Tag Archives: medical

Shopping with Toddlers

Whether or not you love to shop, going to the store with a toddler in tow is much different from shopping alone or with older kids or adults. Today, I took my toddler to the mall. I survived. I didn’t think I would. At least when I go shopping alone or with an adult or even with a teenager, they walk by themselves without asking to be carried. My son just had to have me carry him and that took a toll on my back. I remember a few years ago when I went shopping with my friend and her … Continue reading →

Maternity Coat Shopping Guide

Looking for a warm coat that will fit over your baby bump? All of these winter coats are available for less than $80. Snag one now just in time for Christmas. (Tell your hubby to wrap it and pretend to be surprised when you open it!) 1. Liz Lange® Maternity Melton Wool Coat in Red – Available at Target for $49.99 (sale) I’m partial to this coat because it’s the one I wore last year and I loved it. It’s incredibly warm and the pleats allow the coat to expand while you grow. It’s also the perfect coat for postpartum … Continue reading →

Bartering Resources

Bartering for goods and services, or swapping what you have for what you need is a great way to save money. If you happen to make something or can provide a service, then you have a ready made system that is just ripe for the barter system. First, identify what it is that you have to offer, and then offer it instead of money, the next time you need to purchase something. Where do you start? Well, often you can start with the people you already know: friends, people in your mom’s group or at church, local businesses, etc. Next, … Continue reading →

How to Navigate the Food Court

With the holiday season having arrived you may find yourself out and about at the malls and other retail stores, getting gifts, decorations and more. It is easy to get distracted from your weight loss plan when you are tired, hungry and faced with the fast food. Instead of being forced to give up all that you worked so hard to achieve, use the following strategies to help you navigate the food court. Be prepared Obviously, if you are able to eat before your shopping trip and bring some healthy food with you, then you will be ahead of the … Continue reading →

All About Layaway

Putting items on layaway seem to many to be a quaint tradition of Christmas past, much the same as the bank Christmas Club savings account. With the easy availability of both band and store credit cards, layaway went out of fashion. By did you know that there are still many large stores that offer layaway plans? And a layaway plan may be a great option to help you avoid credit card debt. What is layaway? With layaway, you are able to purchase a product and then pay it off gradually. You don’t actually take possession of the item until it … Continue reading →

5 Savings Questions Ask Your Store Manger

The next time that you go out to shop, you can use that time to “earn” extra coupons and discounts. It is all a matter of simply asking your store manager certain questions. Jot down the answers and then take advantage of the bounty of coupons that you will get. 1. Do you have a loyalty program? Loyalty programs allow shoppers to earn points or even cash back on their purchases. Most stores have some sort of loyalty program, although many don’t advertise this. Even thrift stores, such as GoodWill often have loyalty programs. You can also earn free products … Continue reading →

Store Returns: What You Need to Know 5

Do you think that if you purchase something either for yourself or as a gift that it will be easy to return? These days, stores are getting more and more picky about accepting returns. This includes gift cards. You can’t usually turn them in for cash. So what can you do with those unwanted gifts if you have followed all of the advice in the previous posts and still can’t make a return? Don’t worry there may be a way of getting some or even all of your money back, even if the store policy is against it. First, I … Continue reading →

Store Returns: What You Need to Know 4

Did you know that when it comes to electronics, different return rules often apply. This is something to be aware of when you are shopping for that holiday HDTV, digital camera, iPod, phone or video gaming device. In some cases, stores will not accept returns on any electronics at all, so make sure that you have a good understanding of store policy. Also, for something that is very expensive, you might want to get the return policy in writing in case it changes after your purchase or if the sales clerk has a faulty understanding of the policy. For stores … Continue reading →

Store Returns: What You Need to Know

When you spend money on something that you can’t use then you might as well just throw your money away. Unfortunately, this can happen to almost everyone, whether you buy something for yourself or if you buy a gift for someone else. Over the weekend, we tried to cram in a number of shopping stops in on one day. Combining errands like this can save money and time in the long run, but it can be tiring. Near the end of the day, I ran into a store to get something very specific and wound up with a couple of … Continue reading →

Buying Gifts for In-Laws

When it comes to buying gifts for in-laws, it invariably gets left to the woman to do the gift buying. This can be fine if she has a good relationship with them and knows what they like. If she does not, it can be disastrous. There is nothing harder that trying to buy a gift for someone when you don’t know what they like. Often you don’t know what they like, so you wander around the shops. But it’s near to impossible to know what to buy if you haven’t got a clue what you’re looking for. You can spend … Continue reading →