Household Savings

Disclosure: This review was made possible by iConnect and Luvs.  I was provided compensation to facilitate this post, but all opinions stated are 100% mine. You can read my full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

If your family is anything like my own, you know how hard it can be to create, let alone maintain, a family budget. Especially if you are a mom of littles or with a newborn at home. While there are numerous ways to savvy around your home when you have a baby, from buying second-hand furniture and crocheting cloth baby essentials, but when it when comes to saving for long-term pre-baby funds, such as a vacation, it may seem complicated to find ways to budget in for such a big ticket expense!

Having a baby doesn’t mean vacations are off the table. Quite the opposite. Vacations can prove to be the much-needed relaxation moms need to recharge from days of caring for others and can serve as ways to not only bond with your family, but to allow your children new places to explore, cultures to be exposed to, and cuisine to try. So the only thing stopping you and your baby from enjoying a bit of much-needed R&R is just a few clever budget-savvy strategies to get you to your desired port of call quicker than you may think!  Here are five ways to help get you started.

1. Dine in: Did you know that according to the National Consumer Council, Americans spend triple the cost of cooking meals at home each time they eat out and that the average American spends $1,100.00 a year dining out versus cooking at home. Which is easy to consider as the average fast food meal for a family of four can total easily over $20.00! However, if you dine in at home and following strategies such as meal planning, cash envelope trips to the grocery stores, and zero-waste bulk shopping for household goods you could literally save thousands of dollars each year. Then put those saved dollars to good use by taking the difference of what you spent dining out from your actual grocery bill and placing those funds into a vacation-specific account at your local bank for one year, imagine the trip you could go on with you and your baby next Summer!

2. Be your own Barista: In my early 20’s it would not have been uncommon for me to spend upwards of $10.00 a day on a morning and afternoon frozen coffee at my local cafe. A cost of nearly $3,600.00 a year. As a wife and mom, this is an expense I couldn’t justify in my current season of life. Being your own barista at home, creating your own coffee drinks can help you not only save hundreds of dollars a year but also help you keep dozens of needless plastic and styrofoam cups from entering landfills each year. With each cup of coffee, you make at home, allocate $1.00 to your ongoing vacation fund and see just how quickly the cost of getting a cup of joe out can save you!

3. Declutter your home: Consider clearing your home of unnecessary clutter. Think unused furniture, duplicate small appliances, and even outgrown baby clothes and gear. Then sell your unused goods on Facebook local sales sites, Craigslist, or eBay and add the proceeds to your growing vacation fund. A decluttered home will help you focus on saving for your vacation, but more importantly, give you more time to spend with your baby in lieu of cleaning and organizing your home!

4. Flexibility is key: Once you have your vacation plan in place, remember to be flexible with your vacation details. Consider getting the most bang for your vacation buck by:

• Be flexible with flights. Fly midweek instead of on the weekend; fly with stops instead of direct. Small changes like this can save you hundreds of dollars per trip.
• Travel off-season. Book flights and rail tickets just before or after peak season when prices are rock bottom. 
• Think outside the box. Why are the most popular destinations so expensive? Because everyone goes there. Looking for a beach but Costa Rica’s a little pricey? Try Nicaragua. Love to go to Paris but less than thrilled with the expenses the city of lights hails? Try Provance, Saint-Lo, Normandy, or Marseille instead. Think regional. Travel to your favorite country and then take the train to Paris for the day. You’ll save upwards of half the costs of traveling to higher sought-after destination pricing for vacation. 
• Skip the chain hotels. I rarely stay at big expensive brand hotels. They offer very little value, and there are many better alternatives available. Why spend $150 a night when $50 will get you the same thing? A few of my favorite lodging alternatives include bed and breakfasts or check out sites that offer competitive hotel booking bids for local cost hotel stays. 
• Take free tours. Sure, you could pay a sightseeing service for the standard tour. But in major cities around the world, free walking tours show you the city’s highlights and teach you about the culture. You also meet cool, smart, genuinely nice people along the way. 
• Book last-minute. Airfare costs tend to skyrocket when reserving at the last minute.But not for cruises. Crusie lines looking to fill to capacity rooms will offer deep discounts 2-3 weeks before ships leave port.

