Birthday/Holiday Updates

So it’s been over 2 months since my last post. I honestly don’t even remember my last post. Anyways, I wanted to give an update to let you know that I am working on a few pieces that I will be posting sometime in the near future.

One thing I’ve been working on is grocery coupons. I have a hate/love/hate relationship with grocery coupons. They are irritating to cut out and organize and to learn how to use, but when you actually go to the store and have a cart full of items and only pay $20 it definitely makes it worth it. I will be adding video clips (if my brother would return my cam battery charger) of how I organize my coupons and my recommendations.

Another one is a really short one about birthday freebies. Today is my ____th birthday (::cough:: 25) and it’s on a holiday, unfortunately. You would think it would be great, but so far it hasn’t been all that I had hoped it to be. I thought today would be a milestone and would be celebrated as such, but it’s just another day. I guess I can’t complain, I got the day off of work- PAID- and I got to go on a little shopping spree.

FYI- some of the deals I got were AMAZING. Old Navy is the BEST when it comes to great deals. All this week I have been shopping at Old Navy and I got a bunch of super cute summer dresses and skirts and tank tops.

Old Navy Dresses

I’m pretty much set for summer all for about $50.

Boat shoes are everywhere this season- I must say that I was wearing boat shoes way before they were the hot item. I bought a new pair that I’m not 100% sure on- I have beige so I wanted to get a blue nautical color shoe this time around. I picked this one up at Payless for only $16

Boat Shoes

I got an AMAZING deal at DSW. If you sign up for their rewards program, for your birthday, they send you a $5 gift certificate on anything in the store.  I bought these killer heels that are to die for. I can’t find the shoes on the DSW website, but this is the closest thing I could find for a picture:

DSW Heels

Ok, so take this shoe and imagine how it could be much cuter and add another inch or two (or three) to the heel. I’ll have to post a picture because I LOVE my shoes!

Enough about my shopping adventures and on to other updates; I’ve been really busy at work. Now, not only am I a part of the AdWords team, but I am also a part of the Boost and Places team as well. I was SUPER excited for the added responsibility, but now I realize that we are a part of the pilot program for these products and there are definitely some hiccups. It’s been a little stressful, but we’re definitely working on making some improvements. Anyways, this is my excuse for lack of posts.

Use Google Products

“Don’t Be Evil.”  Words we live by everyday.

Lastly, Meg.Goes.Nom.Nom and I are creating a new blog. I’m not sure if I’m ready to reveal this new blog- or if I will ever. I want to keep this new blog separate from my life. We will be writing with pen names to keep us anonymous. This blog will feature things from around the Ann Arbor and possibly Flint areas. I will have to speak with my counterpart before I reveal any more information.

The Counterpart

I’ll stick up for her and say that we are not 16 year olds who pose in front of mirrors for Facebook profile pics. This is a LEGIT (ha. an A2 word) picture for her LEGIT blog post.  It was to show the hotel sink. Read her blog by following the link above to learn more.

 

 

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. Kinda literally. Seriously though, Google owns the “Don’t Be Evil”. Also, links for all pictures are taking you to the proper location.

Natural Pore Strip Trial

My blog is definitely not going in the direction I had originally intended, but I post about what interests me and what interests my wallet. I apologize for the lack of originality, but the point of all this was for me to put down what I personally have learned on my quest to save a few bucks. That being said, I am interested in writing about my YouTube searches.

I have become a fan of several YouTube beauty “celebrities” (celebrity being that they generally have over 100k hits) such as Michelle Phan and AllNatural28. I name these two specifically because they post videos for all natural or inexpensive ways of handling some beauty issues. I really like all-natural products. If you look at the chemicals they put in some of the things we use and eat, it’s ridiculous. Plus, they charge a ridiculous price for these products when we can make it ourselves and if we make it, we know that it is safe and inexpensive. The stuff made in these videos are almost always everyday items that you have laying around at home. This is not really geared for men, although most certainly work for them as well. Men and women have the same concerns and problem areas!

I have been really excited to try one of Michelle Phan’s natural alternative to the pore strip and today I finally got my chance. Her video is posted below so you can get a better visual of the process if you choose to try it for yourself. I always go through these YouTube videos wondering if some of these treatments actually work or if it’s just to get publicity with viewer numbers. I am going to try and put a lot of these videos to the test and if it works on a regular person like me, then I would consider it to be a great alternative to store products and a better way to save some money! If you’d prefer, you can watch Michelle’s video first and then read how I made my own in order for you to get a better idea. If not, read on and I’ll try to be as thorough as possible.

Step 1: The only 2 products for the pore strips are unflavored gelatin and milk. Since I didn’t have any unflavored gelatin at home, I ran to the local Kroger and found the Kroger brand for only 0.99 cents. It was the only one they had in the unflavored, but for 0.99 cents I am sure I would have chosen their brand anyways. In that box, there are (4) .25 oz packets for a grand total of 1 oz.

Ingredients: Gelatin & Milk

Step 2: Michelle says to use 1 tablespoon of the gelatin and one tablespoon of milk- I personally found that to be excessive, so instead I used 1 teaspoon of each- which is about 1/3 of a packet (I’m technically 3/4 tsp off, but it doesn’t have to be perfect). Then I mixed the two together until it was kind of a chunky goo.

