Save $25 on Maternity Jeans at A Pea in the Pod
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
For a limited time only, 7 for all Mankind's maternity basic bootcut jean in New York dark wash is available for the incredible price of $185 (regularly $210) at all A Pea in the Pod stores (including those that were formerly Mimi Maternity) and at http://www.apeainthepod.com/. Beginning Wednesday, January 15th, A Pea in the Pod is offering $25 off the price of this popular designer style -- a favorite among expectant women everywhere. The jean is available in regular and petite lengths and is complete with A Pea in the Pod's revolutionary, patent-pending Secret Fit Belly. The seamless technology provides the ultimate in comfort for nine moths of exceptional style. A Pea in the Pod is the only place to find this maternity style of 7 for all Mankind jeans.From sophisticated luxury to fun casual looks, A Pea in the Pod offers the mom-to-be exceptional contemporary pieces that reflect her uncompromising sense of style. Free-spirited and original, classic and modern -- A Pea in the Pod is maternity redefined. A Pea in the Pod can be found in every Destination Maternity location. For the nearest store call 1-877-APEAPOD or visit http://www.apeainthepod.com/ or http://www.destinationmaternity.com/.
Labels: budget, moms, pregnancy, sales
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 12:00 AM,
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Smart Grocery Shopping Tips from Expert Ellie Kay
Monday, December 15, 2008
The economy is taking a bite out of grocery budgets, but there are ways to pinch pennies without squeezing family favorites from the grocery list. For more than a decade, Ellie Kay, author of the upcoming "Living Rich for Less," has helped families save money with her practical pointers. Ellie teamed with the Oscar Mayerbrand to develop the following tips to help families navigate the grocery aisles to maximize savings during these tough times.
Better Brown Bagging
- Bag-up More Variety -- "Brown bagging it" can be a great way to save time and money, but make sure you mix it up. You can save an averageof $3 per person per day by taking a lunch to work or school, that can add up to as much as $260 per month for a family of four! The key to reaping those rewards? Choose a varietyof lunch options your family enjoys -- this will keep them brown bagging and keep you saving.
- "Big to Little" Brown Bag Tips -- Any time you can divide menu items from a larger quantity to a lunch bag size, you will save BIG! For example, I buy a two pound bag of mini-carrots, then divide them into snack size plastic bags ahead of time. In the morning, I just grab and go, knowing that I've saved as much as 40% off buying prepackaged, smaller baggies of carrots. Do this for fruit snacks, raisins, grapes, sweet snap peas, celery, cherries, and anything else your family enjoys!
- Brown Bag Assembly Line -- With the number of kids in our house, the morning ritual of getting ready for school often felt like a three-ring circus, so I developed a system that saved my money and my mind. When watching TV at night with the family, I got out all the lunch bags and labeled them with the kids' names, then filled them with non-perishables like drinks and pre-bagged snacks. Then all I had to do in the mornings was create a
sandwich assembly line to complete lunch! This also kept me from saying "why don't you just buy your lunch today?" if I was too tired in the morning to make their brown bagged lunches.
Create Marvelous Menus
- Get Sandwich Savvy -- In order to cut back on your food bill, try a special "soup and sandwich meal." Let your family prepare the soup and be sure the sandwiches feature a variety of cuts your kids enjoy. For a family of four, this can save you as much as $80 per month! My family loves Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh lunch meats because there are so many different cuts, flavors and varieties and taste as fresh as the deli. Everyone can have a custom ordered sandwich -- it's like having a deli case right in your refrigerator -- and the Family Size is a great buy, too.
- Do a Fast Food Switcheroo -- I don't know about you, but preparing lunch and dinner every day makes me grumpy. That's why I opt for one "favorite restaurant at home" night each week by buying restaurant type food at the grocery store. It's a "win/win" situation for my energy level and our budget. My teens especially like the Oscar Mayer Deli Creations Sub Sandwiches and Flatbread Melts. With the unique flavor combinations, it's like having their favorite lunch spot menu items right at home at a 46% savings over dining out.
Get the Kids Involved
- Kid Power of Choice -- I found out my kids would throw away the sandwiches they didn't like, so I gave them the power of choice and took them to the store to let them select their favorite kinds of lunch meats. Letting them choose saved me money, showed them their lunches didn't have to be boring, and helped them look forward to lunch.
