Halloween is by far my 2nd favorite celebratory day of the year, Christmas being #1 of course, and the tradition of spooktifying our home has begun! Sadly, I am actually running behind in the decor department, but lately I have been running behind on everything :(
I did place my order with my father-n-law for one bale of hay (he gets them for free from a farmer by his work!), sorted through our creepy decorations from years past, and made a shopping list of must haves for this year. By the weekend, I will have everything spooked out and all that will be left is the costumes!
A few things are going to be new to me this year. First, I am MAKING my kiddos Halloween costumes. NEVER EVER have I done this before!! I am honestly terrified at the thought, but I have a tight budget (obviously) and they have faith in me...I think...
The theme this year - ZOMBIES. My wonderful cousin throws a huge themed Halloween bash every year and this just had to be the year of the ZOMBIES! Ghosts would have been right up my alley, my parent's probably still have the white bed sheets with holes cut out for eyes laying around they used for our costumes. But no. It's ZOMBIES! Don't ask why, but I feel the need to capitalizes all letters in the word ZOMBIES, I guess for dramatic purposes...
So, to get me in the ZOMBIES mood I picked up a Styrofoam wall hanger:
This was only a dollar at Dollar Tree and proudly rest on the center shelf of my entertainment stand for inspirational purposes. I asked the kiddos, "What type of zombie would you like to be?" and my daughter replied first, "A girl who just woke up and turned into a zombie." OK, the eleven year old knows what she wants! She then proceeds to explain which pajamas and how her make up should look and so on. My son however, seven years of age, had to mull over the idea for a bit. In fact, he is still mulling it over. Hopefully we have a specific type nailed down soon - I'll get back to you on that. As for my eleven year old's costume - old pajamas, blue eye liner to draw on veins, white clown make up, and some red and purple under her eyes. Simple enough and all I have to buy is some dollar store body parts (specifically a rubber arm?) she claims to need. OKAY...
Whatever happened to being a cute Disney character or action hero? Ahh, how the times have changed. Any how - I evidently have to make costumes for myself and my hubby as well. Everyone must be a zombie to attend and trust me, you want to attend! Here I was thinking of great ZOMBIES I could craft, looking on You Tube for ideas, and what should come on tv at that moment? A Halloween episode of my all time favorite tv show, Roseanne. The episode title was "Halloween IV" and Roseanne gets visited by three ghost to help her out of her Halloween funk, great episode. As I am watching, I see Darlene's costume of Tippi Hedron- she's in a gray blazer and pencil skirt with birds attached every which way to it, for all true horror fans we know this comes from the classic movie from 1963, "The Birds", in which a small town is terrorized my killer birds. Now - the costume might not be original - but it would be CHEAP to make!!
Christmas is less than 100 days away now, and if you haven't started shopping yet, YOU BETTER NOW!
I started getting my Christmas game plan together this past weekend, but I'm actually running behind this year. I try to take advantage of summer clearance items on things like toys, tee shirts, and outdoor items. It's a great way to start your shopping for the holiday season and avoid the hectic stores all together after Thanksgiving.
One of my favorite ways to help budget for the holidays is lay-a-way plans. Kmart offers a great a plan, place as many items as you want in their lay-a-way, put 10% plus a $5 fee to start (start up fee in nonrefundable) and make biweekly payments over the next 8 weeks until paid in full. I also love that I can place the lay-a-way online and make my payments this way. Once I have completed payments, I just go to my local store and pick them up! Viola!
Walmart is also bringing back their lay-a-way plans for this 2011 shopping season! It begins Oct 16th and you have until Dec 16th to pay it off. They are enforcing a few new rules, items must be at least worth $15, minimum $50 balance to start plan, 10% down plus $5 start up fee, cancellation fee is $10. Also, items can only be from the toy department or electronics (they never stopped their jewelry plans) but no household or clothing.
Marshalls is my go to store for putting clothes in lay-a-way. Their terms are shorter, 30 days to pick up your items, but down payments are still only 10%. Be sure to check availability in your area as some stores do not offer lay-a-way, you can check on the website by searching for your nearest location and looking for the hanger symbol in store features.
