How to Spend Wisely with Money Saving Tips

In today’s economy most of us are trying to save money any way we can. We are all aware of ways to save such as buying in bulk, discount sales, and using coupons. Here are a few money saving tips that we hope will be useful.

Shop alone if possible; and if not, pretend you are alone. Image is everything, right? We are all concerned with the image we portray even when we shop. If we shop with friends we tend to select a pricey brand over a more economical choice. Be on the alert if you are shopping in a crowd.

Don’t let temptation get you. Rid yourself of the barrage of catalogs and emails from your favorite stores. These tend to create the urge to splurge. You can stop the catalogs, direct mail ads, and store emails by visiting dmachoice.org. You can also unsubscribe from most email lists individually by following the instructions that are usually at the bottom of each email message.

Before you splurge, ask yourself “What does this really cost?” If you stop and think about how many hours you have to work in order to earn the money to pay for each item you consider buying, you will make better decisions about your purchases.
Don’t be average. Nielsen Company research shows that average Americans watch TV 153 hours per month. A study in the Journal of Consumer Research says people who watch a lot of TV tend to crave more material possessions since many of today’s popular shows portray an upscale lifestyle.

Resist mega bargains. Overspending is overspending even if you are getting a designer dress originally priced at $200 for $50. If you don’t absolutely love the dress, don’t buy it. A dress hanging in your closet that never gets worn is no bargain at any price.

Keep your eye on the prize. If you are saving for a great vacation, a new car, or a hot tub you will be more likely to stash the cash to reach your goal if you are constantly reminded. Put pictures on your refrigerator, the visor of your car, or in your wallet to help stave off impulse buys.

Free is always good, right? Wrong! Avoid free trials like the plague unless you are confident you will follow through with the usual required cancellation. Most of us are too lazy or forgetful to take the necessary steps when the free trial ends. Using cash pays. Leaving your credit cards at home when you shop so that you have to take a moment to think about each purchase will help curb overspending. People are more likely to buy only basic necessities when spending good old dollars and cents.

Ask yourself “Do I really need all the bells and whistles?” Whether you are buying a mini-van or a flat screen TV the extras add up. Consider whether the added features will still be desirable after the new wears off. Buying only the features you really need can save big bucks.

Follow this useful information; and watch your savings grow. Remember, as Ben Franklin would say “A penny saved is a penny earned”.

Great Tips That will Save you Money

Plan meals ahead of time: When you try to shop without meal planning you buy at random without considering the price. We buy a lot of products then try to prepare our meals around what we buy.

Do not go shopping when you are hungry: If you go to the store when you are hungry, everything looks good and you over buy. In fact you will tend to buy cookies, ice cream and snacks which have a high price tag. If you shop on your way home from work you are usually tired, hungry, in a hurry, and make bad decisions. If you plan your shopping trip the night before and have a snack after work, you will save money and make wiser decisions.

Buy store brands: Store brands are cheaper and are usually produced by well known brand name companies.

Use coupons: Combining products that are on sale with a coupon can save you even more. Save the coupons on products you use even if you do not need them right away. Coupons may not expire for months.

Look for good deals while you shop: If you find a good deal buy extra. Keep it on your shelf until you need it. Buy one get one free can be a great deal but two things to watch out for here are over pricing and expiration dates.

Make out a grocery list and stick to it!

Don’t buy on impulse: Impulse shopping will drive your costs sky high. The only time you should buy impulsively is on great deals.

Try not to buy cleaning and paper products at the grocery store: Grocery stores usually over price these type of products. The place to save on these items is at discount stores.

Tips for Bringing Home Baby to Big Brother or Big Sister

Welcoming home a new baby is a thrilling experience for parents and siblings. However, siblings can start to feel left out when they see how much attention gets lavished on the new baby. Following is some useful information that will help avoid sibling rivalry.

During the pregnancy include the older children in making the necessary preparations for the new baby. Allow them to voice their opinions on things such as nursery décor or baby names. Encouraging their input makes them feel involved and important.

Take advantage of sibling preparation classes offered at some hospitals.

Let siblings know what to expect. Having Mom away in a hospital for two or three days can be scary for some children if they don’t expect it.

Talk with them about their role as a big sister or big brother. Refer to the new baby as “our baby”. Let them know how lucky the new baby is to have them as a brother or sister.

Tell them the new baby won’t be able to do much at first; so they won’t be expecting a playmate right away.

