money saving tips

Reusable Grocery Bags – My Reluctant Switch

Are you one of those plastic grocery store bag users who did not want to give them up? The US state in which I live has passed a law forcing grocery stores to stop supplying them. The reason given, of course, is that single-use plastic grocery store bags are a hazard to the environment.

OK, I am not going to argue that claim. It wouldn’t get us anywhere, anyway. What I do want to say is that mine were NOT single use. I own two dogs and they were my go-to bag for poop scooping! Now I have to BUY disposable plastic bags for the same purpose. Ugh. I also used them for trash can liners and even quick tote bags, in a pinch. So, I really made good use of those disposable grocery store bags. [By the way, Mr. Governator, please don’t outlaw store-purchased plastic bags. The imagination goes wild with how we would dispose of dog-poop, if pre-purchased plastic bags went away.]

So, I will be a good sport, go ahead and buy some really nice grocery bags that I will love to use!

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Reusable WASHABLE Grocery Bags – great storage totes, too! #Ad

Buying Reusable Grocery Store Bags Online

Yes, I decided to find some quality reusuable grocery bags that I will really enjoy using! Of course, I want them to be the right size, lightweight, sturdy and pretty, too. I found this very affordable 5 pack by Bee Green from Amazon. I really like them. The fabric reminds me of a fashion raincoat I had years back. They are definitely washable, too. I don’t plan on needing to wash them but, if I do, I can! They will last even longer.

Tip=>> If you are making the switch, beware that you must REMEMBER TO BRING THEM with you to the store when you go! I have heard that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit so, you may want to go right out to the car and put some of your newly purchased bags there right now. I can’t tell you how many times I have forgotten to bring them with me! LOL

Now, about that poop-scooping problem. My sister-in-law gifted me a set of pet waste removal bags when they lost their dog. They are really, really great because they were designed for picking up dog poop. I still miss my freebie plastic grocery bags but I must say it is very nice to have quality bags that were designed for the specific purpose. And, HINT HINT, you can also buy Thank You DISPOSABLE bags like you used to get at the store … for poop scooping!

Buy disposable bags for cleaning up after your dogs #Ad Poop Scooping Solution!

Switching from disposable plastic grocery bags to reusable may not be your choice, but here is a way to enjoy it! #tips #shopping Share on X

Enjoy!

How Smart Moms Can Save Money During The Holidays and After

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The holidays are the time to have fun and enjoy being with our families. However, many moms fear this time of year as their monthly budget and economizing routines get put on hold for holiday cheer. Every homemaker has to deal with it, at some time or other. It is not easy. You don’t want to fall further behind but you also want your family to have happy memories. If this year has been a tough one, do not despair. With a little focus, you can actually shop for the holidays and still come out a winner!

Here are some of the best tips and tricks to save money during the holiday season and after.

Create a Budget And Be Loyal To It

Holiday budgets are a bit different than everyday budgets. This one needs more planning and management because you have so much to accomplish if you are on a restricted budget. The best way is to start a little early and assign a particular amount to each category like gifting, grocery, decorations, tree, and clothing.

Note: this is NOT a sponsored post however, this post does contain Amazon affiliate links. ♥

Spend Using Cash Rather Than Cards

Now, when you know your budget, it is better to use cash rather than cards. Having cash in hand will remind you of the budget and expenses. It is easy to get carried away buying those cute glittery items that grab your attention in store displays. Bring a limited amount of money with you and NO CASH or checks. That will force you to spend within your means.

Grab Coupons of All Kinds to Use When You Shop

Money is crucial, but family celebrations are important, too. There will be many expenses that you cannot avoid like some new clothes, gifts, food and decorations. So, one smart thing you can do is to take advantage of coupons and online deals as much as possible. You can shop online where you can get plenty of discounts and offers to save money. Websites like CouponoBox are an amazing source of discount codes so grab the most out of them and get the best while spending the least.

Encourage Your Kids To Do Some DIY

Gifts are one of the biggest expenses during the holidays. Buying expensive gifts isn’t always the most memorable. Spark some life the holiday spirit by teaching your kids to value their loved ones and make them feel special. Encourage them to make homemade gifts for family members. The recipients will truly treasure the uniqueness of what they have received.

Prefer Potlucks

A family gathering is during the holidays is fun. Instead of providing all the food yourself, host it as a potluck. Everyone brings a dish to pass. You will be amazed at the variety of great dishes that fill the dinner table as everyone brings something to share and you will save money, too.

How smart moms save money during the holidays and after! #shopping #tips Share on X

Shop the After-Christmas Sales

Households with older children can pull this off brilliantly. Select a small-ticket item for each person to open on Christmas Day. And, give each person cash to spend when the after holiday sales begin.

Make it a big deal! Go out together and “shop till you drop!” You will get so much more for your money and can save. Design it as a very special day. Go out for a bite to eat as a family, maybe even a movie, and enjoy.

If going out on the town to shop does not appeal to you, Amazon’s after holiday sales are amazing! Sit down together by the computer and browse. Save the items you like best in the shopping cart. When you are done picking things out, you can sort through the cart and remove items you aren’t going to get. Finish checking out when everything that remains is what you want to buy!