5. Buy Luvs: Luvs understands how important family time is, and they want to help you save for vacation by offering you a $2.00 off print-at-home coupon. Luvs is already a super affordable way to save money when you’ve got a baby. Having high-value coupons like this is another way you can save! You can tally up the amount of money you save each month using money-saving coupons and grocery rebate apps and transfer that amount to your ongoing vacation fund as well! Put those extra dollars that you save by buying Luvs in your vacation fund, and it will add up quickly.

Not only can Luvs help you save for your vacation while having a baby, it can also help you have a better piece of mind at home too! Luvs Ultra Leakguard Diapers with NightLock Plus™ are softer and more absorbent than before, with large stretch tabs for easy fastening, ultra-leakage protection, and a money-back guarantee.  Luvs, the official diaper of experienced parents, provides features babies and parents need for less cost than premium brands. If you find that you’re not happy with Luvs, they offer a money back guarantee! That’s a win-win in my book!

Remember, your $2.00 print-at-home coupon is good for up to 30 days after printing, so be sure to print and redeem your coupon before it expires! Also worth noting, you can use the coupon anywhere Luvs are sold, and its good on all Luvs products, except for trial and travel sized packs.

So savvy-savers, those are five ways you can save for upcoming vacation with a baby this summer. So friends, do you have a vacation planned this summer or fun budget-friendly tips for new moms to save for upcoming vacations? I’d love to hear about them below!

 Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HydrateYourSummer #CollectiveBias

Pool days and cool shades mean that summer has finally arrived! Whether you are trekking up a mountain, chilling on the beach or powering through your summer job, we are always looking for ways to beat the heat and stay hydrated! As temperatures keep rising, how do you plan on keeping your cool?

We say that summer is always best with a little sweat, and Coca-Cola products like DASANI, vitaminwater Zero, smartwater, and Powerade Zero from Albertsons or Safeway always keep us hydrated and ready to take on the day!

When you buy one of these participating items* from Albertsons or Safeway, you can enter for a chance to Win a Trip for 2 to a Wellness Retreat in Palm Springs, CA. Text to enter with code found on product packaging in store.

Find your nearest Albertsons store: http://cbi.as/89din or Safeway store: http://cbi.as/89dh-

*Participating products:

1.Smartwater 1L
2.vitaminwater Zero 20 oz. 
3.Dasani Sparkling 8 pk 12oz
4.Honest Tea 16.9oz.
5.ZICO 1L
6.DASANI 8 pk 12 oz. 
7.Powerade Zero 8pk 20oz. 
8.vitaminwater Zero 6 pk. .5L

Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EnterTheWonderVault #CollectiveBias

Buy OREO and get a free MILKA OREO Chocolate Candy Bar at participating Kroger and Kroger family of stores from 6/14-6/20.

You also won’t want to miss out on exclusive in-store demos going on 6/15-6/18. Demos will cover Kroger-exclusive recipes, information on the newest OREO flavors, Limited Edition varieties, the new MILKA OREO Chocolate Candy Bar, fun facts about the history of OREO and Kroger, and much, much more.

For more information on the OREO WonderVault flavors, click here.

Disclosure: This post was made possible by BrandBacker.com and Pet Magasin. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here. Thank you.

If you’re anything like me, there are few things more reminiscent of summer that swinging in a hammock outdoors. In fact, it’s one of my all-time favorite activities. I love to lay out on my patio, between Magnolia trees in my backyard, on the beach, and even at my local the lake–I can do pretty much most things in a hammock. From reading to remotely working on my laptop, life is best lived in a hammock. I also love the idea of giving the gift of relaxation to my other family members as well. My furry family, particularly my cats. So when I was sent this cat hammock bed free of charge to facilitate this post, I gladly jumped at the opportunity. 

As any pet owner will tell you, there’s a ton of products on the market for pets. Even when shopping for cat hammocks, there is a lot to consider. How much room do you have? How skittish is your cat at trying new things? Will your cat be open to using this product indoors or outside? How much do you want to spend on your hammock? All questions considered, I’m glad to have gone with the luxury line of cat hammocks from Pet Magasin.

