Do your kids love doing arts and crafts? Do they go through mounds and mounds of paper to create their masterpiece? Do you cringe every time, not only for the cost of the paper but the environmental impact? If so, you will love this post!
If you live in an urban area with retail clothing store chains chances are they have old signage that they throw away after an event is done that is perfectly good for art! I happen to manage for Reitmans and I know that for every one of our events there is usually a few posters that we throw away because they are outdated. The backside of these posters is plain white and it is a fairly heavy material. So I've started to take the ones we will be throwing away home for art projects. It's a win, win situation. My son won't care if there is marketing on the back side...he'll be thrilled to have a 2 foot by 4 foot piece of paper to create on...(In a few years though, he's only 15 months now:) For now the paper goes to his daycare for the other kids)
I also may be a bit weird but I keep the crayons that we are given at family restaurants and take them home. Right now, my son doesn't even use them so I'm taking home full packets but in a few years there will still be lots of usable crayon in them, no sense wasting them.
Speaking of leftover crayons...I can't remember what site I read it on but I read on another blog about taking little bits of crayons and melting them in muffin tins to create multicolor crayon disks. I also have a sister who collects empty glue stick containers and melts the crayon pieces and fills the glue stick holder with the melted crayon. When it dries you have a giant crayon in a holder that won't break!!! I love both these ideas and will use them for sure when the time comes!!!
Hope you can find a local retailer that will give you a call when it's time to change signs. You can really get some great art paper doing this!!!
Showing posts with label Tips and Tricks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips and Tricks. Show all posts
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
~Cheap Entertainment~
Think you have no money for a family trip out? Think again! There are lots of things to do around your area that will not only let you have fun but will create lasting memories.
Look up local U-Pick farms in your area. Take the whole family out to the farm and pick some berries. Not only will they learn about how food is produced but they will enjoy the sun, all the berries they can eat while picking and best of all, the fruits of their labor later when you make something yummy! When we go we pack a lunch for everyone and lots of water. Our U-Pick has an ice cream store on site so we each have one cone for a treat while there.
Go to the Library and Join a Summer Reading Program. The library usually has a summer reading program for kids and adults. At my local library if I complete my reading program my membership for the next year is free! I've also been taking advantage of the DVDs that I can take out for free from my library. Hubby and I sit down and list off the movies that we like or want to see and then I request them. It's always a surprise what movie will become available first so it keeps it interesting. At my library all movies can be kept for one week and you can renew for up to one more week. Not bad for my $7 a year membership (soon to be FREE).
Go Camping. Pitch a tent, light a fire, sing koombayah (yup can't spell that one)and have some s'mores. Everyone can do this, whether it's in your back yard or at a campsite, there will be fun!
Nature walk at the park. Take a walk with your family and collect items along the way that your kids can use to create art with later...leaves that can be pressed, used as stencils etc... Use this time to have some one on one time with each family member. Some of our favorite memories come from taking a walk!
Throw a picnic blanket, sunscreen and a beach umbrella in the vehicle and leave it there. All summer. Then if the urge strikes and the time permits you can set up with minimal fuss and enjoy a day at the park. In the winter we have crazy carpets in our vehicle...just in case we see a good hill and want to slide down it of course!
Airmiles reward miles redemption. Get yourself some Blockbuster and Cineplex coupons for free or B1G1 free movies. Or other gift cards that provide entertainment.
Community coupon books are usually a great investment. My local book has 4 free oil changes, 4 free haircuts, a whole section of B1G1 free meals and much, much more. It is well worth the $45 I paid for it plus the money I spent went to a good cause. Hubby and I are enjoying date nights lately thanks to the B1G1 free meals in that book.
Of course there are always local museums, parks and events that you can go to and have fun for next to nothing. The key is to pack a lunch, bring your own water and carry lots of sunscreen...great way to enjoy the summer!
Look up local U-Pick farms in your area. Take the whole family out to the farm and pick some berries. Not only will they learn about how food is produced but they will enjoy the sun, all the berries they can eat while picking and best of all, the fruits of their labor later when you make something yummy! When we go we pack a lunch for everyone and lots of water. Our U-Pick has an ice cream store on site so we each have one cone for a treat while there.
Go to the Library and Join a Summer Reading Program. The library usually has a summer reading program for kids and adults. At my local library if I complete my reading program my membership for the next year is free! I've also been taking advantage of the DVDs that I can take out for free from my library. Hubby and I sit down and list off the movies that we like or want to see and then I request them. It's always a surprise what movie will become available first so it keeps it interesting. At my library all movies can be kept for one week and you can renew for up to one more week. Not bad for my $7 a year membership (soon to be FREE).
