Shopping

Be Smart: How to Buy a Used Car (& do it Well)

Buying a used vehicle is a great way to get a lot of bang for your buck – you’re more likely to be able to afford vehicles with those extras you crave, like navigation systems, heated seats, or built-in DVD players. Brian and I have bought all but one of our cars used, and most if not all of our future cars will probably be used vehicles, too. For some people, buying a used vehicle can seem a little daunting – so I’ve shared a few tips for making sure your used vehicle is a smart buy. Here’s one:

Buy a Certified Pre-Owned. You’ll have peace of mind knowing your vehicle has been inspected, serviced, and repaired as needed. Because of this, it’s being sold with an extended warranty that is really valuable. Buying certified pre-owned lets you know you haven’t bought a lemon. There’s an old saying that says “If you buy an ‘as is’ vehicle, you drive off the lot, and it breaks into two pieces… you own both pieces.” Go Certified Pre-Owned with your purchase. You’ll be glad you did.

For more tips on making a smart used car purchase, check out my guest post on the Ken Garff West Valley used vehicle dealership blog.

Full Home, Happy Home with Sam’s Club {Giveaway!}

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We’re pretty excited that Christmas is right around the corner. Well, I’m pretty excited. My kids are absolutely thrilled and are convinced time isn’t moving quickly enough to propel us to December 24.

As a parent, though, I’m thinking about all that needs to be done between now and then. I’m not nearly far enough along with gift shopping, I have cleaning I should really get done for company that’s coming, and of course I need to stay on top of all the essentials we need around the house.

Sam’s Club is a really great solution for us in this most busy time of year; I can get both what we need and what our friends and family want for Christmas.

Biscotti & Kate Mack – Ultra-Chic Fashion for Little Girls!

We have three kids – two boys, and then our youngest is a girl. It’s a night and day difference between clothes shopping for our sons and for our daughter. The boys couldn’t care less, but our daughter loves to pick out what she is wearing and has quite an opinion about it all!

It can be hard to find great clothing that isn’t too cutesy; but there are places out there, like Biscotti & Mack, that have really great clothes for little girls. You know, clothes you kind of wish were made in your size too! I love their style, and I’ve got a great deal for you – right now if you sign up for their email list you get 10% off! Just click here to sign up!

Happy shopping!

Great Deal: $1.00 off Scott 1000 at Walmart!

This post is sponsored by Scott Products and The Motherhood. All opinions are honest and my own.

With the holidays coming up, you’ve got to stock up on the essentials so you’re prepared for entertaining or for hosting company in from out of town. Toilet paper is one of those must-haves you definitely don’t want to be without, and right now you can get a great deal on Scott 1000 so you are sure to be ready with hosting essentials.

Scott 1000 toilet paper gives you the quality, performance, and long-lasting value you want in 1,000 sheets – and you can get $1.00 off when you buy a 4-pack of Scott 1000 at Walmart!

Here’s how to get your coupon:

Click here to get your coupon.
Find and select the $1.00 off coupon for a 4-pack of Scott 1000 toilet paper available at Walmart.
Enter your phone number to receive a text with a verification code.
Make sure your computer is hooked up to a printer, enter the verification code and print your coupon!

Learn more about the Scott Brand at www.scottbrand.com and Follow Scott Products on Facebook !

Sam’s Club Baby Days + a Giveaway!

This post is sponsored by Acorn & Procter and Gamble. All opinions are honest and my own.

My sister-in-law Lauren (might as well be sister) is pregnant with her first baby, and I am almost as excited for her as I was for my own pregnancies. I can’t wait to see her be a mom (she’ll be amazing) and I’m ready to hold my niece or nephew!

Lauren’s due in November, so as that time gets closer and closer, being stocked up on baby gear is more and more on her mind. I started thinking about what all I was glad to have on hand when each of my kids were babies, and wanted to help get her and my brother-in-law all set for their new arrival. I headed over to our local Sam’s Club, because I knew it’d be a great one-stop location to find all sorts of must-haves for babies at cost-efficient prices.

