» Organize Your Shopping

Don’t Let Your Coupons Expire

Geri — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:14:31 +0000

Thank you for following me as I redesign my new home office, but this week I am taking a little break to tackle a virus. So instead I am sharing with you my frustration over expired coupons.

I am not talking about grocery store coupons this time, but instead about all those valuable restaurant, store and service coupons that I keep separate from my grocery coupons and with me no matter where I go. My coupon organizer was bulging over and I needed to weed them out.

By the time I had finished checking expiration dates, I had thrown away more than half of my “collection”. I realized all the coupons that I coulda, woulda and shoulda used if only I had remembered they were there. I don’t always take the time to go through all the coupons when I enter a store, restaurant or service establishment, which is my first mistake. My second mistake is not cutting out those coupons that I think I have no use for and then later have to kick my fanny when I realize I really could have used them after all. Carol asked me the other day if I had a coupon to one of her favorite restaurants. I remember tossing it because I didn’t think I had any use for a coupon to a sushi restaurant—yuck!! Share your coupons with family and friends, they may have a coupon to one of your favorite places.

So in my frustration, I started a simple list of all the coupons in my coupon organizer with the expiration dates. Now with a quick look at my list I will know exactly what I have. It only took me a few minutes to put it together and now I feel a little better organized, but in need of a nap! See you next week!

4 Handy Online Sites to Simplify Your Life

Carol — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:45:14 +0000

A huge part of simplifying your life is to let others do the work for you, and for you to take the credit! This may sound horrible, but it’s true. How many of us create our own recipes from scratch every night? No! We usually take someone else’s creation and take the credit for whipping up a wonderful meal.

Here are 4 of my favorite websites that will take some of the pressure off your shoulders. And take all the credit for yourself…we won’t tell!

WikiHow: Learn how to do (almost) anything (www.wikihow.com)
Do you need to fix your drippy faucet? How about plan a craft for your scout troop? WikiHow has over 100,000 how-to guides for everything you can imagine.
ShoppingNotes: Save money on (practically) anything (www.shoppingnotes.com)
How it works…you copy the URL of a product page into the site. Plug in your email address and click “Get Alerts”. Now, as soon as the item goes on sale, you’ll be notified.
QuestionPro: Gather opinions quickly (www.questionpro.com)
Let’s say you’re planning a family reunion, and need to get everyone’s feedback on the venue. The free online survey tool allows you to create two surveys per month, with 10 questions each and unlimited survey responses. Easy! If you think on it, there are probably 100s of uses for it.
Thank You Note Samples: Stay current on writing etiquette (www.thank-you-note-samples.com)
You can find the perfect thank-you note wording (when you’re lost for words) for everything from business thanks, birthday thanks, farewell, or sympathy. It even includes a Top 10 Don’ts Etiquette.

Gift Giving—Listen to the Subtle Hints

Geri — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 13:54:18 +0000

A Birthday rolls around or Christmas is just around the corner, and we start fretting over what to get that special person. Have you been listening to the hints during the year?

Keep a small notebook hidden away with all the requests, wishes and hints of those who are on your gift list. A subtle hint can be easily forgotten if not written down. If mention is made of their favorite candy or color, write it down. The more information you have, the easier your shopping will be.

Special Occasion Gift Log – Organize Your New Year

Carol — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 13:43:09 +0000

I spend a big part of the month of January getting organized for the year ahead. It may take a little time upfront, but then the rest of the year is less complicated with trying to remember what I forgot! I am big on lists or what I like to call logs. One of my favorites is my Special Occasion Gift Log. This simple log with columns is a perfect tool to tell us who, when and what!

Start out with a log that you can either, download from the internet, create as a computer spreadsheet or use a ledger that you can purchase from any office supply store. You want a column for the name, date, occasion and a column for recording information such as sizes, wants and needs, favorite colors or things collected. I also like to keep a column for cards.

You will have many on your list that you do not send gifts; however, you want to acknowledge their special day with a phone call and/or card. When shopping, keep this log with you. When you find that perfect gift, make note of the purchase on your log. Shop early and shop the sales and clearances.

Every January, I create a new log, keeping the old log to help jog my memory on what I purchased the year before so that I don’t duplicate gifts. I then use this log to record those special occasions onto our new calendar. This log works well for me, however; you may prefer to adjust it to your needs. The goal, no matter the process, is to be organized with our gift giving to save time and money which simplifies our lives.

Click Here for Gift Log

Grocery Shopping Tips

Carol — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 14:56:17 +0000

Consider the following tips when shopping for groceries:

• Shop with a well planned list.

• Eat before you leave for the grocery store which prevents impulse buys.

• Carry a small calculator with you to figure unit prices. Bigger is not always better—it may not be the best price.

• Check the dates on perishable foods. They usually place the freshest towards the back of the case.

• Before taking the first item from the shelf, check behind for lower prices and newer expiration dates.

• Reweigh produce and meat that have been pre-packaged. You may find a discrepancy in weight that will affect the price. Request that it be remarked with the correct weight and price.

• Don’t buy dented or swelled cans which could be spoiled. Check for lids to make sure they are well sealed.

• Purchase fish with clear eyes which means that the fish is fresh.

• Never buy frozen meat that has frost on it—it probably has been refrozen.

• Never keep spoiled produce that you just bought–return it for a refund.

• Pre-seasoned rice and such are more expensive than making your own using spices and herbs.

• The difference between large vs. small eggs can be a small savings. Consider the difference in price.

• Watch the register carefully for possible errors in pricing.