Step 3: Make sure the mixture is in a microwave-safe container because you’re going to stick it in the microwave for 10. I definitely do NOT recommend any less because it’s not going to be as dissolved and therefore will cool and CLUMP a lot faster.

Goo & Concealer Brush

Step 4: Watch out, it stinks! After a few seconds of letting it cool (seriously, a few seconds) Take a brush (concealer preferred) and quickly and completely cover the area you would want a pore strip to cover. I say quickly because if it cools at all, it will become very sticky and difficult for you to brush on. Wash your brush immediately because it will become very hard to remove if it hardens.

Step 5: Let the mixture sit on your face for a MAXIMUM of 10 minutes- I say the SECOND you are sure it’s dry, it’s time to remove!! I made the mistake once of letting it sit on my face for like, 15 minutes and it was HORRIBLE. If it gets REALLY dry, it will adhere to your skin and be SUPER painful to remove. I literally had tears in my eyes from the pain. It still works, but the pain is not worth keeping it on a few minutes longer. Anyways, start removing the mixture like a pore strip. You will notice it is kinda like tape that you have to peel off.

That's hott

Step 6: Michelle is right- we all like to look at the nasty crap we have coming from our face. Take a look at it and freak yourself out. It’s fun

Step 7: Definitely swipe your face with some sort of medication or toner or whatever you use. I use 2 different toners- Neutrogena Fight & Fade and Mary Kay Blemish Control (my mom is a consultant so that’s my shout out). I use 2 different ones because I feel it works better when I alternate them rather than consistently using one. Don’t forget to moisturize!

Neutrogena & Mary Kay

Step 8: Go to YouTube and check out all of Michelle Phan’s videos. Well, not all 138 of them at once, but definitely subscribe and make her one of your frequent stops. Not only is she super adorable, but she’s innovative, smart, and fun!

♥THE RESULTS♥

DID THIS WORK? YES!!

COST COMPARISONS:

Natural Pore Strips (what I paid) per pore strip

**Again, as I said in Step 1- technically I’m slightly off on price to measurement ratio, but I’m just trying to give an average example

-1 oz gelatin @ 0.99/4 packets= 0.2475 ÷ 1/3 of packet= 0.0825 per strip

-1 gallon milk @ 1.99/128  oz.= 0.0156 ÷ 6 tsp*= 0.0026 per strip

*Based on 6 tsp in 1 liquid oz

So, let’s add them up… $0.0825 (gelatin portion) + $0.0026 (milk portin)=

$0.0851 total per strip!!!

 

——-VERSUS——-

Biore Pore Strips (based on Walgreens’ price)

– $9.99/box of 14 strips = $0.7136!

 

So, we’ve got the natural alternative at about $0.08 cents a strips and the Biore at $0.71 cents a strip. That’s a savings of about $0.63 cents per strip and savings of $8.80 for a box of 14 strips! Plus, you have to pay tax on the Biore which I didn’t figure it Both work the same in my experience so I’d rather go with the cheaper alternative.

Thanks, Michelle Phan for this great idea!

P.S.- If my math or conversions are wrong, PLEASE correct me….it’s been a few years since I’ve had to use either one!

Winter Storm Battle + Store Closings

Half this blog is a virtual fight and half is an actual blog. I am attacking my good friend at Meg.Goes.Nom.Nom. Check this link out to see the initial blog I am (photo-for-photo) attacking and her latest eats! Nom, nom.

Megan has been attacked by snow, but I believe Mid-Michigan has been attacked a bit more than the southern part, hence, we have more to complain about. Check out my neighborhood pictures to see how we’ve been avalanched with snow!

Across the street- Take THAT Meg!

And a another one. Pow.

 

Cul-de-sac

People are playing outside while I’m sitting in my house doing nothing. Well, not EXACTLY nothing, I’m having a blast watching Sunshine Cleaning and baking oatmeal cookies…Meg.Goes.Nom.Nom would be proud!

Sunshine Cleaning

Not the biggest fan of Amy Adams, but this movie wasn’t that bad! I actually enjoyed it.

That's not hair on the right

In the midst of all this ruckus, I’ve been updated and posting blogs which I haven’t done since the beginning of December. I’ve written, but only saved, never posted. This is one that I’ve been meaning to do since mid-January but I was never sure how to approach it. I went to Courtland Mall in Burton, MI which is a dying mall. I was there to sign up for a membership to a gym that was opening up. Of course I would choose a gym that was in a mall. Planet Fitness is a gym I was really happy with when I lived down in Florida and I was thrilled that they were opening up in the Genesee County area- not in the best of areas, but I digress.

While I was there, I noticed that Claire’s and Icing had 75% off “Store Closing” signs. If you are not familiar with Claire’s and Icing then you should be. It’s a quick and easy place to find fashion jewelry on the cheap. They both sell everything from jewelry to makeup to shoes to hair products- basically any type of accessory you can think of they’ve got. I was of course thrilled and shocked (sarcasm) that ANOTHER store was closing down in the Courtland Mall. When I was looking around Icing, the salesgirl informed me that not only was the regular priced items 75% off, but the red-line prices were an additional 75% off!! I went a little crazy and spent about $50 on my first trip. Yes, sadly and pathetically, I made a total of 8 trips- 4 at each store within a week. No judgement, please.