Go Camping. Pitch a tent, light a fire, sing koombayah (yup can't spell that one)and have some s'mores. Everyone can do this, whether it's in your back yard or at a campsite, there will be fun!
Nature walk at the park. Take a walk with your family and collect items along the way that your kids can use to create art with later...leaves that can be pressed, used as stencils etc... Use this time to have some one on one time with each family member. Some of our favorite memories come from taking a walk!
Throw a picnic blanket, sunscreen and a beach umbrella in the vehicle and leave it there. All summer. Then if the urge strikes and the time permits you can set up with minimal fuss and enjoy a day at the park. In the winter we have crazy carpets in our vehicle...just in case we see a good hill and want to slide down it of course!
Airmiles reward miles redemption. Get yourself some Blockbuster and Cineplex coupons for free or B1G1 free movies. Or other gift cards that provide entertainment.
Community coupon books are usually a great investment. My local book has 4 free oil changes, 4 free haircuts, a whole section of B1G1 free meals and much, much more. It is well worth the $45 I paid for it plus the money I spent went to a good cause. Hubby and I are enjoying date nights lately thanks to the B1G1 free meals in that book.
Of course there are always local museums, parks and events that you can go to and have fun for next to nothing. The key is to pack a lunch, bring your own water and carry lots of sunscreen...great way to enjoy the summer!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
~Home Decor on a Budget~
Do you have a dated bookcase sitting in your living room and want to add a little something to your decor? Use these simple tips to transform what you already have into new pieces with cheap little tricks!
Bookcases can be changed to easily add another design element to a room. One way to do this is to simply paint the shelves and case one color and the backboard another complementary color. Or, paint the case one color, the top of the shelves another and line the backboard with a cool wallpaper print that ties it all together.
Perhaps you have an old wooden chair that has seen better days. Spray paint it a cool color, add some rich looking cushions and voila! New look for any room.
Do you want a dramatic piece of wall art for your living area? Take a plain beveled edged mirror, a glue gun and some shells or some other lightweight decorative material and glue them around the edge of the mirror to create a textured one of a kind frame! Or go out into nature and pick up some cool looking branches, spray paint them white, attach to a empty picture frame without the backing and voila another wall art. Branches can also be painted and put into vases or apothecary jars around a room to add instant art.
A good friend of mine, scoured garage sales and yard sales looking for an older style panel door. When she found just the one she took the hardware off, sanded it, painted it and mounted it above her bed for a headboard. It looks amazing!!!
So you can see, a little creativity, a glue gun a paint brush and some time and you can create your own style!
Bookcases can be changed to easily add another design element to a room. One way to do this is to simply paint the shelves and case one color and the backboard another complementary color. Or, paint the case one color, the top of the shelves another and line the backboard with a cool wallpaper print that ties it all together.
Perhaps you have an old wooden chair that has seen better days. Spray paint it a cool color, add some rich looking cushions and voila! New look for any room.
Do you want a dramatic piece of wall art for your living area? Take a plain beveled edged mirror, a glue gun and some shells or some other lightweight decorative material and glue them around the edge of the mirror to create a textured one of a kind frame! Or go out into nature and pick up some cool looking branches, spray paint them white, attach to a empty picture frame without the backing and voila another wall art. Branches can also be painted and put into vases or apothecary jars around a room to add instant art.
A good friend of mine, scoured garage sales and yard sales looking for an older style panel door. When she found just the one she took the hardware off, sanded it, painted it and mounted it above her bed for a headboard. It looks amazing!!!
So you can see, a little creativity, a glue gun a paint brush and some time and you can create your own style!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
~How to Save on Food: Part 2~
Shop smart to save money on food. Bulk stores like Costco, The Real Canadian Wholesale Club and Superstore can help you to save money by buying in bulk. this is assuming that you have somewhere you can stock up on certain items like a pantry and a deep freezer then you can start saving.
We purchase about 90% of our dry goods from Costco. I calculate a cost per can/net weight to compare prices with my mainstream grocery store. If it is lower then I stock up there. This post will cover the method I used to learn my prices...I would post these numbers but prices are so regional that it isn't relevant.
