more modern couponing

I took you through my favorite apps for primarily groceries, and there are so many more out there and a few even have wait lists! That's a tad crazy to me ... but I'm not a crazy coupon lady, I just do some modern couponing.

By the way, is it {coo-poning} or {cue-poning}!? How do you pronounce it?! Maybe it's one of those 'where you grew up' kind of things. Although my SIL sounds like she's from Wisconsin but all of my husband's family grew up and pretty much stayed in St. Louis county area! Anywho, so here is the second installment of my favorite ways to save some money when shopping!*Cartwheel - If you don't have Cartwheel for Target trips, you have obviously been living under a rock! Sign up for free, shop Target and while you are in the store you can scan each item to see if there is a savings or make your list ahead of time, name brand and Target brand items are in the list, tons of items and a variety of categories to choose from all about 5%-20% savings, earn perks each time you shop (I got a full size cozy throw to snuggle up with while watching tv with the husband, FOR FREE!) items on the list change regularly and there is an expiration date on items so you know when to use the savings by!

*QT - QuikTrip gas stations are not everywhere but if you do have a location near you, you need this app! Sign up for free and you get a 32 oz fountain drink for free, lots of promos on lots of store items (not gas, oh well), just about every holiday they have something buy one get one or marked down, for Christmas they did the '12 days of Christmas' and gave FREE drinks or food for 12 days! The locations by us ran out of Hotzie breakfast sandwiches during this promo it went over so well! They always run a special on the pizza (which beats the other pizza chain, any day) and that is one of the best deals around.

*Swagbucks - I like this one a lot but don't spend much time on it, you can set your search bar with this one and every time you are shopping online it will pop up how much you earn on the purchase, there are games, offers, surveys, and videos you can earn more money by doing, refer a friend for more money too, simple and straight forward when shopping online!

*Inbox Dollars - Super easy and you already check emails all day, so why not open another one and just click a confirm button!? Every time you check email there will be a few that you click to confirm or to take a survey, each email if for a certain dollar amount and that adds up to actual cash, each time you reach $30 (I think) you request a check, they have other games and offers you can do to get more money, also refer a friend to get more money.

*Ebates - This one is tons of different brands and categories, so many that it's a bit overwhelming! If you're shopping online and want to find a coupon code check out this one for just about anything, get cash back for each store code you use and then redeem you points/percents, refer a friend to get more cash added to your account!

SHOPPING IS CHEAPER THAN THERAPY

xo

love is love is love

It's Valentine's Day and nothing exciting is really happening tonight ... or ever really does on this holiday in our house. Why? There is really not a good answer for that, we just never have made it a big deal. We usually have a nice meal over the weekend, something we haven't had in awhile or is really indulgent! And while at the grocery store for the ingredients, I point out flowers that would look great in a vase on the table. We have never be out on this holiday and never will, crowded expensive restaurants are not fun!

But now that we have kids, it's a silly, fun holiday that little treats are great for! I went to Dollar Tree and picked up silly headbands (the ones with boing-y hearts!), and fun socks, and pulled out beads, got them candy kisses and stickers! They were so surprised by all this! We watched Daniel Tiger's Love Day episode this morning and also talked about showing love and kindness to our friends, family, and community! We also had a dance party and made chocolate covered treats!

Holidays like this are meant for goofiness. I don't teach S&Z the history of such

days, I teach them that love is love and love is wonderful and kindness should be thrown around like confetti! That's what littles like them need in their life and

need to be taught ... and how to make treats that are delicious!

Chocolate Covered Treats

ice cube trays

chocolate chips

coconut oil

almonds, coconut flakes, peanut butter, mini marshmallows, walnuts, pecans

medium sauce pot

In the sauce pot, mix the chocolate chips and coconut oil until melted and creamy over med/low heat stirring so it does not burn. Once melted, pour a little bit in each well of the ice cube tray, return pot to stove and turn off heat.

Now is the fun part! In each well, place whatever ingredient you like!

I made almond and coconut flakes, another tray had a dollop of peanut butter in each one, and I also made "rocky road" treats with marshmallow, walnuts, and pecans, best to freeze mini marshmallows before putting them in so the don't melt. After everything was in, I poured more chocolate to fill up the well (if you need to melt everything a bit more, turn on the heat and stir, add more chocolate and coconut oil if needed) and placed each tray in the freezer, and a few hours later had bite size chocolate covered treats!

LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

xo

sahm+feminist = me

I love Scary Mommy! It is one of the most witty, insightful, and common sense parenting blogs out there that I like to keep up with. I was scrolling through Facebook the other day and came a cross this wonderful post by Farrah Alexander about the recent Woman's March and feminist views and it totally hit home for me! 