Icing

Two doors down was Claire’s. After spending over an hour in Icing I went down to Claire’s to see what they had. Claire’s is more for younger girls than for 24 year-old-fashion-jewelry-fanatics, but they do have some cute things. Claire’s had an even MORE amazing sale going on: You took 50% off the red-line prices and THEN took ANOTHER 75% off!! For example, one of my pieces was originally $10 and red-lined (clearance) to $7…I would take 50% off which made it $3.50 and then took an ADDITIONAL 75% which would make it about 0.85 cents! My math could be wrong (yikes, I have a financial management degree), but work with me.

The point of this blog is to stress how great store closings can be to the consumer. Sure it sucks that the store is going out of business, but you can get AMAZING deals from it. In Florida, a lot of Albertson’s grocery stores were going out of business. It truly saddened me because that was one of the true Clearwater staples, but the deals they had made it a little better. They started at 40% off and closer to the last days went down to 90% off! I bought tons of makeup, groceries, beauty supplies, and more wine bottles than a winery- not really, I’m a lush (according to Meg), but I did get TONS.

My new fav!

To prove my point, I took pictures of some of the purchases I made and the receipts to show how much the savings can add up! Again, this is random items and random receipts so if the receipts don’t match up to the items, I apologize. If you can’t see the pictures that well or the writing, click on the picture and a new window will open up with a much larger version!

Part of the collection

I know the picture above is horrid, but I’ve taken parts of this snapshot so you can have a better look. The top crossed out number is the ORIGINAL sticker price. The bottom amount is the amount I paid after any clearance price and/or the 75% off.

I am in love with these gloves and my pink sparkle-y passport cover, which I will be using when I visit the Middle East this summa’! Sure beats the boring blue cover…

Set 1- Gloves and Passport Cover

I swear those gold earrings below are similar to the ones that Samantha wore in Sex and the City 2! I love em!

Set 2- iphone case, necklace, earrings, necklace/earring set

I also love these snake earrings because I have the necklace and ring to match! Peacocks are one of my favs too, although not in these colors. Reminds me too much of my high school colors.

Set 3- Earrings and Necklace

I absolutely love my contacts case (pink/black) and that owl necklace shown below! Headband and bows were only a quarter!!

Set 4- Headband, 2 bows, contacts case, necklace, earrings, necklace/earring set

Too good to be true, huh? That’s what I thought too. Look at these receipts for some examples of what I paid! Store closings are amaaaazing!

 

Receipt 1/3

Another one….

 

Receipt 2/3 .25 cents?!?!?!

Ok, ok, this is the last one for the receipts. After this one below, I’ll show you the total price and the total savings!

 

Receipt 3/3

Alright, so now the following pictures are the prices and the savings. The savings are are circled while the price I paid total is above that in a sort of square box.

Total Paid: 16.08 Total SAVINGS: 27.76

and more…

 

Total Paid: 15.43 Total SAVINGS: 30.02

So far I’ve saved $57.78!

Total Paid: 10.81 Total SAVINGS: 67.80

And lastly…

 

Total Paid: 3.75 Total SAVINGS: 16.46

So, I’m gonna add this all up to see what I’ve got total:

 

Total Paid:                                                Total Savings:

$46.07                                                          $142.04

I think that spells it all It’s amazing what kind of deals you can run into. And that’s only half the receipts! One downfall to store closing deals is that they are usually all final sale items as you can see on my receipts. Just make sure that you really like the product and it’s not defective before you buy it! I told all my friends and family about this deal and they bought lots of great stuff too! I hope some of you enjoyed this lengthy blog and will from now on wander into a store that is closing instead of skimping out.

Consignment/Thrift Store Shopping

I honestly don’t care how people perceive thrift store shopping because I love it. I used to think that this was beneath me and that it was so gross to shop second-hand items, but it actually is a lot of fun and usually you can find a lot of cool, old, and weird things. I’ve found some great things including a vintage Dooney & Bourke wallet for only $2!!! Yes, it was real- I used to be a buyer for them and I definitely know the difference! It’s especially a lot of fun when you’re trying to make a costume! I guess I’ve become sort of a hippie in that sense- thrift stores are eco-friendly Check out this site for people who share my opinion: TreeHugger

Regardless, this blog is to give some information on thrift store shopping. Some of my personal tips for shopping at these stores are below…