To sum it up …

Moms have an amazing way of managing things. You may even find yourself looking back and saying “how ever did I do it?” But, fact is, you did do it!

Enjoy!

5 Steps To Get The Best Deals At The Big Sale

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This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

Do you love saving lots of money on everyday items? Of course you do. Finding great deals – especially on things you need – is FUN! So wouldn’t it be nice to know exactly where those great deals will be so that you can be ready for them with a shopping plan? Here is a heads up for you: Amazon Prime Day is Monday! There. Now you know.

Unlike Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are centered on holiday gift-giving, Prime Day is an epic 36 hour Amazon sale extravaganza that can be absolutely anything you want it to be.

Do you need a big-ticket item and would love to get it at half-price?

Check it out on Prime Day – you just may just find it at the price you are looking for!

Are you wanting to stock up on household basics at super low prices?

Prime Day is absolutely the day to do it. And, they will ship it to you for FREE!

Is there something huge coming up like a first-time college student going off on her own or even a wedding being planned?

Events like that require LOTS of shopping. If you have your list in hand for Prime Day, you could save 30-40-50% or more. Who knows? They don’t call it an EPIC sale for nothing!

The way to get the MOST out of a sale day like this is to have a game plan to follow.

Here are 5 easy steps – plus my FREE PRINTABLE WORKSHEET – to help you get the very most out of the BIG day!

5 Step Shopping Plan To Get the Best Deals on Prime Day

Open a FREE 30 Day Trial Amazon Prime Membership. This is a totally no-obligation opportunity to see if you like it. If at the end of the 30 days you do not want to pay for a Prime membership, just cancel it. Prime Day is exclusively for Amazon Prime Members so, if you do not have Prime yet, get it set up right here today!
Print out my FREE 10 page Deal-Busting Shopping List worksheet. This free printable is designed to help you to identify the items you want to buy so that you can save a TON of money on them through Amazon on Prime Day. It can come in handy at other times, too, but to get the most out of an 36 hour sale using a planning list is a must!
Write yourself a note! Set a bookmark on your phone or write a big note and put it in a VERY VISIBLE location saying MONDAY July 16th 3:00 pm ET PRIME DAY starts. You do not want to forget to shop! (Prime Day goes through Tuesday July 17th.)
Start putting together your Shopping List. I gave you two lines on the printable after each type of item. You can use them for anything at all or nothing at all but I thought you might want to write down the current price so that you can compare when you shop. You may be surprised when you go to Amazon and find what you are looking for. It may already be one of the surprise early-bird deals! They are putting them out there every day.
BIG Strategic Move=> save your shopping items in your Amazon shopping cart in advance. Load it up! On Prime Day, go back and see what the prices are. They probably will be even lower – much lower. You can edit the cart any way you would like to including deleting items, adding new items or changing quantities. Just be sure to purchase what you keep in the cart before Prime Day ends or the prices may go back up again.

***Now, here is a little request from me to you. I would love it if you would first, before you select items for your cart, come to Ducks ‘n a Row and click on any Amazon ad or any Amazon link at all. The Prime Day ad will do just fine. It will take you over to Amazon’s website where you can go ahead and go all over the place to do your shopping. You only have to go to Amazon from this blog once so, after you do, please do not even give another thought. Just enjoy your shopping.

Simply put, I am an Amazon affiliate. When you click on an Amazon ad on my blog, you are actually using my affiliate link. If you do end up buying anything at all from Amazon – even if it stays in your cart for a while – I will earn a small commission and your wonderfully low prices will NOT change. You just did a nice thing for me. Thank you so much! ♥

FREE 10-page Shopping Plan Worksheet

Got any nifty ideas that help you to “bust deals” at big sales? Share your know-how with us in the comments!

5 steps to get the BEST #deals at the BIG sale! #shopping #Amazon Share on X

Enjoy!

Get The Perfect Coaster In 2 Seconds For FREE!

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This little household tip saved me time, money and aggravation. As you know, I now have my new in-home office and I absolutely LOVE it. So, I didn’t want to ruin my desk with stains from my coffee cup. That would be bad.

This blog contains affiliate links. ♥

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Sauder furniture looks really nice and is durable but what you do not want to do is put a glass or coffee cup on it, leaving a ring or scratching it. For quite a while I used a plate as a coaster. In the back of my mind, though, I was a yearning for a couple of black coasters that would not scratch the desk surface if someone slid them. Hmm.

Ever discovered that the answer to your problem was right in front of you? That is what happened to me. I was making a pot of coffee – Ducks ‘n a Row RUNS on coffee 🙂 – and looked at the plastic lid in my hand. “Oh my goodness – a black COASTER!” I exclaimed. The size was perfect. The color was perfect. It was soft plastic and unlikely to scratch a desktop. And, I am an avid enough coffee drinker that I would soon have a whole set.

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First, I put one under the little vase of flowers that I received as an end-of-the-year teacher gift from one of my preschool students. No worries about drips from that one. Problem solved!

Another went under my hot cup of coffee. Perfect!