Feminism is the "radical" notion that woman are people too.
Strong women are awesome woman, no matter if they work outside the home in a pantsuit or work inside the home in an apron and oven mitts.

Read this, you will be a better person for doing so!

http://www.scarymommy.com/feminist-sahm/?utm_source=FB

EQUALITY!

xo

                                 

modern couponing

I save money everywhere I can and most of the time, it's simple. But there is just not enough time {for me anyways} to search ads and online and paper coupons and comparison shop on my everyday essential type items! I barely have time to write this!

So I've found a handful of apps and online sites that are great, like I'm addicted to them they are so great, for groceries and shopping!! What's cool too is that I make it into a game with S & Z so shopping is not boring and they get fed up before we are halfway through the list.

* Ibotta - I love this app, so simple, tons of stores, search for stores or products, refer friends or start a "team" with challenges for more money, lots of variety of products at each store and all you have to to to activate an offer is answer a question or watch a few seconds of a commercial, scan your receipt and the product with your phone, after $20 you cash out through Paypal!

* Shopkick - I just started using this app and so it's great, turn on your location to activate any walk-in points (that's right, walk into a store and you already have points!), each store has a few products, some stores have a scanning option so all you have to do is scan a bar code and get points, each point goes toward a gift card of your choice, in the app you can watch a few seconds of a commercial to gain points, after a certain amount you cash out for your gift card (mine is Target, duh!)!

* Hip 2 Save - this is a great "hey did you know" app that posts great bargains or store giveaways and codes, scroll through the list of products and stores to find a deal or a freebie!

* Shopium - an app with a small list of grocery items that you request a rebate from, best to look at before you head out, you can refer a friend to get more credit, after a certain amount you cash out!

* Savings Star - another app with a small list of grocery items that you activate each offer you want, super simple and you scan your receipt with your phone, after a certain amount you cash out!

* Checkout 51 - great app with a small list of grocery items (but items I usually use!), some offers are only good at certain stores, activate each offer you want, scan your receipt, they have a contest to enter as well for a grocery receipt over $60, super easy and once you hit the amount you cash out or send through Paypal!

* BerryCart - this one is like the above mentioned but for healthy deals (no nacho flavored corn chips on this app!), lots of great brands to choose offers from, activate offer, scan receipt, after a certain amount cash out!

                       KEEP ON SAVING ON!
xo

             

awesome parenting adive

Have you heard of Positive Parenting Solutions?! You should check out there awesome variety of parenting advice ... or should I say reminders!

There are so many things that I end up saying or doing in the course of a day that are just a routine habit or what I remember my parents saying and doing. Just stuff I remember, not necessarily taught, but stuff like adding "OK?" to what I'm telling S and Z. Or like making sure both kids are "entertained" from sun up to sun down, and then some!

I don't know how it happens, but it does and a post on Facebook from Positive Parenting Solutions with great video from World Economic Forum made me stop and I wanted to share. Why Being Bored is Good for Children, is the post and video that halted my scrolling! As I sit here writing, that is exactly what S is doing upstairs {and who knows what other shinanigans!} and that's OK with me, so after reading that post I'm glad to have been 'reminded' that it's good for kids to get bored!

Everyday there is a span of time that S is by himself so I can get a few things accomplished, and sometimes I do feel bad that I'm not right next to him playing along, but most days it is so fun to listen to him playing by himself! He sings, does character voices for his cars, pretends his stuffies are flying in space, talks to Alfie {Alfie is awesome, and we will get to that another time!}, pretends the floor is hot lava, the list goes on!

So I know I'm doing something right! It's nice to have a pat on the back!

Check out Positive Parenting Solutions on Facebook @PositiveParentingSolutions
https://www.facebook.com/PositiveParentingSolutions/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

                      MOMIN' AIN'T EASY!
xo

                      

hello 2017 ...

I feel like I say that every year, a new year, a fresh start, then it dwindles and you look back wondering ...  'what just happened?!'

NOT THIS YEAR! 

That's right, there it is, my declaration! And the reason I'm staring this blog, to get a fresh start and change things up a bit so that new routines stick around and become my standard lifestyle!

I have my life, my work, my side projects, and now this in my crazy little world, and I hope there is enough of what I write and post about, that you like too!

I plan to make this blog about things I like, places we (husband and the minis) go in St. Louis, and articles that add to everyday knowledge. I plan to mix it up with parenting, kids activities calendar, date night ideas, healthy stuff, and my own ramblings about whatever I want.

This mama is just doing this parenting thing one day at time!

                   LOOK OUT 2017!
xo