• Shop with Friends- It’s soooo much more fun to shop with friends than to shop alone. They can help you make decisions on things and help you weed out the crap so you spend less. It’s fun to try on stuff from the 70′s that were donated. May seem a bit childish, but I promise that whatever age you are, you are bound to have some laughs.  Also, it’s easier to have friends with you when you are looking for a specific item so you guys can spread out and try to find it.
• Make a List- This is important for every type of shopping. Making a list keeps you focused on what you are there for and helps you from grabbing extras.
• Look, Look, Look-  Let’s face it- Most shops are super dirty and super disorganized. If you are looking for something in particular then you will have to look all over- even if it’s in areas that you wouldn’t imagine finding it.  Things tend to move hands so often across the store and are never put back. Fortunately, there are some consignment shops out there that have employees who do care about appearance and will have everything in order.
• 
• Grab, then Reduce- If you are shopping just for fun, then the best thing to do is to grab the items you see that you like. If you don’t, you risk losing that item because of how often things are moved around. At the end, you can go through the items and examine them for any flaws and decide if you really need them or not.
• Sales- A lot of stores have sales. They may be on certain days, certain group of items, or just random products. When you enter a store, find out if they have any specials and make a mental note to look out for those. For example, Goodwill has colored tag days- today may be the color BLUE and any items with a blue tag/sticker will be half off. Also, some Salvation Army’s offer a percentage off your purchases for each bag of donations you bring in.
• 
• New Items- Stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army receive donations from big name stores that are brand new. Example; Target donates clearance items to the local Goodwills for a good prices and they pass the savings on to you. Sometimes Goodwill prices the items higher than the stores, but usually it’s worth it. I paid $25 for a skirt from Target and one month later I saw them brand new (WITH TAGS) at Goodwill for $1.49. Needless to say, I bought the remaining colors and saved a bundle. Also, Goodwill has a “high-end” store in my local area (Birch Run Outlets) where they sell designer items for a cheap price. Find out from your local store if there are any in your area.

 

Additional Tips: Bring tons of hand sanitizer- Bath and Body Works have great ones for great prices.

I will try to post pictures up of my latest trips soon!

Happy thrift shopping!

Korn III Album only $3!

This will be quick, but I am so excited about this deal that I wanted to blog about it! I am really late (6 months late to be exact) with purchasing the Korn III: Remember Who You Are album but I’m sure glad I waited! Amazon is offering the whole album for only $3!!! I’m not sure how long this will last, but it’s been going on for about a week now (maybe since 1/26/11?) and it looks like it might stay for a while longer. If you’re a Korn fan, make sure you jump on this opportunity.

I’ve personally never purchased any MP3 from any website, but it was surprisingly easy. All you have to do is go to the link I provided and make sure you have the Amazon player downloaded which took 3 minutes to download. Next, just click the link to the right  that says “Buy MP3 Album with 1-Click” and fill out your information.

Once I put in my credit card information, the album started downloading immediately (based on my Chrome settings) and automatically saved to my iTunes. Within less than 2 minutes I had the whole album which includes 11 songs. I downloaded the explicit version, but if you’d rather, they do have a “clean” version that you can download for the same price as well. If you’d prefer, you can also purchase individual songs at .99 cents each.

I have only used Amazon to purchase textbooks for college back in the day (circa 3 years ago) and now I’m experiencing the great deals that they offer for EVERYTHING imaginable. Tools, music, electronics, etc. I’ve never been much of an online shopper, but I am definitely going to start checking this website more often to see what other great deals I can get. They apparently have daily deals that change every couple hours so take a look there and see what they have!

Side Note: I’m truly excited to see Korn again in 2 months! They are on tour with Sevendust and Disturbed for the Music As A Weapon V Tour!! They are coming to Saginaw, MI on March 26th and of course we got floor seats. Be sure to get tickets if you’re a fan.

Amazon Korn III Album Url: http://www.amazon.com/Korn-III-Remember-Who-You/dp/B003P976BE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1296668956&sr=8-1

Korn- ‘Let the Guilt Go’ Video

This album is rated for  for language, violence, sexual content…..i think that’s it. Watch/listen at your own risk.

Homespun Skin Care

I stole this title directly from this amazing book I have.  It’s the Reader’s Digest More…Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things. There are so many useful and cost-saving tips for whatever you can think of. I’m going to try and do several posts with interesting ideas and creatives uses from this book. For today, this post is about a few of some of my favorite skin care tips.

Preventing Wrinkles

Cleopatra used to apply honey to her face to prevent any wrinkles. To do this, warm honey first. In the meantime, you have to open your pores and obviously you do that by simply placing a warm washcloth on your face. Then, take the honey and spread it around your face and avoiding your senses. Keep the honey on your face for 15 minutes and then rinse. Don’t forget to do a final rinse in cold water to close your pores. This can be irritating and depending on how your skin is, may not give you instant results. I am thankful to not have any wrinkles so far, but I am hoping this sticky mess will help prolong it!

Tea Bath

This is something I like to do from time to time. It feels great and is great for your skin. You can use tea bags or 2 tablespoons of dried green leaves. If using the leaves, the book suggests using old pantyhose and stuffing the leaves in the toe area and tying it to the nozzle so the water will run through the tea leaves. I prefer actually using tea bags because it’s a lot easier and less of a hassle. The loose tea leaves are actually cheaper because you can keep reusing the hose and use a minimal amount of tea leaves. Either way, this is a great addition to your bath because of the antioxidants that are released and absorbed by your skin. Very calming especially after a hard day at work.

