Price Shopping

If you are like me, your preferences change every few months in product brands, fragrances, and wants....so buying in bulk does not work for me. Since becoming a mom I have become more aware of my spending habits, as well as the prices for items. Before, I would buy what I wanted at whichever store I chose and assumed the prices were usually comparable from store to store. Boy was I wrong...

What I have learned is that brand name is not everything, and that you do not have to buy in bulk to save money...you just have to be willing to price shop a little, and with internet at your fingertips it is easier than ever before. The price difference between stores can be anywhere from a few cents to a $5 price difference! Below are some examples of the best prices and brands that work for my family in the Denver Metro area, which highlights the concept of price shopping as opposed/in addition to bulk coupon buying.

Baby products:
Up & Up Formula - we used the Up & Up brand version of Similac Advanced for Emma and she did wonderfully on it. $19.99 for 40 oz. We use the Up & Up brand version of Similac Sensitive for Cole and he has not had any more gas issues. $19.99 for 36 oz.

Up & Up Diapers - Emma kept peeing through her Pampers diapers once she reached size 2. She had a habit of holding her pee in for up to 5 hours and letting it all go at once. Someone had suggested the Target brand diapers, as their daughter did the same thing and did not experience leaks. For that price, why not try it and see if it works? We haven't looked back. Value pack 144 diapers for $19.99. Their newborn size does contain a wetness indicator, like the other diaper brands out there. As opposed to a line they have a heart that fades when wet.

Up & Up Puffs & Crunchies - Once they are able to eat babies goes through snacks so quickly. The Puffs are $1.50/container, as well as the crunchies.

Overall, Up & Up has the best prices for baby products with a great quality as opposed to any of the other brands I have shopped at Walmart, Walgreens, King Soopers, and Safeway.

Walmart does appear to have lower prices for baby/children accessories and toys. A bathtub toy holder at Walmart that was a Garanimal turtle adhesive to the wall was $13 at Walmart. A different brand frog adhesive to the wall was $34 at Target. They were the same concept but very different in pricing. Sleep blankets/bags at Target $20/bag for Sleep Halo; $10 at Walmart same concept by Garanimals.

Grocery:
Produce- I have found that Sprouts carries the best prices for produce in my area. Their produce for items that are usually $1 or greater in the standard grocery stores, are around .60-.77 at Sprouts.

Meat - After price shopping at the grocery stores, Walmart, and Target, we have found that King Soopers and Safeway tend to have the lower prices on meats both frozen and fresh.

Clothing:
Consignment sales and shops have become my best friend when purchasing clothes for the kids. The consignment sales are amazing because most of the clothes are new and on the half price day you are paying $1-$4 for sleep n' plays, jeans, outfit sets, and more.

Kohls tends to have amazing prices for adult jeans.

Those are just some differences I have noticed and the savings definitely add up. Combine with coupons and you have great savings without going overboard in consuming your life with bulk items or overcouponing. Give it a shot and see how it works for you. Google search is a wonderful thing and will show local prices for most stores and items on the store websites!

Gadgets Galore

2011 is upon us and I am looking into becoming a high-tech mommy. I have been looking into upgrading to a tablet or reader of some sort. I know that there is a difference between the two, but I think the shades of gray in between are making the decision difficult. The NookColor seems to be the bandwagon I am jumping on.

The logic:

The Kindle seems to be a great e-reader, but that's pretty much all it is, a reader.

The iPad has been most recommended to be but in all honesty, as complex as it is, it might as well be a laptop. It's smaller but it costs the same amount and with a lot less memory. I am looking to consolidate my gadgets by having as many things in one location as possible. My music, photographs, digital movies, internet capability, and e-reader need one home if possible...which translates to increased memory. The iPad is $499 for 16 GB, which to me is somewhat silly when I can get a laptop at Best Buy with 250 GB of memory and wireless capability for that same price. Is the memory loss (not senility but technically speaking) worth the ease of mobility? 


Looking at the NookColor it comes with 8 GB of memory, but the ability to use micro SD cards which can carry 32 GB. Online you can find those for as low as $50. For a NookColor with 40 GB (8 GB internal + 32 GB external) we are looking at around $299. The 32 GB iPad is currently priced at around $599. The price difference alone would allow me to buy two NookColors with the micro SD 32 GB card. One for me, one for my husband.


Another handy feature that I appreciate (unsure if it's on the iPad) is the read to be feature. It will read the illustrated children's books to the children if they choose that option in the menu. I can see this as a definite reward for Emma while in the car. I would much prefer she read in the car as opposed to watch movies or sit their restlessly. 

After handling the NookColor and the iPad, I have found that for my short round hands the NookColor is slightly smaller and therefore easier for me to interface with as a hand-held device. 

Always open to ideas, questions, and suggestions. :)