OK, not all but some area thrift stores are now also offering lay-a-way plans! Refabulous offers a 14 day plan, where you select the items you want, pay a 25% deposit, but if you change your mind the deposit is non refundable, so be careful and don't go overboard!
Panache Plus also offers a plan, 25% down, 45 days to pay off, minimum $45 purchase. I haven't used their lay-a-way yet, so be sure to get the full details about payments and fees associated by calling or going in (info not provided on website) but I do love this store!! I posted a previous review on this adorable boutique and will be making another visit soon to stock up on winter clothing.
So we have established that clearance items are a great way to start your holiday shopping and using lay-a-way can help you spread out the cost (credit card free might I add) but we all know a big chunk of cash is spent on decorations, food, and travel expenses too. How can we save on this stuff so we can stockpile gifts under the tree for our wonderful families??
It's a rainy, cold day here in StL this Sunday. We were looking forward to visiting Eckert's farm today for some apple picking fun, but as always mother nature really loves StL!
Instead of farm filled excitement, I busted out the craft box and told 'em to dig in! It is our go to box for rainy days, snowy days, or sicky days :)
They decided on making tie and knot pillows, mostly because it was the latest edition to the craft box. I love crafts, the kids love crafts, but I admit - I have to work really hard at being crafty! Thrifty is my thing, not crafts! A recent visit to Hobby Lobby (actually my first visit ever) proved to be an overwhelming expeirence. My hands just wanted to touch everything, ideas started pouring in, and I couldn't believe this was my first time in this STORE! Welp, I spotted some super cute hankercheifs and a little leaflet telling you how to make tie and knot pillows out of them. SWEET! Kids will love doing this and how hard cold it be??
So here's what we had to do this craft:
- scissors
- 4 hankercheifs
- polyester stuffing
- kids LOL
As you can see, Spongebob hankies & zebra stripes. Cute!
First, I had the kiddos cut strips about 3/4" around the perimeter of the hankies, following the instructions on the handy chart from the store.
Easy enough! Then came time to tie and knot the hankies together. My daughter wanted to share with her cousin, they created to pillows while my son wanted one giant pillow all to himself.
Next, according to the directions, you are supposed to place hankies over a pillow form. I didn't have a pillow form to lay these over, but I did have some polyester stuffing left from a recent E.T. emergency (his armpit hole lead to major stuffing seepage) that I figured would work perfect. The kiddos greatly enjoyed the stuffing part...
He looks thrilled!
Finally, their pillow creations were complete!
My son's pillow looks more like a plump marshmellow, which pleased my daughter beyond belief. My son was just happy his was bigger! I must admit, I like how the girls' turned out:
Adorable!!!
Very happy with how this rainy day craft turned out :) It was a load of fun and I can't wait to try some new crafts soon! Best part; the whole thing costed less than $5 for all three pillows! AWESOME!
What's your favorite activites to do on rainy days like today? Any tricks or go to things to keep the kiddos entertained?
After several request, we are changing a few things around on our blog post concerning coupons. Please refer back to this posting anytime you need a refresher course on coupon lingo or the way it is presented in our postings and we will update as needed!
Decoding Coupon Terminology:
MNFC - Manufacturer Coupons
PMNF - Printable Manufacturer Coupon
SC - Store Coupons
PSC - Printable Store Coupons
ISC - Instant Store Coupons
MIR - Mail In Rebate
Textpon - coupons sent via text messages
Store Reward Programs:
CVS Pharmacy offers Extra Bucks on select products in their weekly ads. Use your rewards card (free to sign up at any location) buy products at the lowest advertised price, earn extra bucks, and additional in store printable coupons. Extra Bucks print at checkout and can be used on other purchases in your cart or saved to use at a later shopping trip. Terms to look for in post regarding CVS:
CVS: CVS Pharmacy
EB: Extra Bucks
B1G1F: buy one product get the second one free, always double check the amount of items you may need to buy, example B2G1F and so on.