Salicylic Acid

Stomach medicines have salicylic acid which everyone knows is supposed to be good for your skin. Pepto-Bismol is an example of a brand that contains the ingredient. Soak a few cotton balls in the Pepto-Bismol and wipe your face with it. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes and then rinse. I love how my skin has a great glow after doing this. The salicylic acid kills the dead skin and leaves way for the healthy skin.

Yum.

Homemade Body Splash

There is this great recipe for a citrus body splash that is recommended for the summer. The recipe calls for the juice of a lime with the pulp extracted. Pour the filtered juice into a spray bottle (one can easily be picked up from Wal-Mart for about $1 if one is not available) and add a 1/2 cup of the rubbing alcohol with 3 teaspoons of lemon or orange extract. Shake and spray the mixture. I personally have not tried this out yet, but I’m really looking forward to it on a hot day this summer. I might also try adding a little bit of mint extract for a citrus-mint scent. Plus, mint invigorates my senses and I’m sure will do the same to my skin in the summer! If anyone tries this out, please let me know how you like it.

Extend the Scent

Perfume can sometimes be irritating because before the end of the day, your scent is usually really faded. You can extend the scent by rubbing a very small amount of petroleum jelly on the spots you spray perfume. On a side note, I also use petroleum jelly to remove my makeup (I use a ton of eye makeup) and to rub on my skin around the hairline before I dye my hair at home.

My beauty product staple

SOURCE:

More Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things
1,715 All-New Uses for Everyday Things
By Neil Wertheimer

Paperback with Flaps | 384 pages | 7-1/2 x 10
Publication Date: 2009-04-16
ISBN: 9781606520215

PS- After 4 years of high school and 6 years of college, I REFUSE to cite my sources properly. I will NOT source in MLA nor APA. After 10 years, I’m done with worrying about that crap. Thanks.

Black Friday 2010, Baby!

This is going to be a shorter blog because this would take FOREVER to type out every single thing about Black Friday. To shorten it up a little, I’m going to post a few links that everyone should check out prior to enjoying the second best holiDAY of the year (Halloween being 1st) and coming out on the winning end of the deals. Plus, I’m going to show you a tip from one of the sites as well as adding my own tips. It’s going to be an amazing day full of deals and frostbite so happy shopping!

Black Friday 2010 Website:

This site is the ultimate Black Friday website. It has everything from the ads to what the best deals are to even some coupons. I pulled out a few things from this website that I posted below. Check out the top deals around and how to get ready for the craziness!

TOP 15 DEALS (copied and pasted)

1. Chefmate Appliances for $3 at Target. Originally $20 (approx.).

2. Emerson 32” LCD HDTV $198 at Walmart. Originally $328.

3.  Westinghouse 40” LCD TV $298 at Target. Originally $549.99

4. Nook Wifi eReader for $99.99 at Best Buy. Originally $149.99.

5. Philips Portable DVD player $49 at Walmart. Originally $69.99.

6. 2 GE cameras for $149.99 at Kmart. Originally $219.98 for 1) GE x5 power Pro Series Digital Camera $149.99 2) GE C1033 10mp Digital Camera $69.99.

7. 8GB iPod touch with $50 gift card $225 at Walmart. Originally $229 without gift card.

8. 5-piece luggage set $49.99 at Macy’s. Originally $200.

9. eMachines 15.6” laptop $198 at Walmart. Originally $248.

10. Nerf Stampede for $34.99 at Kmart.

11. KitchenAid Mixer $129.99 after 10% off, $20 rebate, $30 Kohl’s Cash at Kohls. Originally $250.

12. Wii Bundle for $299 at Sam’s Club. Originally $400.

13. Dyson DC14 for $219 at Sears. Originally $439.

14. 2ct. Diamond bracelet for $99 at Kohl’s.

15. Apt. 9 Cashmere sweaters for $34.99 at Kohl’s. Originally $100.

This website has a tip list made by “Brad”, so I decided to share my own personal tips instead. 

