link to address labels on the bottom left side and you can choose from a ton of great holiday designs including the ones that I got...cute family caricatures that you design yourself.  Then click on this linkto get 50% off holiday cards through Vistaprint...get 4x6 photo cards for as low as $.39 each!

Or, go here and order 50 4x8 photo cards, use code newbaby and get the 50 cards for FREE with free shipping! 

4.  Make your own!  If your list isn't terribly long, you may want to enlist your kids' help and make your own Holiday Cards.  A little construction paper, glue, glitter, and markers and you are all set!  If you need a little creative direction...check out these adorable thumbprint reindeer cards...so adorable! 

    Recently, I had the opportunity to sleep outside with 35 of my high school students in an effort to raise awareness to the problem of teenage homelessness and homelessness in general. For the most part my students were great (I wish the adult chaperones were as well behaved). They found this to be a powerful and moving experience as they had to build shelters out of cardboard boxes, set up “camp” and then sleep out on a chilly November night (although the weather was fairly pleasant for Kansas City in November, it was still pretty chilly). My students were especially moved by a quest speaker who shared her own personal story about being homeless as a teenager, as well as statistics about the numbers of teens without a home right here in the Kansas City area.

    Now I have some experience in this area, having taught for four years in the urban core of Kansas City. While in the urban core, I had several students who were homeless (and others who faced a number of serious challenges) and I have witnessed first-hand the challenges and struggles they face. Actually participating in this project was not as “eye-opening” for me as it was for most of my current students.

    For me, the most meaningful part of this experience was the opportunity to explain to my own children why I wasn’t sleeping at home with them for a night. When they asked why I was packing my sleeping bag in my car and putting layer after layer of clothing on, I sat them down and did my best to explain homelessness to them. At eight, six, and two, my children aren’t old enough to understand the complexities of homelessness, but they are old enough to have noticed panhandlers on the street and they know there are people living without a home. I then explained how I was going to act like I didn’t have a home for one night, in an effort to teach others what it is like and how they can help.

    Both of my sons peppered me with questions about the night and even asked if they could come with me. After they had exhausted their curiosity and I was almost out the door, my oldest son gave me a great big hug and whispered, “Daddy, just remember you have a home and it is with us.”

    Wiping a tear from my eye, I was amazed at the depth of his statement. Home isn’t a cardboard box or a shelter. It isn’t an apartment or a house even. Home, at least for me, is where you family is.

    Last weekend, we had our KC Parent staff holiday party. Since December can be so hectic, we decided to have it early. This year's party destination was Faulkner's Ranch. I had never been and wasn't sure what to expect. I told the girls I thought there would be pony rides, but beyond that, I didn't know. Well, not only were there pony rides, but lots of other great activities for the kids and also the grown-ups! There was a playground for the kids to play on and a pond where they could fish, this great train ride that I think Ally rode at least half a dozen times and a hayride. When we went inside for dinner, there was a cow milking contest for the kids and a few games for the adults, including one where we had to lasso a cow on wheels. Way to go, Mary, the only one of us to actually get the lasso around the cow (and yes, she was the only one out of the men and women to get one)!

    The petting zoo had some interesting animals and for those like me who don't really like the feel of an animal's tongue trying to lick food out of my hand, they have these great scoops that you can use to feed the animals. Be sure to feed the goats by moving the food up to them through a pulley type contraption. Both girls enjoyed the pony rides and seeing that I weigh over 90 pounds, I sadly could not ride the pony.

    There were several birthday parties going on while we were there.  My husband commented on what a great place it would be for a child's party. I walked through the darling party rooms and it looked like all the kids were having a great time.

    If you'd like to learn more, click here.

I was reading a blog today and a topic of discussion was how to measure your savings?  Is it tangible or intangible?  This really varies from person to person.  There are ways to measure and track your savings, just choose what works for you.

First and foremost, to track your savings, you must have a budget.  There is no way getting around this one.  You need to know what you are spending on your weekly grocery trips and budget for that. 

So, how do you know what to budget for groceries?  An easy way to do this is to look back at your last 8 weeks’, or 2 months’, worth of grocery receipts.  Calculate the average of what you are spending per week.  That gives you your budget.  Here’s a simple calculation:

Week 1:  $93.04
Week 2:  $87.68
Week 3:  $110.45

Week 4:  $105.72
Week 5:  $98.92

Week 6:  $82.04
Week 7:  $115.20