B1G1H: buy one product get the second one half price
Walgreens offers Register Rewards, buy selected products advertised in weekly ads to earn these, noting only one register reward coupon will print per item selected and can not be used during same visit. They also allow for a multiple number of items to be purchased at the coupon price, limits stated on each store coupon. Terms to look for in future posts:
WAGS - Walgreens
RR - Register Rewards
PhotoC - photo discount codes
Other stores such as Kmart also offer a rewards card they use in conjunction with store coupons, in order to benefit from the store coupons you must apply for a free rewards card similar to CVS.
Target offers store coupons in the Sunday Post Dispatch coupon inserts such as RedPlum or Smart Source, but you can also visit the Target website and print additional coupons.
Store coupons can be combined with manufacturer's coupons, but only one of each per product. Example, you can use 1 Walgreens store coupon + 1 manufacturer's coupon to purchase a bar of soap. This is the best way to buy items whenever possible. Also known as "stacking", the more discounts you can get for one item, the lower the price.
Don't forget to thoroughly read coupon details and check store policies. Some stores only accept MNFC that arrive in mailers and do not accept printed coupons.
How to know which coupons to use on which sales:
Every week Thrifty StL Mummy post "coupon match ups". Post are usually on Saturday or Sunday, include both the early edition and full edition Post Dispatch papers as well as any printable coupons that emerge. In the past, I have only posted deals that matched with that particular week's coupons because I was trying to avoid any confusion on what inserts from what week, but after several request - I will now begin posting coupon scenarios according to their insert dates or if printable, a link next to coupon. Here is an example of what the new coupon scenario will look like:
Hot Dogs $2 - $2 MNFC 4/5/2011 = FREE
or
Hot dogs $2 - $2 PMNF (link) = FREE
I hope in doing this, Thrifty StL Mummy can help score those more EXTREME couponing deals so many have requested!
Although I am far from being an extreme couponer as many of you already know, I do love a great deal, and how you multiply any deals I do post is entirely up to you!
Tips for becoming a more organized shopper:
Make a list! Sounds simple enough, but here are a few things to consider about list making;
1. I always jot down things we need as they run out around the house, keeping a magnetized list on the fridge.
2. I put that list into my phone's memo pad, because I most likely will forget the actual list, the night before heading out to do any shopping.
3. I plan meals according to grocery sales. I make a weekly meal plan and list from there. It saves time & money.
Organizing your coupons is a must! You have to find that groove that works for you though! It's tricky at first, I still get overwhelmed from time to time, but here are my best pointers:
1. Have a binder with some sort of pockets, it can be clear card holders or even just folders with pockets to start. Accordion style coupon holders are a great way to start if you are organizing by coupon type.
2. Decide how to categorize your coupons. By expiration date is good if you don't mind sorting through a stack. Others just divide up according to product types.
3. Sorting coupons prior to a shopping trip is a must. You don't want to miss out on a great deal because you couldn't find that coupon at checkout. Being well prepared makes the whole checkout process smooth and painless. Just know, that extreme couponing or just the necessities couponing all requires some time and planning. In the end its well worth it in the amount of money to be saved!
Try to shop without the kiddos whenever possible. Less distractions will help you stay focused on getting only what you came to get.
Bring your own bags. Most stores in the area do not charge for bags, but a few do. Hopefully one day soon, all area stores will offer discounts if you bring your own bags as well. Until then, better to be prepared and feel good about helping the environment too :)
As more people are turning to couponing as a way to save money, couponing
Hope this guide offers assistance in getting you started and a better understanding of how we explain the weekly deals you love reading about :)
Yesterday I had the privilege of enjoying a "girl's day out" with a great friend and my kiddos (yes one of my kids is a boy, but until he fusses over going out with the girls - i will still consider it a girl's day). We had planned on hitting up some yard sales but the weather in StL wasn't very cooperative! Back up plan - thrift stores!!