1. Research: Start looking at favorite store websites and continuously check and see who has theirs posted…some will not post until Thursday night so don’t worry. I personally started around Halloween…many stores already had their ads posted!
2. Make a plan: This is like going to war. You have to be extremely organized and strategic if you want to get everything on your list and get out alive. These are the steps I follow and they always have worked out for me. First step is to either print the ads online or go out and purchase a newspaper on Thanksgiving…I know it’s not the “green” way of doing things but it’s important. Start out by making a pile just for the stores that you would be interested in. For example, I nor anyone in my family would be interested in anything from Cabela’s or Dick’s, so I would pay no attention to those ads. Next, I go through each ad and circle what I plan on buying- you need to do this so you’re not distracted by the extra things in the store. Then, make a list on separate index cards for each store on what you’re planning to buy and on there indicate whether or not you have a coupon. Paper clip the list to the ad and put all coupons in an envelope. Making the list helps me because then I know which departments to go to the second I hit the store, rather than fanning through, dropping pages, and blocking foot traffic. If you want to see if there are coupons out for your store, they can typically be located on the above website, store websites, or in the newspapers. Always bring the ads into the store that you’re going into…if it’s a mall, bring a folder or a manila envelope. Put your ads in the order that you will be visiting. That leads me into tip #3…
3. Timing is everything: Categorize the stores based on the times they open and the location (you don’t want to be driving around 3 different counties for hours). A lot of stores are open on Thanksgiving Day (Sears, Meijer’s, Walgreens, etc) so those can be hit first so they are out of the way. I tend to make a separate list that I keep next to me in the car that has the stores business hours so if something goes wrong, I know which store can be saved for later if need be.
4. Read Everything: Some stores have a limit on the quantity that you can purchase or you only get the sales price if you buy something else- know exactly what you’re getting into. Read all fine prints below all sales prices AND on the back of the ads that indicate store rules that may be different for Black Friday. For example, Wal-Mart and Meijer throughout the year will match competitor advertisements Meijer on Black Friday WILL not match any competitor advertised prices but Wal-Mart will. Also, make sure you read all coupons to know if they can be combined with certain items. For example, Macy’s coupons can be used on a small amount of items in the store. They cannot be combined with Door Busters (for the most part), EDV, designer items, cosmetics/perfume, etc.
5. Picture the Stores and the Layout: If you’re familiar with the stores then you’re covered. For each store I think about where each department will be. For example, my local Wal-Mart has grocery on one door and home goods through the other. I will try to park by the home goods door to be more efficient and that way I can move swiftly through the store. It is a lot of time and effort to do all this, but I find that I save more time shopping than most people do.
6. Play it Safe: I am not the only psychotic shopper out there- people are crazy and out of control during Black Friday. My personal tip is that if you’re usually a nice person- don’t be. People will push and shove and cut you in line. Hold your ground and always be aware. Also, there are those people out there that will break into your cars and steal your handbags. You might want to bring a blanket to cover your items in your car. Also, if you plan on using a credit or debit card, bring only that and your driver’s license so you are not bringing a clunky purse. Last year I used my Coach sling bag so I was always hands free and my purse was on me at all times. Plus, it’s perfect because it’s big enough to store your cell and the advertisements.
7. Power of the Pack: Usually I go alone, but this year I have some relatives that are coming with me. This can be very useful. You can each attack a store or a section of a store and save more time. If doing this, I suggest picking a place to meet up when you’re done because it can get really loud in some stores and you may not be able to hear a cell phone ringing.
8. Bring something to eat or drink: This whole Black Friday thing usually lasts hours. I don’t like to eat or drink a couple hours prior to going out in order to avoid public restrooms (TMI, I know)  and long lines. I suggest packing some granola or energy bars and bottles of water if you tend to get hungry…I can’t see that being an issue since you just stuffed your faces the night prior.
9. Unadvertised Stores: Some stores, especially local stores, don’t advertise for Black Friday. I don’t know if it’s to cut costs or maybe they just assume people know they have a sale going on, but I wouldn’t rule out those stores. They may have their own sales going on inside so if you have time, give them a shot!
10. Clothing: I think clothing is very important. My suggestion is to obviously wear something warm. I typically wear a jogging outfit with a coat over. It’s important to be comfy because you’re going to be standing in line for a while and you’re going to be moving in and out of crowds. Also, WEAR GOOD SHOES- your feet will be killing you.

Another Black Friday Website: Same basic ideas.

Slickdeals: Check this site out for coupons and deals. I will be blogging about this website in the near future so look for it.

Black Friday Phone App: There’s an app for everything, including Black Friday. You can find your local store deals, locations, etc. It’s a useful thing to have.

Yeah, yeah, this blog probably makes me sound more crazy than I ever have and I’m not going to try and defend myself. I even think it’s ridiculous to skip out on family time to save like $10 on a DVD player! 50% IS for the deals, but 50% is also because it gives me a thrill. It’s a fun experience and you get to meet people. It’s one day of the year where it is fully acceptable for you to shop for hours and no one complains when you bring back a car full of bags. Plus, it’s an American tradition!

PS. I need to find this shirt >>>

Suze Orman: Women and Money

If you know me well enough then you know that I am a HUGE fan of Suze Orman.  She is a remarkable person in that she tries and helps people achieve not only financial success, but also a better understanding of how money works.  She was named one of Forbes Top 100 Most Powerful Women for this year. She’s also has her own self-titled show on CNBC and a radio show, as well as several books and DVD’s. I have one of her DVD’s entitled “Women and Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny” and it is AMAZING. It’s so inspirational and not in the cheesy way. I want to share some of the points of the DVD that I think are the most important to me.  I suggest that you go out and if not purchase the DVD or book, you at least see if your local library has either in circulation. Men, don’t be put off by the title. It is geared toward women, but money doesn’t discriminate and I believe you can apply the concepts to your lives as well