- Stay Connected -- When I send my teenage kids to the grocery store, I ask them to "tweet" or text various product and price options to me so I can help them select the best options for the money. It's a great way to stay in touch with my teens, and help then learn how to save money at the grocery store.
Crafty Couponing
- Techie Coupon Trends -- More coupons are going paperless. Some grocery stores offer electronic coupons at in-store kiosks or online. You can point and click to select the coupons you want and even link them to your store/loyalty cards from your grocery store. When your card is presented at check out, the coupon discounts get applied to the bill!
- Store Coupons -- A store coupon is different from a manufacturer's coupon in that it is issued by the store and redeemed by their headquarters. This means that if you have a true store coupon, it can usually be used in conjunction with a manufacturer's coupon. When you layer the savings in this way, you’ll find that you can get some grocery staples or household items for pennies!
Milk Your Money
- Go on the Cash System -- One consumer trend I have seen revitalized is the idea of shopping with cash. When my husband and I were first married, we had $40,000 worth of consumer debt and sometimes didn't have enough money for groceries. That's when we went to the cash system by taking out the budgeted amount for groceries in cash and putting it in an envelope. We had a visual reminder of how much was left for the week, it helped us stay on budget, and we didn’t go further into debt by using our credit cards.
- Play the Price Matching Game -- e worked 40+ hours a week for years with a house full of kids, so I don't have time (or energy) to drive all over town to shop various sales. I can benefit from all the sales though, by going to a store that matches the lowest price. I save gas, time and money by going to a store that will match competitor sales.
- Go Beyond the List -- Most families know that creating a list and sticking to it can save you as much as 30% on your grocery bill. But did you know that as many as 50% of the sales or price rollbacks for the week are not advertised in the sales circular? This means that there may be clearance items throughout the store that are not on your list. Give yourself permission to snatch these up if they are a super good value. One week, I found deodorant on sale when the store was remodeling the antiperspirant aisle. There were a variety of brands marked down to $1, including my favorite brand. I matched my "1 off"coupons with those clearances to get 16 packages of deodorant for free!
On the Net: www.oscar-mayer.com
Labels: budget, health, moms, organization
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 2:53 AM,
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Why I Love J.Jill
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
When I went to the Disney Mom Blogger event a few weeks ago I only bought new clothes at J.Jill. J.Jill understands me. They know that I want sophisticated clothes that aren't too expensive. And they also know that I want clothes that are comfortable and laid back. J.Jill is my kind of clothing store.This holiday season J.Jill put a twist on some of the cashmere and wool classics they design. Here are J.Jill's top picks for this holiday season:
- Laid back luxury. The One-Button Cardigan ($89) is a perfect layering piece with a textured touch. The Luxe Bateau-neck sweater ($89) is simple and body conscious with a touch of added flair in the cable knit cropped sleev
e. Pair with a solid knit turtleneck ($79) in a variety of festive colors.
- Feminine Outerwear. Make a memorable entrance in the sweeping wool coat ($199), a unique stunner with asymmetrical seams and hem to creative a flattering silhouette in ruby or black irresistible texture. The Easy Wool Coat ($129) features a beautifully boiled wool texture in a relaxed A-line style. The Plush Faux-Shearling Jacket ($99) with the soft feel of the finest suede or the Cozy fleece coat ($139) in delightfully soft fleece accented with a faux-fur lined collar and fabric-covered snaps.
On the Net: www.jjill.com
-Jennifer James, Editor
Source + Photo Credit: J.Jill
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 12:00 AM,
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Are You a Frequent Flier?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Very good news for those of you who fly Delta on a regular basis.
Delta customers traveling throughout the continental United States will have the added convenience of broadband Wi-Fi access available on boar
d our entire domestic fleet of more than 330 mainline aircraft by summer 2009.If you're traveling with Wi-Fi enabled laptops, smartphones or PDAs, you will soon be able to access the Internet, corporate virtual private networks, and corporate and personal e-mail accounts, as well as texting and instant messaging services. is not necessary again at JFK.
On select flights later this year, Gogo will be available to customers for $9.95 on flights of three hours or less, and $12.95 on flights of more than three hours.