Our first stop was to a relatively new shop located next to Burlington Coat Factory, St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store. This place is huge! Most of their items are organized well and the store staff are very helpful. I found a few goodies, almost bought a huge mirror but decided to wait. Way to early in the day to make a large purchase. We got to the checkout line and spot an outdoor bench being carried through the air to the front, manager says it's $10!! I was about to interrupt and say SOLD - but another shopper had staked their claim. Disappointed :(
We then ventured a little further south and I remember seeing this cute looking boutique that carries women's clothing, sizes ranging from 12 & up. We made a bee line up Kingshighway to Echilberger! The cute boutique is called Panache Plus, specializing in women's plus sized clothing and alterations. Immediately the store window displays draw you in, and then - boutique heaven!! The whole store is adorable, chic, posh, fresh!! Shoes - my shopping addiction - are off to the left along with a wall of purses and some crafty handmade gifts throughout. Several racks of clothing are also smiling at you, and then the kicker! A doorway leading to another area on the left holds a nice surprise - MORE CLOTHES, two dressing rooms, a kids play area, a runway like strutting area with a fabulous mirror, and an entire formal dress area! I was shocked. For the first time I had entered a store that catered to my every need! The kiddos parked it on the playmat while me and my bff shopped our hearts out.
I found four tops (all items are brand names), 1 pair of capris, and a brand new pair of shorts. Then proceeded to score a pair of heels, 3 pairs of adorable earrings, and even a couple of pieces of candy for my amazingly well behaved kids! I spent $49.21, thanks to a few awesome sales going on, and everything I bought probably retailed near the $230 mark. Sweet!! My bff did just as well coming in at $48 :)
Another positive - V.I.P. Discount Card - every time you spend $10 before tax, it earns you a punch on the card. After $100 (ten punches) you earn $10 off your next $25 purchase. Just another great incentive I highly recommend you check out! The store offers a lay-a-way plan, consignment, trendy accessories, jewelry, and handmade gifts.
<3 it!! In case you couldn't tell, my favorite part was just how much fun I had while shopping there. The ambiance of the shop created a highly enjoyable atmosphere, I didn't feel rushed, and there is nothing better than finding clothing in women's sizes at bargain prices!
After our visit to Panache Plus, I had a feeling other resale shops were going to feel like second fiddle. We headed to another church owned thrift store on South Broadway - I apologize but I can't remember the name - it has been open only a few months as well and I didn't find a lot. I did score a super cute purple vase for a buck, kids found a few toys and some vhs tapes that normally I wouldn't buy, but hey, they had been so good! My bff found some retro blue glasses, $0.50 for all of them! Again, it's a hunting game, some days you find the treasure trove and others it's hit and miss.
All in all, an excellent day considering the rain. We ended our day doing something I had never done - I got my eyebrows waxed!! A little off the subject I know, but my bff pushed me to do it, kind of one of those bucket list things, and after such a great bargain hunting day, I figured, why not? I braved it, it hurt, I survived! And my eyebrows look gorgeous now LOL!
Panache Plus
5400 S. Kingshighway
St Louis MO 63109
314-352-3838
http://panacheplusresale.com/Home_Page.html
St. Vincent DePaul Thrift Store
4928 Christy Blvd
St. Louis MO 63116
314-352-4000
call for pick up of donations - 314-881-6006
Deals at Kmart!
Jeans starting at $6.88 ea
B1G1H on all regular and clearance priced footwear
B1G1F Beyblade metal fusion tops
$5 select dvds
20% off all watches $12.99 & up
70% off all fine & sterling silver jewelry
Kraft Mac & Cheese $0.69 SC limit 4 w/ coupon price
Maxwell House $2.99 SC limit 5
M&M's 9.9-14 oz bags $2 SC limit 2
Hillshire Deli Select honey ham or turkey 2/$5 SC limit 2
**must be a rewards member to use these coupons, free sign up in store**
Licensed 2 pocket folders $0.49 ea
2 pocket prong folders $0.10 ea
Save $5 instantly when you buy $15 or more in Scott's Products
Event @ Kmart for kids 14 & under:
Beynlade Battle event featuring giveaways (while supplies last) this Saturday, August 27th, 11am - 1pm, 14 & younger, 1 per person
Sweepstakes:
"Show Us Your Best Look" - 10 winners everyday will receive $100 Kmart Back to School shopping Spree, grand prize exclusive behind the scenes Hollywood Experience, enter at www.kmart.com/bestlook
CVS Deals!