8 Qualities of a Wealthy Woman

1. Harmony
2. Balance: Harmony and Balance go hand in hand. Your words and thoughts and actions need to be balanced which brings Harmony.
3. Courage: Courage to say “no” to the ones you care about when it affects your finances
4. Generosity: Be generous to yourself. That doesn’t mean you go out and buy things- better to save money for yourself.
5. Happiness: This is the most important one for me. I am happiest when I buy things but it IS only temporary happiness. I think that is just a part of who I am, but what makes me upset is when I don’t have money.  It’s a complicated and vicious cycle that I want to end. I want the best of both worlds
6. Cleanliness: I believe in this one as well. My parents own their own company and have tons of bills to different companies due at different times. Right now, I am in the office and the desk is cluttered with accounting paperwork, basic bills, city taxes, delivery invoices, etc. They do all their finances on their own and they don’t understand why they lose some of the bills and have to request copies. Cleanliness is crucial because it helps you be more organized to pay your bills on time and feel completely calm knowing that you are ahead of the game.
7. Beauty: This is definitely not a quality that guys are going to dwell on, but this is not outer beauty- this quality describes the inner beauty. When you are not stressed about finances, you feel better about yourself. Eventually if you keep that up, that will shine through because stress shows on your outer self.
8. Wisdom: After you understand and have all these qualities, ultimately you have the wisdom to adhere to your every day life. Wisdom to make the right choices with your money and your life.

There are a few more important things that I pulled from the video. These all can be worked in conjunction with 8 qualities listed above.

• Look at money in a positive way. Have a healthy relationship with your personal finances. One of the girls in the DVD said that working with her finances was basically like  having a second job. I totally agree, but it’s the whole reason that you even HAVE a job. It’s crucial to keep up with your finances because then you’re working so hard for no reason. You could be losing money and not knowing it.
• Money doesn’t define you. Just because you don’t have enough doesn’t mean that you aren’t worthy of learning and working with it. Sometimes I get really low in my checking account and I feel like giving up and not paying attention to it anymore because it depresses me to see how much I’ve spent (macy’s coupons kill me), but I just have to adjust what I’m doing and make a plan to save up my money back to the point where I feel comfortable again.
• Don’t blame others and have no shame. I usually blame Macy’s, JCPenny, Nordstrom’s, etc for making me spend so much money, but I know it’s obviously not the store’s fault- it’s the great marketing department. Actually, I know it’s me because I am the one that signed up for their credit cards and got on their mailing list. I am the one who signs up for all email coupons and puts them in my purse for the next (i admit, it’s almost daily) shopping trip. It’s difficult, but doing little things like ignoring the coupons, saying “no” to loans, and ignoring sales ads helps a lot. Temptations…damn marketing departments.
• Do what is RIGHT vs EASY. It’s easy for me to round my checking account amount down to the nearest tens amount and then when I make a purchase I round up and balance my account that way. Yes, it’s alot easier, but the first time I got declined I ditched that method. It was sad- at Wal-Mart on my lunch break making a $3.82 purchase of food with a guy I’ve had a crush on in the next lane. I wasn’t TOO embarrassed, but it sure as hell taught me a lesson. NOW I get updates from my bank via text AND I maintain a checking account book (omg, what are those balance books called???) pretty well…I use down time to make sure I’m up to date.
• Understand good debt vs bad debt: Ie., GOOD DEBT= Student Loans because they help positively affect your future. BAD DEBT= Credit card debt…the devil. My credit cards have made TONS off of me with interest rates.

I just thought of another blog idea! I have found some really cool sites and ideas that I wanna share that have totally helped me stay focused on my finances. I’m still horrible, but they help TREMENDOUSLY. PLEASE  check out the Suze Orman show (next one is OCT 16 @9PM- there are always reruns) and possibly the books and DVDs. You won’t regret it!!

 

10/8/10 Freebies

Wow. So the last blog I posted was closer to mid- August…that’s HORRIBLE blogging which I have been criticized for, thanks. In all honesty, I HATE blogging. My friend started a blog narcissistically (hehe) titled Meg.Goes.Nom.Nom which inspired me to create one as well. Obviously a bad idea. Anyways, I have some pretty cool “free” offers that I wanted to post and make sure than you jump on these freebie blogs quickly because they are usually going to expire within days of posting the blog.  Just an FYI- for some reason I am not able to insert the hyperlink so you’ll have to deal with the copy and paste for this post. Sorry. Enjoy.

ADVIL

If you go through a bottle of Ibuprofen every 3 days like me, you’ll be thankful for this free offer. Advil is on a campaign to switch users from Tylenol to Advil. In doing so, they are offering the first 500,000 people to go to their website and register with them a free FULL SIZE bottle of Advil. I just registered and when I did they were still available. The only thing I had to fill out was my basic info: name, address, email, etc. You MAY decline on receiving additional email crap and it will not affect whether or not you get a free bottle.

GREEN MOUNTAIN COFFEE

Haven’t heard of it? Me neither- until now. Green Mountain Coffee looks to be based out of Vermont and is also part of the Newman’s Own, Celestial Seasonings, and Caribou Coffee (all my favs!) family. On their Facebook page (Green Mountain Facebook Page) they are offering 2,500 free sample A WEEK. Unfortunately for this week they are all dried out, but their page encourages you to try on Monday (10/11/10). You will have to “Like” their page and give them your basic info for the sample.

HEALTH SCREENINGS <<BEST FREEBIE!!

