All posts by NerdMom

Brick and Mortar, Deals, Online, Shopping, Smart Living Strategies

Black Friday Shopping Strategies

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Above all things: Be reasonable!!!! If there are 500 people in line for 3 items, don’t have your heart set on those things!!! In seriousness, like all other things you just need as smart strategy.

1. Do your research! You can already start reviewing Black Friday ads online (I will have links to ads on my blog) and can pour over them on Thanksgiving! Also see what is available online. Some stores don’t do any of the big deals online (like Old Navy) but some (like Best Buy) have a lot online.

2. Make a list of everything you would want that is on sale. Organize it by store and make sure you write down the price.

3. Organize your list by priority and or time frames. A big Black Friday thing that Michaels does every year is a %off coupon for your whole purchase if you are in the store by a set time (this year it is 30%). So while I don’t have a high ticket item from Michaels, I do a a few things and need to be in the store before that time!!!

4. Order what you can online!!! Some things you can order on Thursday and somethings you can order before you go out on Friday.

5. Figure out a relatively reasonable time that you should get started. For example, I usually head out about 6am. It is early enough that I can hit all the deals that are bound by times but just late enough to miss the real die hards/crazies;).

6. Buy everything you might possibly want. The example I always use is jeans. Target and Walmart both usually do a kids’ jean under $10 every year. Walmart may be cheaper but I hit Target first. I will buy 2 sizes for each kid at both stores. I would love to think that the cheaper pairs would work but you never know about cut and each brand sizes different. You can always return the extras next week!!!

7. Have fun & plan breaks! After my first store I always hit Starbucks. Then I meet a friend for lunch every year. She and I don’t shop together but we set a time and meet up. You would be surprised just how empty restaurants are at lunch time.

7. Process everything next week! Get it done and get it out of the way. Wrap the presents, set out the decorations and wash the clothes!

Final note, think about a job your family can do while you are shopping! My husband sets up our fake tree and gets out the Christmas decor boxes. Then I decorate with everyone over the weekend;).

Contesting Monday

Contesting Monday 11/19

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So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you!

Books, crafts, Deals, Free, Online

Free Homemade Gift Ebook

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The Happy Housewife (better known as Toni;) has compiled a great ebook with 60 Homemade Christmas Gifts that is free right now!

These are great gifts from a variety of bloggers. They don’t even look homemade (always my struggle;).

I think I might make the cake plate or the etched vase or the tea cup candles….

Go grab it while it is free and you have time to make a few gifts;).

(And yes, there are affiliate links;)

Shopping, Smart Living Strategies

Smart Strategies for Outlet Shopping

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We all love the idea of outlets but do you have a good strategy for shopping them? With a little planning you can get great deals and have fun!

1. Know where you are going and what stores they have! Let us not head out to hit a store that has been gone for a year!

2. Coupons?!?!?! Some outlet centers like Premium Outlets (The people who run Gilroy) have center coupons and also post sales on their website. Also many of the stores will have coupons too. I have gotten coupons from Coach and Lane Bryant Outlets.

3. Have a list with the sales prices you can get at home! The outlets don’t always have the best price! You can even download a pricing app (like SavvyShopping) and price compare right there.

When I was pregnant with my first child I was one of many at my church;). So we were all shopping for baby stuff! One headed off to the Carters outlet to get a bouncer that a few of us wanted. She came back empty handed…. Come to find out it was cheaper to buy it at Mervyns (yes, it was still around;) on sale than at the outlet!

4. Make sure they even carry what you want. Some outlets like Lane Bryant carry most set items but it may not be the thing you are looking for. If you are going for a specific thing just call and check!

Last year I made a point to stop by the Tulare outlet for the Lane Bryant outlet in order to buy my favorite bras. I figured that I would get a great deal and I needed them for a trip. Guess what, they didn’t carry the 1 style I specifically stopped by to get. I never checked… Smooth on my behalf.

5. Have a budget and stick to it! It is easy to get all excited that you might get a great deal because it is an outlet and over spend. But the outlets are not super close to us and returns are hard to do. So it is better to under buy!

6. Have a great shopping day! That means planning meals and breaks!!! If you are shopping all day without a break you will be tired, cranky and possibly hurt yourself;). And take a friend to have fun with and to help with accountability.

 

Contesting Monday

Contesting Monday 11/12

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So here is the deal. If you are hosting a giveaway or have a post about someone’s giveaway just leave a link. Make sure this link is to the giveaway post itself and not just the blog or it will be deleted. If you listed it last week but your giveaway is still open, list it again! Also your link must be to something family friendly or it will be deleted.

So now you need to add your giveaways and go enter some giveaways! Let them know that Contesting Monday sent you!

life, Musings

Another Lump and Still Wondering

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Ok, so it has been a week since I wrote about my lump, my mind and the fact that I knew nothing. Well, I know more now and still nothing all at the same time.

So I went to the OBGYN on Tuesday and he felt what I had felt (so I am not crazy;). He said he wasn’t worried at all and we would have a mammogram to confirm and because I need one;).

I got in for my mammogram today and well… this is where it gets interesting?

So the mammogram itself wasn’t that bad. Not something I would be doing for fun but nothing to worry about or avoid by any means. So they took the pictures and stuck me in a room to wait…. And wait…

Then ultrasounds, then more pictures…. Then the doctor…. Well, they found something on the other side. What can I say, I am all about balance and symmetry;). They are pretty sure that it is nothing but they aren’t sure.

So tomorrow I am going to pay a fair amount of money to have them do a needle biopsy. I won’t know the results for about a week.

They are going to stick me with a needle and have a machine that sounds like a sewing machine going at the same time.

I am going to pretend that I am not freaking out…. I have a new lump and a fear of needles. What would I be freaking about? I mean, I was fine with them cutting me open for my c-section but the needle in the back made me want to freak.

Blurg….

And I don’t know if I am just sensitive (due to the drama and my extremely crazy schedule) but I am also a little annoyed with a friend. I feel like I am going to internally combust from the stress so I actually ask for help and I now feel like a burden…. I think I am just being sensitive. I hope. She and I definitely respond to these things differently and I am hoping I am so emotional over it because I don’t want to freak out about the lump and biopsy.

Ok, rambling and whining over for the night. Good night everyone!