Friday, September 30, 2016

Fun filled grab bags for Halloween!

I received items from Oriental Trading to facilitate this post.



Each year I love to make grab bags for my kids to take to class for their Halloween treats. It's a fun way to let them celebrate. And, of course, there are lots of other ways to hand out grab bags. Whether you're doing a church or community event, or if you just want to hand out things other than candy to the trick-or-treaters coming to your door, Oriental Trading has you covered for all the Halloween necessities.



For our grab bags we used a fun printed bag, a spider ring, a monster tattoo, and a candy stick... then fastened the bag with an orange & black friendship bracelet.
These are fun for the kids to put together themselves and they love giving them to their friends.

Of course, you could put nearly anything in your bags with the amazing selection that Oriental Trading provides! Make them scary, make them religious, make them full of candy- or not! There's something for everyone... really!

And if you need anything else for Halloween, like great Halloween Costumes, check out the other offerings at Oriental Trading!


Sunday, September 18, 2016

Finding style.

This is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.


So, our son Liam (11 years old) has been really into everything Native American lately. He has some Native American ancestry, and the knowledge of that has really sparked something in him lately. He's been wanting to bow-hunt, fish (he wishes he could spear), and he's been asking for some Native American style apparel.  This kid is SUPER picky about his clothes... all the rest of the kids- they don't care; Liam- it has to fit just right AND be his style. I try to accommodate when I am able, but a lot of local stores don't supply his specific requests.

He wants moccasins, a native styled hoodie, and pretty much anything that resembles or reminds him of Native culture. Well, I hopped on over to Groupon Goods to see if I could find a good deal on any of those things, and I found a really cool sweatshirt that I know he'll love.  I also found this sweet Native American coin set that I think will be a great Christmas gift (you can never start too early... it isn't that far away)!


Sometimes you just have to turn to online shopping to get a decent deal and find what you are looking for!

Friday, September 16, 2016

Eight kids to clothe....

This post is sponsored by Groupon. All opinions are my own.



If I had a dime for every time someone asked how I could afford "all these kids" I might not have to be so frugal. Really, though, I have to be. I am GOOD at saving money (if I do say so myself)!

With school shopping just out of the way, I think it's a good time to explain some of what I do.

I don't want my kids to just wear whatever, either. I want them to be in nice clothes that will last.  It's amazing how much money you can save by just paying attention to sales and looking for a coupon.

For example. I do a lot of my shopping for my kids at JCPenney. To get the best deals I head to the clearance rack first. I have no qualms with this because who's gonna know if you bought it clearance or if you purchased it a month or two earlier at full price- it just plain saves you money. In fact, I found many t-shirts on clearance for under $2. That's a fabulous price anyhow, but add in a coupon and make it 25 to 50% off that price- BONUS!

I also tend to purchase items on clearance for the year ahead. Let's say I know I am going to need snowpants for my kids next fall, in the spring I will buy them when they're 75% off or more, saving me ridiculous amounts of money (and I usually can find a coupon for most stores, too! Check out Groupon Coupons). Yes, this takes a little more planning, and sometimes you can't estimate your child's size perfectly, but at the prices I buy most of this stuff at, I don't mind donating it or reselling it if it won't fit one of the kids.

Shoes are one of the most difficult things for me to get deals on. My kids like name brand shoes, and I'd rather have their shoes last the year than buy several pairs of cheap shoes. We actually purchased a pair of Nike athletic shoes for under $11. Again, I looked at clearance and had a coupon. That was a great score to me. This year I was able to find a couple pairs of great Reebok shoes for under $20. When each kid needs at least two pairs of shoes it adds up quick, so I'm glad to find some deals.

Pairing in-store rewards and coupons can also help you save even more. JCP has rewards, as does Kohls, Children's Place and many others. Many times you can use rewards, coupons, sales and clearance prices all combined making for some incredible savings. 

Do you shop to save? What's your best "score"?
 
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