Take out the older child’s baby book and baby photos. Have the whole family spend some time reminiscing about their baby years. This will help to create a bond with the new baby because they will feel they have something in common.

Sometimes older children appear to regress when a new baby arrives. This childish behavior may be the result of feeling stress. Don’t shame them for this behavior. Be sure and praise their milestones such as learning to tie shoes or mastering a new lesson at school.
Having a new baby in the house usually creates a certain amount of stress for everyone. Mom and Dad can be very serious simply because they are losing precious sleep. Try and lighten the overall mood by being silly, telling jokes, or watching a funny movie. Laughter goes a long way toward making everyone feel better. Show your love for them too.

Enlist the help of grandparents. Grandparents are the perfect people to give extra attention to the older children when Mom and Dad are busy with the new baby. Grandparents can take the older children on special outings to movies, playgrounds, etc. Grandparents are generally glad to baby sit with the new baby while Mom, Dad and the older children have a much needed night out.

No matter how hectic things get, both Mom and Dad should set aside some one-on-one time for each older child.

Let the older child be involved in the new baby’s care as much as possible. Depending on their age they can assist with things like baths and dressing the baby. Let them pick out the outfit the new baby will wear to come home from the hospital.

The most important thing to remember is everyone especially older children need time to adjust to a new baby. A little patience and understanding is usually all it takes to help a sibling adjust to sharing Mom and Dad’s attention. For more things you should know about adding a new baby to your family click here.

Labor Day Travel Tips & Useful Information

According to AAA more than 34 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles from home this Labor Day holiday. Most will travel by car; but about 5% will fly. Whether you are traveling by car or by plane this weekend, being prepared will make your trip more enjoyable. Following are some tips that will help you have a great time.

Helpful Hints for Hitting the Road

Before you leave check your car’s fluid levels and wipers. Also, it is very important to check out your tires for wear and proper tire pressure. Low tire pressure can cause a blow out and ruin a holiday getaway or worse. Don’t forget to check your spare, too. Plan your route. Knowing the roads and exits to take ahead of time helps avoid accidents. Take along a map even if you have GPS in case of a malfunction. Use Google Maps to print the map you need. Another good resource for maps is AAA. Leave early when there is less traffic on the road. Avoid rush hour if possible since this is when traffic is heaviest. Drive during the day when it’s safer because visibility is better. Also, you are less likely to encounter a drunk driver as they tend to be more prevalent at night. Stop when you get tired. Remember large trucks have blind spots. If you can’t see the truck driver in their mirror, then they can’t see you. Don’t cut in front of large trucks. Due to their size and weight, they take longer to stop. Be sure to lock your car every time you leave it, even it it’s just for a short rest stop. Returning to your car to find it or your belongings missing is sure to spoil your good time. Take along hand sanitizer or sanitizing wipes and use them when you leave each public place. A small spray bottle filled with alcohol also works well. Follow use with moisturizer. Put together a do it yourself travel kit with books, magazines, travel games, puzzles, sticker books, video games, small toys, etc. for your passengers. Keeping the kids busy usually makes for a less stressful trip. Bringing snacks and drinks will decrease stops and save money.

Things You Should Know if Taking to the Air.

Get to the airport an hour and a half before your flight. Have your ticket, boarding pass, ID, etc. in hand when needed. Don’t over pack. Most airlines charge for extra bags or overweight bags. Don’t put valuables in your checked luggage. Always place these items in your carry on bag. Put at least one change of clothing in your carry on bag just in case your luggage is lost. Always carry on any medication you need. Be sure your carry on bag is within the airlines’ size limits. If it’s too large, you may be asked to check it when you board the planeRemember to drink fluids to stay hydrated while you are on the plane. Move around a bit if possible during your flight. Taking your MP3 player, portable DVD player, and your laptop computer along is a great way to pass the time if you have a long flight. Be sure to put these items in a padded laptop computer bag to protect them. Be prepared to take these out of the bag at security check points.
Attach a unique luggage tag on all your bags to help you identify them. A brightly colored ribbon tied onto the bag handle also works well. You will be glad you did when you are trying to locate your bags among the sea of bags at baggage claim

Whether driving or flying make a conscious effort to enjoy all aspects of the trip. Expect to wait. Be patient. Don’t let little hassles and your emotions ruin your getaway. Be polite and courteous to people you encounter along the way. Remember you catch a lot more flies with honey than vinegar.

Hubcaps and Gravy hopes this information is useful to you; and wishes everyone a safe and Happy Labor Day!