Pet Magasin is a company known for developing, sourcing, and testing quality pet products. They take pride in creating safe in-home furniture for pets and their owners at an always great value and price. They also source their materials from all over the world, including Japanese steel, U.S.-grown cattle hides, and organic Canadian catnip.

In terms of this product, Pet Magasin Cat Hammocks feature durable maple stands and high-quality fabrics, all at affordable price point options. This hammock may be made for cats, but it’s truly a finely crafted piece. The Pet Magasin Pet Hammock’s solid maple frame is free from cheap particle board, plywood, or plastics. The wood is also generously protected with a clear top coat, which allows its natural beauty to shine. 

Other materials included are sturdy chains and hardware. All made of durable of polished steel. Also included are soft, washable, easy-to-maintain microfiber hammock cover and blanket! A blanket that can be put over the hammock bed, or if your cats are as spoiled as mine, can be used to tuck your cats them in instead! 

These hammocks are also super simple to assemble. In under fifteen minutes you’ll have your hammock fully assembled and ready for cat’s next nap! I must confess, this was a major bonus for me. After all, what’s worse than buying and assembling furniture for your fuzzy friends only to have your pet not want to use it?

I also loved that this hammock is designed for even the timidest of cats in mind.  After assembling the hammock, I put some of my cat Darcy’s favorite treats on the hammock and then allowed him time alone with the hammock to get used to its design. In typical cat fashion, as soon as I laid the assembled hammock on the floor Darcy eagerly inspected the hammock and laid claim to his favorite new nook of the house!

Later, after noticing the hammock was a bit wobbly and Darcy seemed nervous on the hammock, I remedied this by re-tied the stabilizing strings on each side of the hammock tighter together. This way the hammock felt more stable to Darcy and would encourage his to utilize the hammock moving forward. This seemed to work out well, as a couple of hours later both my kitten and Chihuahua, Harley, started exploring the fabric and taking turns laying on the hammock itself. In fact, both laid in the hammock the next evening for hours at a time each. Totally relaxed. totally comfortable. Making me totally pleased!

Now both my fuzzies love this Pet Magasin Hammock. As of yesterday, we’ve placed the hammock in our sunroom and it’s been the go-to spot for our pets since. Everyone knows that taking naps is a cat’s favorite pastime. Now with the Pet Magasin cat hammock, my pets will be able to indulge in the fine art of sleeping in true southern style. 

This luxury cat hammock is currently on sale on Amazon and on PetMagasin.com for under $30.00. What’s even sweeter? Pet Magasin is giving my readers an additional 30% savings when you use promotional code 5F2WSQO4 on either site this season.

Friends, I encourage you to visit their website to find out more information about this pet product, as well as many other high-quality items they currently offer as well for your small pets and cats at home this summer! So now I have to ask, what furniture do you have for your own pets at home? I’d love to hear about them below!

Disclosure: This post was made possible by Black Hairspray and BraVoMark. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here.

As a busy wife and work-at-home mom, I know the intrinsic value of getting your day started by looking your best. For me, this means investing in my personal self-care by working out for thirty minutes, taking a relaxing morning shower, fixing my hair, painting the barn, a.k.a., putting on my makeup, and finding something fashionable, yet comfortable, to wear. While I thought my morning routine was fairly set in stone, I recently came across a popular new trend that can help to make morning self-care even quicker, with the use of wigs and hair pieces, specifically human hair half wig. 

While I thought my morning routine was fairly set in stone, I recently came across a popular new trend that can help to make morning self-care even quicker, with the use of wigs and hair pieces. In all honestly, I didn’t know that was the new thing until I started to dive a little more into the world of beauty earlier this year.

Just a quick scroll through your social media feed and you’re  more thank likely going to see lots of beautiful woman sporting absolutely gorgeous hair. Hair that is actually a wig! You can find all kinds of styles, colors, textures and lengths right from the comfort of your home computer or tablet. 

