Last month, I wrote a post on sale cycles and what it’s okay to buy in March. If you didn’t read it, you should. I know it’s not March anymore, but it gives you a basic overview of why you should follow sale cycles. Read it here.
But now, it’s April. And I’m really late on getting this post out. Hopefully, some of you still have time this week to take advantage of these sales.
What It’s Okay to Buy in April
There are lots of ways to save money. I’ve talked about clipping coupons, using online coupon codes, shopping through websites that give you cash back, and buying things secondhand. But what’s the best way to save money?
Shh…. This one’s a BIG secret.
The best way to save money is…just don’t spend it.
This is a picture of Matthew in his new duds. Yes, he is trying to be funny. (I love that kid’s sense of humor!) But he’s also pretty excited about those new clothes he’s wearing. And he should be. Not only are they nice clothes, but he did a great job spending his money wisely.
While I’m the first to admit that some aspects about our situation are a little, well, unique, I’d also like to say that for the most part, we really aren’t all that different from any other family. Especially other large families. We may have struggled a bit financially (okay, we struggled a lot) so that I could get through law school, but when it comes to trying to outfit kiddos on a budget, I know we are not alone. Whether you have two kids or twenty, you have most likely experienced sticker shock when clothes shopping for the little ones.
You all know that I like to save money whenever and wherever I can. I love, love, love getting a great deal. What you may not know is that I am a sucker for name brand kids clothes. I know I shouldn’t be. I know they are not necessarily any better quality. I know that you can often find clothes that are just as cute at your local Walmart. But, I just love them. I can’t help it. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not the type to turn my nose up at a great deal on something cute just because I found it at Target instead of Justice. I’m not a clothes snob. I just love dressing my kids as nicely as I can. I admit my love of expensive kids clothes with great shame, but I’m obviously not alone because the industry is thriving quite nicely.
Now, my kids don’t have the wardrobe of Suri Cruise (not by a long shot!), but they do have a closet chock full of nice clothes. Nice clothes that I paid rock bottom prices for, thank you very much.
So, how do I do it? Here’s a few tips you can try.
Some of you may have seen my occasional post on Facebook about how I get soooo much stuff for free at CVS. A few of you have asked me to explain how I do it, so I thought I’d go ahead and do that fairly quickly.
Step 1) ALWAYS buy the Sunday paper. The only exception is if there aren’t any coupon inserts that week. There usually won’t be any on holiday weekends, but not necessarily. Memorial Day = no coupons. Mother’s Day = awesome coupons. So check. Continue reading
So, I was recently asked to review the site CouponChief.com. Many of you know that I am a coupon lover. Big time. As long as you don’t buy something you don’t need (or even worse, won’t use) just because you have a coupon for it, you can save a lot of money with coupons.
Yes, I certainly do love my coupons.
I also love online shopping. Don’t get me wrong here. I’m not a big shopper. (Especially not right now!! Getting me to spend money is like pulling teeth!!) But when I do finally admit to myself that we are need of something, I try to find it online first. Why? Because I don’t have to waste gas, don’t have to keep track of my kids in the store, and because I can often find online only specials. Not to mention, how much easier is it to compare prices online?! Nothing is worse than running from store to store and/or haggling with managers over price matching technicalities. Online shopping is the best! And now, guess what?? It just got even better!!
Let me introduce you to CouponChief.com. Or as I like to call it, an online shopper’s dream!
The site is very easy to use. For busy moms, that’s a must. We’re lucky if we can find time to bathe, so a self-explanatory website is definitely a plus. The home page features popular coupons, featured stores, and new coupons (great for frequent visitors because you don’t have to search through coupons you’ve already seen!). It also allows you to quickly find what you need by browsing through popular tags (e.g. holidays, electronics, etc.).
How does it work, you ask? First, you shop on your favorite retailers’ web sites. Select your purchases and put them in your online cart, just like you always do. But, here’s the important part: BEFORE CHECKING OUT, you pop on over to CouponChief.com and see if they have a coupon code for that retailer. With their handy little scissors icon, you can easily copy and paste the coupon code onto the retailer’s checkout page and Voilà!! Money saving madness ensues! (An extra bonus: if you have any questions, CouponChief.com has a great page explaining how to find and use their coupon codes! Just click on the How It Works tab!)
Some other great features of this site include the option to upload your own coupons, track your browsing history, and my personal favorite, set up alerts for coupons from your favorite retailers. No more wondering if your favorite store has a great deal because CouponChief.com will let you know! How cool is that?
And just when you think it can’t get any better, it does. Check out their Pays-2-Share program! When someone uses a coupon code that you uploaded, CouponChief.com will give you 2% of the sales! Just for sharing your codes! Talk about easy money!
So, what are you waiting for?! Click your little self over to CouponChief.com and start saving money today!!
(Note: I was compensated for this review, but all opinions are my own. Please read my full disclosure policy here.)