I got to the point of knowing my prices after a few months of tracking the things I buy frequently using a sheet similar to this one:
Grocery Price Tracker It doesn't take long to do but the information is very valuable. Simply take it with you to the store, or use your till receipt when you get home and copy the info into the sheet. I also started tracking the best sale prices that I saw at my favorite local grocery stores as their sales tend to cycle and you can get the same price a few times a year.
Here is a worksheet that I came across on the web with seasonal sale prices for items and the best time of year to buy them. It is really helpful for planning bulk purchases! Seasonal Food Price Worksheet
Once you have the prices that you want, using this sheet:
Grocery Price Log you can compile a master list to carry with you, or help to plan your shopping trip. (A special thanks to www.momsbudget.com for the great sheets that I've linked to, they have a lot of great printables on their site!)
Once this legwork is done it is just a matter of smart shopping! Buy on sale, use your coupons to maximize the sales, and make your own when you can.
We purchase about 90% of our dry goods from Costco. I calculate a cost per can/net weight to compare prices with my mainstream grocery store. If it is lower then I stock up there. This post will cover the method I used to learn my prices...I would post these numbers but prices are so regional that it isn't relevant.
I got to the point of knowing my prices after a few months of tracking the things I buy frequently using a sheet similar to this one:
Grocery Price Tracker It doesn't take long to do but the information is very valuable. Simply take it with you to the store, or use your till receipt when you get home and copy the info into the sheet. I also started tracking the best sale prices that I saw at my favorite local grocery stores as their sales tend to cycle and you can get the same price a few times a year.
Here is a worksheet that I came across on the web with seasonal sale prices for items and the best time of year to buy them. It is really helpful for planning bulk purchases! Seasonal Food Price Worksheet
Once you have the prices that you want, using this sheet:
Grocery Price Log you can compile a master list to carry with you, or help to plan your shopping trip. (A special thanks to www.momsbudget.com for the great sheets that I've linked to, they have a lot of great printables on their site!)
Once this legwork is done it is just a matter of smart shopping! Buy on sale, use your coupons to maximize the sales, and make your own when you can.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
~Coupon Tricks and Tips!!!~
You know how sometimes you watch American TV shows, newscasts etc and see how they use their coupons? You know, where they can triple them, match them, etc? I used to be so jealous of the ways that they can use them down there. (Well to be honest I still am) but now I've learned a few tricks that work in Canada too!
Stacking: Stacking coupons is when you use more then one coupon on a product. For example: I went to purchase diapers today for my son. I of course went when they were on sale for $27.99 at London Drugs. London Drugs allows you to stack. So for my diapers today I used 2 X $5 off coupons, 2 X $4 off coupons, 1 x$3.00 off, and 2 x $2.00 off. They were all different coupons with different bar codes but all valid on the product I was buying. I did not reduce the total to 0, which is another rule. I ended up paying $4.39. $2.99 for the Pampers and $1.40 for the tax. I live in Western Canada and London Drugs is the only one I know of that will allow stacking here. In Eastern Canada I have heard that you can stack coupons at: Pharmaplus, A&P, Petsmart and sometimes at Loblaws chains. I personally cannot verify this so if you have any experience drop me a comment and I'll update this post!
Price Matching: Simply put, price matching is exactly what is says. If you want to purchase something at a certain store then you take a competitor flyer to the store and go to the customer service with it and ask to price match. Some stores call the store with the sale to verify the product and if it is available at the location. It can take some time. There are various reasons for doing this. You may do it so you can coupon stack, so you don't have to drive to the particular store having the sale, to get points or rewards, or to participate in a rebate program.
Mail in Rebates: Many manufacturers offer mail in rebates for their products. Often it's either a merchant Gift card, sometimes it is a cheque. Walmart partners with alot of companies to offer rebate offers. The trick with them is to use coupons to achieve the rebate. For example: Walmart had a rebate offer on Pampers Diapers and Wipes last fall. You had to purhcase a case of each and you would get a $15 Walmart Gift card back. So I used coupons on my purchase, the highest value ones I could find, and maximized my rebate. As long as you follow the terms outlined on the form. With these it is smart to copy your receipt and the form and keep them until you receive the rebate back. Make sure you read all the term of the offer and the processing time. Then sit back and wait till the cards come in! I like to plan out my purchases for the gift cards so they don't get wasted. I just got quite a few back from a couple of offers in the last few weeks and I used them to stock up on some new towels and a crock pot. They were items I didn't need right now but would be needing soon. They didn't fit in my budget so I got creative and waited till my gift cards came in.
