IKEA Visit on President's Day

 

While building my IKEA storage cabinets, I needed a level.  I'm really starting to love my iPhone....

We had a great visit to my favorite furniture store, complete with the boy and the girl making their rounds in Smaland.  You should have seen hubby, the biscuit and I work the store and get all the stuff on our shopping list for the hour that we had.  Oh, and we all got to eat at the restaurant for free since we spent over $100 on our cabinets.  We love IKEA, especially when school is out!  Not too shabby....

Shop for Groceries to Save on Gas

If you shop at Giant, there is a way you can save on gas without trying too hard. Just shop. That’s it. Seriously. It wasn’t too long ago that ridiculously fluctuating gas prices sent many of us online to find competitive gas prices. A membership to BJ’s boasts a pretty competitive price for gas too. But this little deal can rival discount gas prices, and you can use it at any Shell station in the Maryland Giant shopping area.

Here’s how it works: For every $100 spent at Giant, you can save ten cents per gallon of gas at any Shell station. If you spend $300 in a month, that results in saving thirty cents per gallon! That’s as good as what I can get at BJ’s! The points do expire and last only 30 days, but you can track your points on the Giant Food website after registering your Giant Card.

Getting to the savings may not be initially obvious. To use the discount at the Shell station, look for the “Use Giant Card” prompt BEFORE you pay for the gas. You will have a chance to scan your Giant Card or enter your phone number. After this, you can then pay for your gas using your credit or debit card. If you swipe your card for payment first, you will not have a chance to apply the Giant discount. (Yes, I’ve actually cancelled a gas transaction or two if I’ve forgotten the Giant Card prompt). If there are Giant savings, the pump will show the gas savings after you have prepaid for the gas.

To maximize your savings, use Coupon Mom to find coupons get the best deals at Giant. Giant will also have coupons in their circulars for gas friendly items and even more gas savings. In one shopping trip, I only spent $50 dollars, but managed to get 300 gas points because of the coupon in the circular that week.

I have even checked my savings totals on Giant website using my smartphone to see if it would be worth the trip to BJ’s instead. On weeks when I have a lot of savings, I fill up the tank. For weeks when my savings points are low, I pump less gas. Now you can save money at the grocery store and getting there too.

Maribel Ibrahim always has her eyes open for easy savings. Subscribe to this feed or follow her on Twitter @TheFrugalWriter to find great deals around town.

5 Reasons Frugal Mamas Should get a Smartphone This Christmas

Think a smartphone is an unneeded luxury? The Frugal Writer thought so as well, until she received one as a birthday gift. (My previous flip phone was falling apart, too). Although I fought the urge to get a smartphone and pay the extra data plan charge, I have become a convert. Here are 5 ways that mom can save time and money juggling life with a smartphone. (Let’s face it, dad probably already has one, but these tips can apply to him as well.)

• Instant camera and video: This alone was the main reason I opted for the smartphone when replacing my phone. Mom no longer has to lament, “I wish I brought the camera..” or miss another Kodak moment. Even if you are terrible at taking pictures (like me!), the high resolution cameras available on phones these days makes almost any picture a good one. Those priceless memories are worth a few extra bucks for a data plan, especially if you have fast growing preschoolers.

• Using Online Coupons – Moms can use smartphones to generate serious savings for shopping and entertainment. My favorite internet coupon manager is Coupon Mom. You could use your laptop for these coupons, but nothing beats saving on the fly while you are at the store! Restaurants also provide coupons and you can search online with your phone to find deals while you are out. Ruby Tuesday has their “So Connected” program. Sign up with them and you’ll get legitimate coupons and discounts in your inbox. Think I’m kidding? Now, I never pay for a second entrée at Ruby Tuesdays because they gladly honor the coupons displayed on my smartphone. Which leads to #3….

• Manage your calendar, emails and address book right on your phone. Once you sync the phone to your computer, you can have access to your personal contact information and email with minimal effort. I sync my iPhone with Outlook, so I can manage my calendar and address book with either the phone or my computer and just sync the devices together. You can also sync email the same way, or access your internet based email (Google, Hotmail, etc) via the internet browser. Now, Mom can remember and confirm appointments, practice schedules and school closings with no problem. She also doesn’t have to carry around a bulky planner, calendar or address book. Let’s face it, even if you’re doing business in slippers and pajamas, you’ll impress folks with your organizational prowess.

• Fast and easy “scrapbooking” with zero guilt. The Cozi online calendar is accessible on the internet, using your phone’s mobile browser or app. Also, the calendar is private but can be accessed by family members and color coded by person so everyone can keep up with what’s going on. No time for scrapbooking? Cozi’s journaling feature is hard to beat. You can share milestones, photos, family memories and other news with a few taps on your smartphone. No more expensive scrapbooking supplies needed!
  

• Manage To Do’s like a pro with Intuition. This free iPhone app was designed by busy moms to help you customize and keep track of lists. While there is a bit of overlap with Cozi, the “nearby” feature in Intuition reminds Mom of things to do based on her location. That saves car trips and time. Pretty nifty…

My readers know I love a bargain, which is why I’m including a bonus reason (or #5 if you don't get an iPhone...):

• Streaming music with Pandora! Now you can stream all kinds of music based on your tastes with your smartphone. Plug in an AUX jack from your phone to your car speakers and you no longer need a satellite radio subscription or to remember your kid’s selection of favorite CDs. Pandora is available for free for most smartphones and streams music based on a favorite artist or song. The best thing is that you can be a hero for having such a great selection of children’s music and yet blame Pandora for not allowing you to repeat a song! Hee, hee…

Of course, there are a ton of things you can do with a smartphone, but these are my top uses. If you have other reasons why mom (or dad!) should have a smartphone this Christmas, please comment below!