Get $10 EB when you spend $25 on Charmin Big Rolls 16pk $9.99, Bounty paper towels 12pk $9.99, Puffs Plus Lotion 124 ct 2/$3
B1G1F Hellmann's Mayo
Clorox Bleach $1.99 - $0.25 MNFC = $1.74
B1G1F Arm & Hammer laundry detergent or dryer sheets
Soft Soap 3/$9 + $3 EB on 3, like 3/$6
Head & Shoulders $4.99 + $2 EB, like $2.99
Act mouthwash $4.19 - $1 MNFC = $3.19 + $1 EB, like $2.19
Colgate Optic White toothpaste $2.99 + $2 EB. like $0.99
Tampax Pearl $7.99 + $2 EB, like $5.99
OB tampons $4.99 - $1 MNFC = $3.99
Claritin Children's Liquid $9.99 - $2 MNFC = $7.99
Excedrin $6.99 - $1.50 MNFC = $5.49
Spend $30 on select items get $10 Free gas card
B1G1H on select CVS brand products plus spend $30 get $10 EB
Today was the first official day of the Tax Free Holiday here in Missouri. You betcha I was armed with our school supply list and back up (my bff) to help keep me focused! Great deals, semi crowded stores, and big time savings! I managed to get 90% of the items on the list today with the other 10% (mostly clothing items) to be bought tomorrow. We also headed to Family Value Thrift Store to check out their deals and I found a ton of stuff!! Although not as much as my bff, but hey it was all at a great price! Here are a some pics of scores today:
First, my receipt from Office Max:
I spent a mere $3.27 and even got an extra coupon for $5 off $25 purchase at Payless!
(excuse the blurriness my digital camera is MIA)
Next up are my Thrift Store finds! To Start, an adorable white platter for the kitchen:
This plate was marked $3.93 plus I got 50% off today for a sale they were having and I have some great ideas on what to do with it!! More on that to come soon...
Then I found a silver charger, again marked $0.99 plus 50% off:
I love these chargers to put candles on, holiday decor, all kinds of greatness will come out of this find.
My favorite find was a simple black pillar holder for a quarter!!
Love this so much! Why you ask? Because I love candles!! And I see these in every single decorative mag spread and really want to get them in every size possible lol! One idea besides using it to hold a pillar candle was this:
The size of the glass bowl isn't exactly right but just bare with me here - now watch what it looks like when you flip it:
Looks a little better huh? Now imagine what you can do here, the possibilities are endless! I have great plans for this little candle holder!
Last, I found two glass containers w/ silver lids and my little heart started to putter:
These were marked $0.99 ea! No sale, but a great deal! I have tons of ideas on what to do with them, but most likely they will end up in the kitchen and not holding cotton balls in my bathroom...like some have suggested...I won't name names :)
I also found a couple of uniform pieces for my son, a super cute pink eye glasses case for my daughter, a bag full of cutesy jewelry for her, and misc stuff. All of it was less than $18 and all of the school supplies today were about $34 (for two kids mind you). Pretty satisfied with the bottom line!
Then I come home to another free sample in my mailbox:
Downy Unstopables that are supposed to increase the smelly goodness of your wash! They smelt amazing through the package! I'll let you know how they do soon :)
Now the tax free weekend continues through Sunday and I am sure I will be taking advantage of some great clothing deals tomorrow at JcPenny's (I have coupons), Shoe Carnival (more coupons + B1G1 1/2 Price), Payless (scored a coupon today + B1G1 Free deal happening) and maybe even Old Navy.
Don't forget to take advantage of some really great events this weekend around the metro area!
Delta Dental Health Theatre grand re-opening is Saturday August 6th from 10am til 4pm.
Back to school fair @ Chaifetz Arena from 9am til 3pm.
Free kids workshop at Home Depot from 9am til 12pm. This is for the pencil box :)
Kids eat free during the month of August @ IHOP.
Some many great things to do this weekend! Don't forget to check Fox 2's website for a map of yard sales as well :)
http://www.fox2now.com/lifestyle/yardsale/
And just a quick note about or 100 fan giveaway, follow us on our Facebook page and when we reach 100 fans we will be giving away a gift basket filled with some amazing items from arond the St. Louis area! Pictures will be posted soon, still awaiting on a few things to come in!
