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01-28-2007, 08:48 AM
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#1
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*Vote For The Winner!*
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Ms. Mommysavers
Last Online: Today 08:10 PM
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern Minnesota
Real Name: Kim
Posts: 9,886
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Here are the top mentions in our Seemore's Playhouse Money Saving Ideas contest. Please read all the tips carefully before voting for your favorite. Place your vote for the ONE tip you feel is the best, based on both originality and practicality. You will only be allowed to vote once and cannot change your vote once it has been cast. Voting will be closed after three days. The top vote-getter will receive a $100 Toys R Us gift card courtesy of Seemore's Playhouse and Mommysavers.com!
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#1
Offer to Volunteer at Your Child's Lessons or Studio
Something that has saved us a ton of money (and has been a wonderful family activity, too!) came about completely by accident. Our oldest son was taking karate lessons. The instructors invited our then 2-year-old son to join the class if a parent helped with crowd control during class. One thing led to another and now my husband and I both are junior instructors. We were allowed to take karate classes for FREE! I know that other parents at our karate school have earned discounts for their kids by volunteering to help at the reception desk by accepting
membership dues during regular class time when all the instructors were busy. It's something to consider, especially if you are sitting at the karate school, dance studio, etc. during classtime anyway. It never hurts to ask!
#2
Ask for a Discount
I have asked at the brake service for a professional discount, at hotels, car rentals, furniture stores and for almost everything I could. All they can say is no but you must ask. Can you do any better on that price? Is there a professional discount? Are there any codes out for a discounted price? Ask for a discount and save money.
#3
Swap Time
I love getting together with friends and "Shopping" with them. We all get a box or two of stuff we want to get rid of and we exchange them. This works great since we have kids in all different sizes and we might find a thing or two for ourselves! I have found it has saved A LOT on my clothing budget.
#4
Looking Beyond the Packaging
So many people tend to pass on items that are "seasonal" or "holiday" as they think the product is only good for that time of year. I have found that if you can look beyond the packaging, you can can get a lot of mileage from post holiday sales. Some examples of looking beyond the packaging: Post Christmas, I was able to get bags and bags of Hershey's kissables for FREE! (clearanced to .69 - .75 coupon). I bought several of them even though a few of my family and friends asked, "What are you doing to do with all of those red, green, and white Christmas candies?!" Well, it was easy and fun to do this. My son emptied the bags and separated them into separate red, white, and green piles. We are using the red and white ones for Valentines treats (in cellophane bags) to give to his preschool classmates. We will also use them in baking our cookies. We will use the green ones for St. Patty's day--again for treat bags and in cookies.
#5
Don't Leave Home Without a Packed Lunchbox
Keep a lunchbox packed with non-meltable food in your vehicle. I have an old lunchbox that I keep stocked with plastic containers of graham crackers, cheerio/cereal mix, fruit snacks, pretzels, granola bars (with no chocolate), Pop Tarts, etc. I can't tell you how much money I have saved with this lunchbox. Sometimes errands run long, I get stuck in traffic, etc., and I don't have stop to spend money to tide the kids over until we can get home. Instead of stopping at McDonald's, I simply hand my kids the lunchbox and they can snack on that until we get home. Don't forget to pack something that you like in there too! You can also pack a separate lunchbox with water bottles/juice boxes in case you or your kids forget their drinks while dashing out the door.
#6
Stay Home
The best way to save money is to stay out of the stores! (This includes online shopping.) I realized that I was dragging my kids out every day on errands I thought had to be done--but going to Target should really be a once a month excursion! Now I thoughtfully plan out an errand day and a grocery day; the others are for playing with my kids, cleaning and organizing, and visiting with family. This also leaves my husband's days off for family,not errands! I've saved so much money (I can always find something at Target, etc. for 75% off that is too good to pass up) and my home has never looked better!
#7
Swap Babysitting with Friends
I use two types of money saving babysitting. I am a Stay at home mom with no family around, as a result sometimes during the day I need a sitter for my two preschoolers, but don't want to spend the money to pay one. I am in a babysitting co-op that saves me TONS of money. There are many ideas online how to start one (if someone wants more info on ours I can email you) and this saves in many ways, plus the other moms are my trusted friends. My kids look foward to "play" dates often and I don't spend a penny. Secondly, me and two of my friends have begun to swap kids once a month on a Saturday night. For example on the first Saturday night of the month I have the kids from the other two families - then those two couples go out while I babysit all the kids and then I go the second Saturday night with my husband and the fourth Saturday night. Subsequently, the other couples watch our kids on the second and fourth Saturday nights that month. So we each have one night of babysitting in exchage for two date nights for FREE! Since I know in advance when I'm sitting I prepare inexpensive kid friendly foods, rent a movie from the library and make a fun night of it.
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