At Black Hairspray, you’ll find a wide variety of wigs and hair pieces. They are a leading beauty e-commerce company offering thousands of wigs and hair care products, with clients who range from professional stylists to working mothers, like ourselves. Hair products include Weaves, Braids, Lace Front Wigs, Remy Hair, Ponytail and Buns, and much, much more. Wigs that are compiled of various offerings, such as remy hair, human hair, synthetic hair and unprocessed hair.

You can also shop from Black Hairspray with confidence. They offer all customers a hassle-free 30-day return policy as well as a price matching guarantee and in-house live chat customer service that can help make your online purchase as effortless as possible!

I love how easy you change up your hairstyle with Black Hairspray’s human hair half wig. In a matter of minutes, with just the flick of the wrist and the switch of a wig, you can change your look and feel for the day. Making Black Hairspray perfect for all your online hair needs.

I encourage those looking for a low-commitment way of sprucing up their upcoming Summer look to check out Black Hairspray today. So friends, what is your favorite type of human hair half wig from Black Hairspray? I’d love to hear about it below. 

Disclosure: This post was made possible by iConnect and Luvs. I was compensated for my participation in this campaign, but all opinions are 100% mine. Read full Disclosure Policy here.

 
Can you believe Summer is right around the corner? It’s hard to believe we are just four short weeks from the official start of the warm weather season, making now the perfect time to prep for all your warm-weather adventures with your little one. Specifically everything you’ll need for a fun day in the sun with little ones in tow.

We all know the needs of babies and toddlers can be unpredictable, so the best way to prepare for warmer days ahead is with a well-stocked diaper bag. A bag ready prepped with everything you need for whatever situation you and your kiddos may run into this Summer. With this in mind, here are some of my favorite Summer diaper bag necessities!

9 items every parent should pack in the diaper bag this Summer:

Sunscreen:  Sunscreen’s a must if you’re spending any time outdoors with your kiddos this Summer. Many experts recommend using mineral-based sunscreen, in lieu of chemical-laden brands. So be sure to research brands and find a product that fits your family’s needs. And remember, the FDA recommends not applying sunscreen to babies younger than six months of age. So babies should avoid direct sunlight during the peak hours when the sun is high in the sky, from 12 noon to 4 pm daily. 

Protective clothing: Bucket-style hats are great for keeping little heads and precious faces free of sunburns and windburns. For children under a year old, consider purchasing SPF-rated swim suits and beach sandals. A quick tip: Packing a footy onesie or blanket in your diaper bag is a great air condition-proof cover up for babies this summer!

Hydration: Babies and young children are much more susceptible to dehydration and heat exhaustion. Pack appropriate fluids for your child, such as refillable bottles for water and organic juice. For drinks such as formula or milk, consider insulated thermoses and ice packs that help milk products at food-safe temperatures.  Insulated lunch pouches can help with this task and fit perfectly within your diaper bags side compartments. Finally, remember to keep a reusable bottle of filtered water for yourself too! 

Snacks: If you have kiddos you can never have enough quality snacks on hand. So be sure to pack reusable sacks with cereals, or foods such as fruit, that don’t require packaging and can stand up to the heat. Foods that melt, such as yogurt raisins, are better left for cooler seasons ahead.

Insect repellent: Remember, littles may not always be able to let you know they have become a recent mosquito snack. So be sure to pack DEET-free repellents for infants and toddlers. You can also recreate your own all natural version in an amber glass or metal bottle from essential oils; 2-5 drops of each lavender oil, cedar oil, and citronella oil, mixed with 1/2 cup coconut oil can help naturally keep pests at bay. 

First-Aid Kit: A small, purse-sized first-aid kit, available at any dollar store, kept in your Summer diaper bag will help you stay prepared to treat skinned knees, small cuts, and abrasions this coming season.

Extra change of clothes: An extra change of clothes in a diaper bag was a must. Whether messy after a vigorous session making sandcastles at the beach or from spilled snowcones on shirts, a ready-to-go change of clothes can be a lifesaver. Also, pack a gallon-sized plastic bag in your diaper bag to serve as water-proof storage until you can get back home to wash dirty clothes.