Rainchecks: Many retailers will offer a raincheck on an item that they have advertised on sale if it is out of stock. Take advantage of these and ask for some if you know you can use it and/or have coupons coming in for the product. Alot of times they are only good for a limited time so make sure you read it carefully. I just go to the customer service desk for mine.
Buy One Get One Free Offers: Or Buy 2,3, or more offers. You can use more then one coupon on these no matter where you shop. So you use the B0G0 coupon plus another coupon for the other product and maximize your savings. I do this most often with frozen foods. Safeway often has a buy 3 for $8 deal on frozen items I buy. I have a coupon for save $4 when you buy any 3. Plus I have coupons for $0.50 off that product. So I end up paying $2.50 for my three products instead of $8.00, a savings of $5.50!!! This also works with points programs. If you have a coupon for a Buy one Get one and an item is on for bonus points at your favorite store if you buy two, use this coupon (plus another if you have one) and really maximize your savings.
I hope you found this info useful! I have lots more information headed your way. Just getting it drafted up right now and hopefully I will have a more steady stream coming your way! Up next: How to Online Shop and Save!!!
Stacking: Stacking coupons is when you use more then one coupon on a product. For example: I went to purchase diapers today for my son. I of course went when they were on sale for $27.99 at London Drugs. London Drugs allows you to stack. So for my diapers today I used 2 X $5 off coupons, 2 X $4 off coupons, 1 x$3.00 off, and 2 x $2.00 off. They were all different coupons with different bar codes but all valid on the product I was buying. I did not reduce the total to 0, which is another rule. I ended up paying $4.39. $2.99 for the Pampers and $1.40 for the tax. I live in Western Canada and London Drugs is the only one I know of that will allow stacking here. In Eastern Canada I have heard that you can stack coupons at: Pharmaplus, A&P, Petsmart and sometimes at Loblaws chains. I personally cannot verify this so if you have any experience drop me a comment and I'll update this post!
Price Matching: Simply put, price matching is exactly what is says. If you want to purchase something at a certain store then you take a competitor flyer to the store and go to the customer service with it and ask to price match. Some stores call the store with the sale to verify the product and if it is available at the location. It can take some time. There are various reasons for doing this. You may do it so you can coupon stack, so you don't have to drive to the particular store having the sale, to get points or rewards, or to participate in a rebate program.
Mail in Rebates: Many manufacturers offer mail in rebates for their products. Often it's either a merchant Gift card, sometimes it is a cheque. Walmart partners with alot of companies to offer rebate offers. The trick with them is to use coupons to achieve the rebate. For example: Walmart had a rebate offer on Pampers Diapers and Wipes last fall. You had to purhcase a case of each and you would get a $15 Walmart Gift card back. So I used coupons on my purchase, the highest value ones I could find, and maximized my rebate. As long as you follow the terms outlined on the form. With these it is smart to copy your receipt and the form and keep them until you receive the rebate back. Make sure you read all the term of the offer and the processing time. Then sit back and wait till the cards come in! I like to plan out my purchases for the gift cards so they don't get wasted. I just got quite a few back from a couple of offers in the last few weeks and I used them to stock up on some new towels and a crock pot. They were items I didn't need right now but would be needing soon. They didn't fit in my budget so I got creative and waited till my gift cards came in.
Rainchecks: Many retailers will offer a raincheck on an item that they have advertised on sale if it is out of stock. Take advantage of these and ask for some if you know you can use it and/or have coupons coming in for the product. Alot of times they are only good for a limited time so make sure you read it carefully. I just go to the customer service desk for mine.
Buy One Get One Free Offers: Or Buy 2,3, or more offers. You can use more then one coupon on these no matter where you shop. So you use the B0G0 coupon plus another coupon for the other product and maximize your savings. I do this most often with frozen foods. Safeway often has a buy 3 for $8 deal on frozen items I buy. I have a coupon for save $4 when you buy any 3. Plus I have coupons for $0.50 off that product. So I end up paying $2.50 for my three products instead of $8.00, a savings of $5.50!!! This also works with points programs. If you have a coupon for a Buy one Get one and an item is on for bonus points at your favorite store if you buy two, use this coupon (plus another if you have one) and really maximize your savings.
I hope you found this info useful! I have lots more information headed your way. Just getting it drafted up right now and hopefully I will have a more steady stream coming your way! Up next: How to Online Shop and Save!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