Make the perfect coaster in 2 seconds for FREE! #tips #DIY Share on X

What “around the house” solutions have you come up with for everyday problems? We’d love to hear what you have done!

Another little hack of mine that has gained lots of attention⇒ How To Fasten A Bracelet Without Help

Enjoy!

Want a Nest Egg of Your Very Own?

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Want a nest egg of your very own? Maybe a nest-egg in the literal sense of the term is reaching a bit too high for starters. But how about putting away a little money for a rainy day? Sure, it isn’t all that easy to do. Most people are just making it living from paycheck to paycheck. We start out with the best of intentions but, at the end of the day, there simply is no money left over to save.

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Today is the day all of that changes. If you don’t make up your mind to do it now, you won’t do it at all. So this is “Decision Day.” Decide that it is time to set some cash away.

Emergency Funds

Having a rainy-day stash – otherwise known as an “emergency fund” – accomplishes two important things:

PEACE: It gives you peace of mind that you have something to fall back on when the unexpected comes.
CREATES A SAFETY NET: Finally you have money to fall back on when the unexpected comes!

Know that “the unexpected” is NOT Christmas or birthdays. You have a calendar. You expect them, don’t you? OK. So this pile of money is NOT for that. What is it for then? Sudden repairs, for instance. The hot water heater goes or you have a flat tire. Those are the types of unplanned for things that an emergency fund is meant to cover.

How To Start Saving

1. Start by making a personal budget. Take a look at what you bring in each month.

2. Next, write down your fixed expenses. These are things like rent, car payments, utilities etc. Figure out how much you need each month for groceries and other essentials. This is your bare bones budget. It’s good to know how much money you need to get by each month.

3. Now it’s time for a little bit of math. Start with what you bring in each month and subtract all those fixed expenses. What you are left with is your discretionary income. This will pay for entertainment, clothes, getting your nails done etc. And from here on out, part of that discretionary income will go into a savings account.

How to start a nest egg of your very own when you don't have a lot of money! #tips #money #saving Share on X

4. Pick a number that you are comfortable with. Maybe that is just $20 per month, maybe it’s $500. Put it in your budget and treat it like any other bill. It won’t take you long to get into the habit of setting aside that money for savings.

To make it even more hands-off, go to your bank and set up a separate savings account. Ask your employer to have that amount automatically deposited in the savings from your paycheck. If you don’t see it, you’ll never miss it and your savings will build all on its own.

Be sure to audit your savings from time to time. Take another look at your budget, as well. Can you increase your savings? Another great way to boost that savings account is to take any extra money – i.e. birthday cash, tax return, bonuses etc. – and put it straight into the savings account. Again, you won’t even miss the money, but it will help you to build up your savings quickly.

Make sure your savings is in an interest bearing account. Since you won’t be touching this money unless it’s a dire emergency, you should be able to earn at least a little interest. Talk to your banker about your best options and start saving today.

Enjoy!

Save Up To 90% on Fabulous Mommy & Baby Goodies from PatPat – Free Download

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PatPat – the “mommy of all shopping apps” was just recognized as the Best New App in the Apple App Store. You’ve got to see it to believe it. Best deals ever! Free download for iPhone or Android. Give it a try!

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*This post was sponsored by Pat Pat but opinions are entirely my own.

Young moms and dads have their hands full. Juggling home, career, special events and other responsibilities leaves little time for real “shopping.” You need to get the best quality from your purchases but who’s got time to find the real deals?

When I heard that I could get up to 90% off the retail price on top quality goods at PatPat, I had to check it out. I downloaded the PatPat app for Iphone right away and started playing with it.

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Oh the adorable baby clothes! They are so much fun to look at. A cute dinosaur cap for $5.99. Really? And a cartoony stroller organizer for $7.99. What a neat idea! Little bow ties for boys and a sweet watermelon jumpsuit for little girls (it looks like a watermelon) Now here’s a great invention: zoo animal faucet extenders to help little tykes reach the sink. We could use about 6 of them for our preschool.

Moms, you will find at-home shopping with PatPat is perfect for your daily needs but PatPat can also be a great source for gift shopping. You will find all sorts of unique baby gifts and kids toys there. Plus grandmas can shop PatPat, too. It’s a great way for us to stock up on baby essentials for when our grandkids visit.You really do have to see this for yourself. The free download for Apple or Android makes it so easy to get started. It took all of 15 seconds to it get up and running. So why not give it a try?

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More about PatPat: There are up to 20 new PatPat deals every day offering deep discounts on baby clothes and essentials, toys, maternity dresses and trendy accessories for moms and their babies. For each event, they let you know how long that special price will be offered. They even have an “upcoming” category for early birds who want to know what the events will be before they open.

Look for the occasional FREE offering on baby items. You’ll have to get there really early and, yes, you read that right – FREE! It’s like a treasure hunt. PatPat is full of surprises.

Download the app here (iPhone or Android) and SAVE 35% and get $5.00 toward that first order, too. Just use the promo code “DUCKS35“

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So go on over to Pat Pat right now, download the app and see. I just know that you’re going to love it.