First of all: diapers and wipes. Parents, you know how rapidly you use these, so it’s crucial to have a sizeable stockpile! Sam’s has huge boxes, so I grabbed some Pampers Swaddlers and Sensitive Wipes for Lauren to have ready when she comes home from the hospital.

And if you noticed, I got instant savings on the diapers, making them an even better deal than they already were. And I got 808 wipes for less than $20. Gotta love bargains like that!

Online Shopping: What Not to Miss

Whether you shop for yourself or your kids, online shopping can be pretty tricky. You can easily miss some little and simply ruin the whole e-shopping experience – and nobody wants that! In order to help you out not to miss the most important parts of shopping at e-stores, here are a few main things you should look for and use. With these tips, soon you will become a real pro at online shopping – and you can even help others get the best deals on the internet!

Out of Season Sales

The first thing you need to learn about shopping online is that here most of the prices are already a lot cheaper than in retail stores. And the best part is that you can save a lot of money during out of season sales. Many e-retailers will drastically cut prices on seasonal products during certain times of the year. This can be exactly the best time to shop for everything you need and get it at an unbeatable price. Some examples include buying ski apparel in summer and shorts in the winter. Shopping for items to save for next year can provide great bargains and save you tons of money. You definitely don’t want to miss out of season sales.

Ready for Back to School with Osh Kosh B’Gosh

I participated in a Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for OshKosh B’Gosh. I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

The days of summer are dwindling down. We have less than a week until school starts, and we’re hanging on to those last few days of relaxation before we fall back into earlier bedtimes, routines, and being on-the-go.

Of course, being someone who likes to be prepared, I’ve been in back-to-school mode for a while now, getting things organized around the house and making sure the kids have everything they’ll need for the new year. My favorite part of back-to-school preparedness has got to be the clothes shopping.

I can still remember the fun of getting a new outfit for the start of the school year, and I love finding new clothes the kids will look great in (and that will hold up to hours of play!). OshKosh B’Gosh is one of my very favorite stores to shop at because I know I can find something great for all three kids (if you don’t remember, we have two boys aged 6 & 8, and a daughter that’s nearly 3). One stop shopping is where it’s at, friends!

I always think of OshKosh for their jeans (these are some of the best jeans for little boys, by the way – the knees hold up better than MANY other brands), but they have so much else to choose from to add some fun style to your kids’ wardrobes.

Perfect Last-Minute Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Thanks to Groupon for this great partnered guest post! If you’re like me and will be on the hunt for last-minute Father’s Day gifts this weekend, you’ll love these suggestions:

Dads are so special and unique, and a man with amazing qualities deserves a special gift to highlight his Father’s Day. We want to honor the guy we think is so perfect, and who helped raise the perfect kids…but sometimes we’re not so perfect. If you slacked on getting a Father’s Day gift this year, don’t worry too much! Here are four great last-minute (and/or belated!) gifts available to let him know that you care (and won’t wait so late to shop again next year):

#1 Kiehl’s Starter Kit is a nice, manly personal hygiene kit. It consists of Facial Fuel Energizing Face Wash, White Eagle Shave Cream, Facial Fuel Moisturizer and Ultimate Strength Hand Salve.

Five Ways to Save Money on Your Groceries

I love finding savings in any shopping I do, which I’m sure comes as no surprise. Coupons set my heart aflutter, and I have been known to text my mom and let her know just how much money I’ve saved on a bargain. The Penny Hoarder is a blog that is very centered on saving money, and they’ve recently shared a way to save all sorts of money on groceries (and in some cases, even earn money). I thought I’d share it with you in case you’d be just as interested in this as I was! Click here to check out the tips!

Spruce up for Spring with Carter’s!

“I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Carter’s. I received a complimentary gift card to facilitate my review and thank me for my participation.”

Spring has sprung, and boy am I glad. Cold weather and I just aren’t the best of friends, and when spring temperatures arrive I’m a happy girl. It means bike rides with the kids, walks around the neighborhood, baseball practice and plenty of time in the back yard.