Sam’s Club is graciously offering free health screenings to BOTH members AND non-members. This is only being offered Saturday, October 9, 2010 from 11AM to 3PM…make sure you hit it up before the Michigan v. Michigan State game They will be doing blood pressure checks, cholesterol level checks, BMI, and  glucose. You can get your results in only 15 minutes which gives you plenty of time to walk around the store and get the yummy free food samples! I know they are also offering flu shots at the same time for a typical price of $24. Check out their website for locations near you: Sam’s Club Make sure the location has a pharmacy because these screenings are being held at the stores with a pharmacy; for Michigan it’s pretty much all of them.

WAFFLE HOUSE

Yup. ONE (lol) free waffle at Waffle House. I’m not all set to hop in the car and drive 87 miles to the closest one (all the way in OHIO), but if there is a Waffle House by you, it would seem worth the trip. This offer is only good for dine-in, of course. This is being offered by the company in recognition of the movie “Due Date” that’s coming out in November. I haven’t heard anything about this movie besides that one of the characters is allergic to waffles. I miss Waffle House….great for a late night food run.  Check the link for the coupon.

EUCERIN

This is another Facebook freebie. Go to the Eucerin Facebook page and click the “Like”.  Click the Free Sample icon and fill out your basic information to receive the free sample. The company is offering the sample in hopes that we will take better care of our skin…or increase sales. Either way, when I filled out the information, I apparently became the 76,807th person to promise to take care of my skin. Once I get my sample I will be on board.

I’m hoping to post another blog tomorrow, after the UM v State ANNNNDDD the amazing and wonderful Tampa Bay Rays games, of course. I have a ton of coupons and special offers to share so stay tuned!

Go Rays!! Go Blue!!

              

8/21/10 Freebies

I will be trying to post more blogs talking about websites giving away free samples and giveaways. If I don’t trust a website I will not post it on here. There are some websites that there are a lot of freebies and giveaways that are occurring in the next few days.  There may be a “catch” to some of them which will be explained below, but most are not things that may be a big deal. Hey, free is FREE! Check out some of the things below and sign up for some great freebies!

MAPS

World Vision is giving away free printed world maps for a limited time- only 15,000 maps to give. As of today, there are still some to go around to be sure to sign up ASAP! World Vision is associate with the World Vision Schools and is working with many companies, especially in the health field. Companies include Humana and many other health insurance companies and diet plan companies. The Catch: You will have to fill out a form that gives several insurance companies your information such as telephone number and email address to contact you. This also gives them permission to bypass the Do Not Call Registry.

ENFAMIL

Enfamil is offering a free voucher for one of three different varieties. You don’t have to provide any personal information to receive the voucher. Just follow the link and print. The Catch: You will have to go to your baby’s doctor and give them the voucher in order to receive the free sample.

STARBUCKS

Starbucks is offering BOGO coupons for their double shot drinks (which are super delicious). All you have to do is go to the link above and click on the “Get Coupon” to automatically print out the coupon. Also, once you follow that link, you will notice that Starbucks is also giving away free personalized business cards. All you have to do the follow the link about the business cards, fill out your information, and pick a title from the drop down menu. You have a select number of choices- I am the “Envy Inducer” for obvious reasons. I am looking forward to receiving these way cool business cards in a few weeks! You can use them to give friends your information or hand one off to that cute guy at the club

THE BODY SHOP

I absolutely love the Body Shop. They are giving away FREE student memberships as long as you sign up on their website with your .edu email address! That would be saving you $10 for the year membership. As a member, you receive coupons and get 10% off your purchases. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, they also have a $5 off coupon for your next purchase of $15 or more which is a fabulous deal! Body Shop has some costly but great products so any discount is great!! The Catch: You will have to print out the voucher and then turn it into a Body Shop store near you by August 29, 2010.

EMERGEN-C

This free sample of Emergen-C is offered through Wal-Mart. You will be receiving the sample by mail in a about 4 weeks. All you have to do is fill out your address and answer three questions. It gives you the option whether or not you would like to give them feedback once you try out the product.

NATURE’S DOG FOOD

I’m not a dog fan but I still felt inclined to include this so I don’t deem myself as a discriminatory person when it comes to pets. Nature’s is giving away free dog food samples through the Freefly’s website. You will need to sign up with Freefly which is not a bad thing because this website has several free sample offers that are constantly being updated. The Catch: You will need to find out if you are in a distributor area. If you do not live in a Nature’s distributor area, unfortunately you are not eligible to receive the free sample. Make sure you sign up first by finding your local distributor.

BIC PENS

Each day at noon through September 9, 2010, BIC will be giving away 1,000 of their Easy Glide Pens which are great pens! I am biased because I worked for BIC at their headquarters in Clearwater, FL. Here is my personal shout out to all my friends who work in the factory portion for creating these pens for us! Also, I guess I should give credit to the marketing department for coming up with this idea! Make sure you are on this website at exactly 12:00PM EST everyday to claim your FREE pens! The Catch: It is currently 2:30PM EST and they are already out of the pens for today so I will have to check back tomorrow. If you’re not on the ball everyday, you will miss out.

Hope at least one of these freebies caught your attention and you try them out. Please comment and let me know if you signed up for one of these and let me know how it turned out- bad or good, I wanna know how your experience went!