Walmart Savings Catcher

I want to share my latest obsession. The Walmart Savings Catcher.

You may have seen the commercials on TV.  That's how I found out about the app.

It's super simple. You download the app. I used the app store on my iPhone. It's fr^ee to purchase. Once it's installed you simply scan your Walmart receipt. That's it. You wait for the app to check the current prices of your items at a bunch of different stores. Once the scan is done, you receive a message saying how much money you are getting back. Done.

I really like this app, my only issue with the app is that it takes soooooo long for it to scan. I mean 3-4 days! It's constantly running in the background on your phone - could potentially drain your battery.

But hey they are giving you money back, so who cares that it takes a couple days.

I've only entered 5 receipts and already have a balance of $3.37. It may not seem like a lot, but I don't purchase a lot of stuff each week from there. Plus it only took me about 5 minutes of my time.

I plan to save all the money up and cash it in around Christmas time. The app lets you get your savings money whenever you wish in the form of an electronic gift card which you can take to your local store. It will let you accumulate your savings up to $599.99 a calendar year.

This is ideally for a person/family who purchases food items because they don't include many household, sporting and general merchandise. It does include name brand foods, paper towels, toilet paper, make-up, shampoo and such. It only works with in-store purchases. Not online purchases which suits me just fine.

Try it out and see how much you will save.

Happy shopping!

* This is not a paid advertisement. I haven't been compensated in any way for sharing this. It is solely my opinion. *

Summers Almost Here - Need Kids Activities?

Well summer is almost here and you know what that means. Kids will be home on summer vacation. Then you'll hear those dreaded words "Mom, I'm bored" or "There's nothing to do."

It's all about planning ahead. Make a list of all the things you want to do this summer and then plug them into a calendar. For example: visit a different playground each week on Thursday or go watch a free kids movie on Wednesday morning.

If you don't have time to plan or just don't have the patience then I can help. I've just started another blog called "12 Weeks of Summer Fun" at http://www.12WeeksofSummerFun.com. This site is a day-by-day journal covering 12 weeks of activities that I'm doing with my kids. It includes printables, crafts, sites to visit, activities and more.  I've done all the work for you, so feel free to follow along and use some or all the activities with your kids. 

Have a great, fun, adventurous summer. Thanks for reading  :)

Thrifty Thursday - All the Sales Ads At Your Fingertips

It's a well known fact that one way to save money is to plan out your meals ahead of time. It's not always necessary to plan out your week day by day such as: Monday - BBQ Chicken, Tuesday - Pizza, etc. Another way that I use is to simply plan 7 meals for the week and pick and choose which one to eat that day. This works great for us because I don't like being told what I need to eat each day. I like a little flexibility.

You can save even more money if you use foods that are on sale as part of your weekly menu. Look through the weekly sales ads for all your local grocery stores. If chicken is on sale - buy it and use it in a dish that week. If you have a coupon to go with the product even better.

To save you some time I've included a link that has almost all the grocery store ads listed. Just click on your local stores picture to see the current week's sales ad.

http://www.couponsherpa.com/ask-coupon-sherpa/weekly-ads-100-grocery-store-circulars/

Tidy Tuesday - Help Organizing Your Kids Room

Are you sick and tired of cleaning up your kids' rooms? Tired of tripping over toys left on the floor? Are you always stepping on matchbox cars, doll shoes, or blocks?

Here is one really easy way to help your children clean up after themselves.

Storage totes - they are incredible organizing tools for many reasons. Here are just a few reasons to consider putting your child's toys inside clear, plastic, storage containers.

See through
When containers are see through children can  see what's inside. They are able to choose the container that has the blocks, cars, dolls, crayons, etc. instead of pulling them all out opening each one in search of the items they want.

Easy to get out and put away
Children are able to handle smaller containers about the size of a shoe box. Most boxes are easy for kids to open and close. Plus if the containers are put down lower kids can reach certain items unassisted. Just please consider keeping containers holding smaller pieces up higher because of the possible choking hazards for younger children.

Easy clean - up
Clean up is quicker when all the child has to do it put everything inside the storage box. Children can dump everything out of the box and quickly put everything back in.


Durable
Most are made of hard plastic. They last much longer than cardboard boxes or plastic shopping bags. They are also much easier to stack.

Sorting
Children can practice sorting their toys. When cleaning up their rooms they can sort the items according to the different containers. Make it a game.

Just a few ways to help children learn to keep their rooms clean. Using clear storage containers can help your child learn to put their own toys away, help keep their room a bit more organized, and maybe help save you a couple headaches. :-)

HMAH Tip #10 Save Time with A Gadget You Already Own

Since 82% of Americans have a cell phone, this tip applies to almost everyone.

Cell phones, nowadays, have lots and lots of features that can make your life easier*. Some of the basic features include voice mail, call waiting, built-in camera, alarm, memo/notes/to-do list, and calculator. Here's how these basic features can help you save time, save money and your sanity.

First of all is the voice mail feature. This is no longer just for your home (land-line) phone anymore. If you are shopping at the checkout line and someone calls you can easily send them to voice mail at the click of a button. Then return their call when it's more convenient for you.

Another feature that is popular on land-line phones is call waiting. You're on the phone with your sister and the school nurse from your daughter's school is trying to reach you. Good thing you have call waiting. My phone will beep and display a message on the screen during the call asking whether I want to take the call or not. It's peace of mind that you won't miss those important calls.

The built-in camera is probably the most fun feature. Taking pictures of your family and friends is the most common use. Another way to use the built-in camera is to take pictures of items you are considering buying. For example; buying a dress, furniture, painting, etc. to get someone else's opinion or to coordinate the item your current decor.

My favorite feature is the alarm. Some phones allow you to set alarms at a certain time each day every day or on specific days. Personally, I set my alarm to go off a couple minutes before I need to get my kids off the bus. It reminds me to get my coat on and head out to the bus stop. This way I know my kids will be safe and they aren't walking home alone.

Most phones include a voice memo or to-do list feature. t allows you to record a voice message to yourself or type in a note to yourself. This is a helpful when trying to remember your grocery list or the row you parked in. Save yourself time hunting around for your vehicle or making multiple trips to the store for items you forgot.

Finally, and the most useful is the calculator. This is a big money saver when shopping. Use it to figure out sale prices (ex. 30% off or 4 for $5) and to compare price per unit. Sometimes the larger size packages aren't the best deal after all. It can also be used to keep a running total of all the items in your cart to insure you don't go over your budget.

Your phone is a handy, little gadget you carry with you anyways, start using it to it's fullest. Start using all the features, so you can save time, and save money.

* Please note that each phone is a little different and refer to your owners manual for a full listing of your specific phone's features. These are basic features that a majority of phones have.

Reference:
Tuesday November 13, 2007
U.S. Cell-Phone Penetration Tops 82 Percent
http://www.gearlog.com/2007/11/us_cellphone_penetration_tops.php