Baby wipes: Can one every really pack enough baby wipes? From diaper changes to washing little hands and faces, wipes are an indispensable tool for diaper bag-clad moms, and dads, this Summer. 

Diapers: What would your diaper bag be without ye ole’ diapers? Particularly Luvs, the diaper of experienced parents! They’re softer and more absorbent than ever before with large stretchy tabs for easy fastening, ultra-leakage protection, and a money-back guarantee! Packing Luvs Ultra Leakguards diapers with NightLock Plus™ diapers in your Summer diaper bag will provide you with high-quality leakage protection for less cost than other premium brands. Luvs is perfect for packing for play dates, snack time, and nap time. After all, ain’t nobody got time for leaks! 

Luvs is also offering big savings this month to help parents save on diapers  Here’s a link to print a $2.00 coupon for any Luvs diaper pack or box! Print soon as the coupon will drop to $1.00 on 5/28/17. Also, savvy savers, this Sunday’s paper will also have a $2.00 coupon in the inserts as well. 

We all know parenting is expensive.  So you’ve got to save money whenever you can, but consider this — saving money on diapers will help you have a little more cash on hand for all of your favorite warm weather planned adventures for you are your kiddos this coming season!

More about Luvs diapers:

•  Luvs makes life easier for busy parents by helping to keep leaks in the diaper where they belong, so your baby stays dry and comfortable, even overnight.  
• A contoured shape hugs baby for a great fit – now softer than ever before on baby’s skin.
• The Luvs Money Back Guarantee: Luvs feel so strongly about their diapers that they’ve guaranteed them! If you aren’t satisfied with the leakage protection of Luvs, we’ll refund your money; see their website, www.luvsdiapers.com, for details.
• Luvs diapers are available in sizes newborn through 6, feature fun designs in every pack, and can be found at mass, discount and grocery stores where baby care products are sold.
• For more information on Luvs diapers, visit www.luvsdiapers.com or the brand’s social media channels on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. 

So, friends, I encourage you to check out Luvs new $2.00 coupon available for printing through 5/28/17 and to also make sure to prep your diaper bags for you are your kiddos warm-weather trips ahead. So now, I have to ask, how will you be prepping for kid-safe travels this summer? I’d love to hear your ideas below.

Please note: This post is brought to you in partnership with iConnect and Luvs. 

It’s tax time again, everyone! For some, this time of year means money is being taken from your pockets, but for most, it’s an impending payday! But what do you do with your refunds, friends? Are you tax time rich or resourceful and responsible? No matter which camp you reside in I think we can all agree, there’s always room for everyday household savings.

With graduation, wedding, and baby shower season right around the corner, now is the time to take advantage of a new money-saving coupon Luvs.

You can get $1 off any one Luvs Diaper Pack with this Print-at-home coupon. Use this coupon at any mass, discount, or grocery stores where Luvs Diapers are sold.

Softer and more absorbent than ever before, with large stretch tabs for easy fastening, ultra-leakage protection and a money-back guarantee, Luvs Ultra Leakguards with NightLock Plus™ provide the high-quality features babies and parents need for less cost than the premium brands.

Grab this Luvs coupon while you still can (valid for use within 30 days of printing): http://bit.ly/2kMDv3q

More about Luvs:

Not only is Luvs known as the leading diaper brand, they are constantly improving with more absorbent and more comfortable diapers, like theSuper Absorbent Leakguards and NightLock Plus™, the most absorbent Luvs diaper ever made! The large refastenable stretch tabs make parenting & clean-up a lot easier! Why not make life easier for your family and for your little ones. Busy moms understand how important it is for diapers to leave their little one’s secure, dry, and comfy!

Unsure about using Luvs for the first time? Don’t worry! They offer the Luvs Money Back Guarantee: We feel so strongly about our diapers that we’ve guaranteed them! If you aren’t satisfied with the leakage protection of Luvs, we’ll refund your money. Visit LuvsDiapers.com for more details! www.luvsdiapers.com for more details. 

So, everyone, I encourage you to check out this month’s Luvs coupon while you still can at http://bit.ly/2kMDv3q.

Here’s to savings at home,