Click here for fare sales and deals only at delta.com
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 12:00 AM,
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Try Glasses on Online
Friday, October 3, 2008
Wow! We are so impressed with EyeBuyDirect.com, the online eyeglasses shop. EyeBuyDirect.com is not only a discount eye wear Web site where you can purchase glasses at considerable discounts starting at $7.99 for non-designer frames and $99 for designer frames, they also allow you to try on glasses in the comfort of your own home which, as you know, is pure bliss for busy moms. Here's how:At EyeBuyDirect.com you upload a picture of yourself. We uploaded a stock photograph of a young woman (left) to see how this works. Then you pick from a plethora of eye wear styles and brands that you think would look great on your face. We chose the Jigsaw 194 c230 designer eyeglasses and placed them on the face of our model. And voila, look!
EyeBuyDirect.com generated a photo of the woman with the Jigsaw 194s on. Isn't that the coolest thing you've ever seen when it comes to buying glasses?
The great thing about generating a photo of how you look with a certain pair of glasses on is EyeBuyDirect.com also allows you to share your photo with friends and family on Facebook to get their opinions or send the photo to others via email. We love it!
On the Net: www.eyebuydirect.com
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 8:02 AM,
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Pregnancy Savings
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Get a FULL SIZE of Belli's best-selling Pamper-Me Talc Free Powder with the purchase of any Belli item. at www.drugstore.com/bellipowder. This offer expires 10/30/08Pamper Me Talc-Free Baby Powder is a soft, highly absorbent powder that keeps baby's skin dry, comfortable and fresh.
Featuring all natural ingredients, this gentle powder both prevents and protects baby’s skin from rash and irritation.
On the Net: www.belliskincare.com
Labels: budget, moms, pregnancy
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 7:30 AM,
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5 Tips to Prevent Unexpected Expenses in Your Budget
Monday, September 22, 2008
It's impossible to predict all of the expenses that you will encounter in a given month. This is why so many people quit budgeting, because they get frustrated when it doesn't go the way they planned it. Budgeting does work, and it's the only sure fire way to become wealthy over a long period of time. In order to avoid getting frustrated over the unexpected expenses that you encounter every month, spend a few hours brainstorming and researching the expenses in the past that have broken your budget. Then, write those expenses down in their own categories. Now, start setting aside a separate amount of money in your monthly budget for those unexpected expenses. Here are five unexpected expense categories that you may want to start setting aside money for: Car Maintenance: maintaining your car is inevitable. If you don't have a budget category for your car, then you need to put one in there today. You may not use the money every month, but carry it over to the next month for upcoming repairs and maintenance. Look at your car's recommended maintenance schedule and repairs to be made based on the current and future mileage. This will give you a better idea of how much to budget, and don't forget maintenance items such as changing the oil, tires, and brakes.
Travel: Do you have an elderly family member close to you? Do you have a child away at college or a child about to have a grand baby? Sometimes, making an unplanned trip can break your budget, and you have no time to waste to save up the money. If you find yourself going away for the weekend unexpectedly quite often or circumstances in your life or a family member's life might cause you to travel in the future, put together an "unplanned" traveling budget.
House Maintenance: I used to work as a claims adjuster, and everything I inspected was residential property damage. I was amazed at the lack of maintenance from many homeowners. They had no pride of ownership. Their biggest investment was losing value, and it could have easily been prevented. Many people buy a house, and think that's it. That's just the beginning. Maintaining a home is a constant battle for a homeowner, but it's worth it, because houses go UP in value over a long period of time. Real estate is a great investment so make sure you are setting aside money each month for routine maintenance and unexpected expenses such as a water heater, roof repair, electrical work.
Medical Costs: Do you have a high deductible? Do you have a child with special medical needs? You may need to keep a certain amount of money set aside in your emergency fund just for extra medical expenses. Medical bills are one of the most common reasons that people file for bankruptcy. It adds up quick. Safeguard yourself from bankruptcy by always thinking about medical care and unexpected medical costs.
The Nuisance Category: This category is completely made up by me, but hear me out on this one. Everyone comes across little nuisances in life that cost me. It could be a speeding ticket, going over on your cell phone minutes, bank fees, or a loss assessment from your homeowner's association. Whatever it is, it fits in this category if it's something that really ticks you off knowing that you must pay it. For those of you that live on a tight budget or your trying to get out of debt, these little nuisance expenses can throw your budget out of whack.
These are just a few categories, but you can probably think of five to ten more unexpected expenses that you've encountered in the past year. The point is that when life throws you a curve ball, you don't have to strike out. Be prepared and hit a home run with your finances by preparing for life’s unexpected expenses.
Tips courtesy of PeopleJam.com, an online self-improvement resource.
Labels: budget, home, organization
posted by The Mom Salon Editors @ 3:00 AM,
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