Spring also heralds the arrival of bright colors in clothes, and there’s just something cheery about shopping for spring wardrobes. This is especially the case for me in shopping for the kids, and Carter’s is always one of my very favorite places to find their new clothes.

Of course, Easter is right around the corner, and finding shirts for the boys (aged 5 & 7) was on my to-do list. Carter’s has a great Easter selection, and I had a hard time picking between solids and prints, polos and button-ups. So many cute options! I ended up getting a bright plaid for J and a chambray for C. I like that they’re not matchy-matchy, but they’ll coordinate really well.

New Huggies Snug & Dry Ultra Diapers: Great Protection at a Great Value

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Huggies® for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

I’m sure most of you have experienced this: you’re out with your child, and you set her in your lap. Suddenly, your leg is wet and you realize that your child’s diaper has leaked. This has happened to us when we were out, which meant she also leaked in her car seat. And every parent knows washing a car seat cover is no easy task.

Huggiesimage

Huggies® Snug & Dry Ultra Diapers (available only at Walmart) are a lifesaver when it comes to preventing leaks. There’s a snug fit around the waist, along the hips, and around each leg, adding up to a strong barrier against leaks.

New Year’s Resolution Success with Kohl’s

Note: I received gift cards from Kohl’s to facilitate my post. All opinions are honest and my own.

I have a confession to make.

I’m pretty unoriginal with my New Year’s resolutions.

But, so far, I’m also pretty successful at keeping my resolution this year – so I guess in that way I’m fairly unique!

My resolution this year is to be healthier, which includes eating better and exercising more. I’ve tried this in the past and didn’t last long, but this time around I’m taking added steps to make sure I’m successful. I’ve found an app to help me track both calories consumed and burned; I’ve got an accountability partner (my husband – so convenient! And so amazingly awesome of him to agree to work out with me each night); and I’ve got the gear I need, thanks to Kohl’s.

I shop at Kohl’s pretty frequently for clothes, shoes, accessories, toys, and kitchen items. You probably do, too. But did you know Kohl’s has a pretty impressive line-up of items to help you live a healthier life?

There are a ton of options for workout gear – I personally think it’s a morale-builder to work out in something you feel attractive in; and if you feel attractive, you’re more likely to want to wear those clothes and work out in them. Whether you’re a gym rat or you like to walk around your neighborhood, there’s attire for you.

Good shoes are crucial, and Kohl’s has plenty of those to pick from, too.

Don’t forget some headphones to listen to music while you work out!

They even have socks that wick away sweat, and I think we can all agree that’s a very good thing.

Beyond clothing, though, there’s all sorts of exercise equipment, from weights to kettlebells to yoga blocks and more.

And since you’ll be working up a sweat, you’ll want to make sure and stay hydrated. Kohl’s has got you covered there, too:

Of course, exercising is just part of living a healthier life. It’s important to make good choices with what you eat, too. There are a ton of kitchen gadgets on the market that make it fun and easy to eat healthy, and Kohl’s offers a wide variety to choose from. There were two items in particular I looked at – the Nutribullet Pro (how easy would it be to make smoothies with this?):

and this:

You can make your own “noodles” out of veggies – too cool! This would be a really fun way to give kids veggies, by the way. Or to lower your carb intake when it’s Italian night!

I decided to get something to help keep me accountable – a Fitbit Flex.

It’s been really great at motivating me to want to fit in as many steps as possible – and we got one for Brian, too, so we can challenge and encourage each other to stay active! Our Kohl’s had a kiosk right by the jewelry counter with the Fitbit Flex, Charge, Charge HR and Aria scale.

If you were thinking about making a resolution to live healthier, it’s not too late to start! It’s better to start a little later than not at all. Stop by Kohl’s and have a little healthy-living shopping spree. Get yourself shoes and workout clothes; find a DVD you can do right in your living room and grab a blender for smoothies in the morning. And if you get a Fitbit let me know so we can be friends and encourage each other!

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