New Clothes!

I can't say that I got an incredible deal or found some super coupon for this item, but I had to share my new purchase on this blog. It's been so long since I've had new things so perhaps I am overly excited. I picked up this jacket at Ann Taylor today. The website said the jacket, the Marbled Jacquard Jacket to be exact, was originally $158. I purchased it for $99 in store.

I remember seeing an email advertisement for this jacket a couple of months ago about how versatile this jacket can be. Apparently, it is appropriate for work, evenings, and weekends. With a big need to boost my style after two pregnancies and a small budget, I am looking for versatility in wardrobe. 

Just needed to share!

Refunded Raspberries

I was not satisfied with the quality of my recent raspberry purchase at Harris Teeter. This is a very rare occurrence since their produce is usually very fresh. I was so dissatisfied that I took the step to actually request my money back.
I felt awkward making this request but I was pleasantly surprised when the store employee gave me a double refund! They stand by their products so much that they gave me $7.00 back instead of $3.50. Not a bad deal! Not at all!

Baby Got a New Pair of Shoes

I love Stride Rite. Their shoes are a bit on the ridiculous side of expensive for children's wear but I always feel like my daughter is wearing the best possible fit when she gets a new pair. That is why I was thrilled to learn that they have a new rewards program called Stride Rite Rewards. I think our family is an ideal candidate for this program based on our regular purchasing routine. We are there every 3 months when our daughter outgrows her shoes. The program offers a $10 reward for every $75 you spend. That is not a hard benchmark to reach at Stride Rite!

They also have great customer service. I truly believe that they have a superior product, however two pair of shoes we purchased there broke after my daughter wore them for a while. She did get a lot of use out of them but I found it odd that two pair in a row would literaly break so that they could no longer be worn. I guess Stride Rite thought it was weird too because both times they gave me a full refund and I was able to purchase a new pair at a considerable discount. Knowing that they stand by their product keeps me coming back. I hope to get a lot of use out of the rewards program going forward!

Free Museum Day

Did you know that today was Free Museum Day?
The Smithsonian Institute sponsored this annual nationwide event where many museums offer free admission for the day.
We opted to take our daughter to the B&O Railroad Museum in West Baltimore. It was pretty awesome.

Our "ticket", which we preregistered for, allotted us two free adult admissions.Loren is still under two so her admission was free as well. That was over a $30 savings!

We ended up spending $3 on rides, including a mini train ride, and another $11.50 in the gift shop on a train puzzle. All together it was a great deal and fun family outing for under $15!

Free Lunch

There is such thing as a free lunch. Well, sort of anyway. I cashed in on $20 in free groceries yesterday at Harris Teeter. The grocery store is offering a special for customers that bring new prescriptions or transferred prescriptions to their pharmacy. Each RX results in $20 in free groceries! I was holding onto a prescription that I won't need until after the baby is born, but in light of the offers expiration next week, I cashed in early.  I then took my "winnings" and did some weekly grocery shopping. Not a bad deal and it came in particularly handy this week when I'm a little tight on cash. 

I just wish I had more Rx's to drop off!

Free Coffee!

So I heard that it's National Coffee Week and that lot's of establishments will be pouring out free cups of coffee this week. Check out this random link I found http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/09/24/its-national-coffee-week-heres-where-to-score-a-free-cup/ with some more specifics.

I thought this would be a great time to remind everyone about what I think is one of the ultimate freebies out there. If you purchase a pound of Starbucks Coffee, often times, returning the packaging to your local Starbucks cafe will reward you with a free Tall House Blend. I can't tell you how many times I have done this. Just make sure to check the packaging for the little coffee cup logo and magic words entitling you to the free cup of joe. I've only ever encountered one or two bags that did not say it.

I know that Starbucks Coffee is a little pricier than an average blend, but I can often find a pound of the Breakfast Blend or other variety for between $7.95-$9.95 at Wal Mart or my local grocery store. The resulting free in-store cup of coffee more than makes up for the extra cents it might cost for the premium blends.

I've been stockpiling these little bags during the warmer months and have a feeling that I will be walking to my neighborhood Starbucks in the mornings this Fall after my baby is born for a free cup of coffee.

Thanks!

My 10 Free Thank You Notes from Tiny Prints just came in the mail. Did anyone else see this offer in their email inbox?

With another baby on the way, I want to make sure I have cards on hand for any suprise gifts.

They really were free but you had to pay for the shipping, which amounted to $3.50. For the quality of the note, I still think this is a good deal. The website listed the original price as $20.09 or $2.09 a piece. I find that price hard to believe. I'm not sure I would ever spend that much on stationary.

I also took advantage of a Shutterfly Deal recently for free address labels. I always get free ones in the mail from various charity groups but I still could not pass up the free offer. Again, I had to pay for shipping, which was $2.04. They should be arriving anyday now.

Let it Snow!

I know it's a little early to be thinking about snow but I can't seem to get it off my mind. My mama bear instinct has kicked into high gear this year. This is most likely attributable to my nesting urge as I am due with Baby #2 next month.

I keep hearing from sources like NOAA and the Farmers Almanac that Marylanders should expect a cold and snowy winter, unlike last year. Knowing that I might be a little confined this year with a newborn, I want to make sure that my 21 month old daughter has everything she needs for winter.

I would hate for her to look outside at her first big snowfall and not be able to go outside and play because she didn't have warm and waterproof clothing.  Hence, all the cool snow gear I stocked up on at the Children's Place. 


Above is the 3-in-1 Jacket.  It appeared to be a very warm winter coat with thermal insulation and an inside removable liner. It was originally $59.95. I was able to use $40 in Place Cash and my Place Card 5% discount and ended up only spending about $20 for the coat.

I also picked up these Alaska Boots. They were originally $28.95. I was able to use an additional $20 in Place Cash and my Place Card 5% discount and ended up spending about $17.50 for the boots.  I did some comparison shopping at Wal Mart and Target and this was about the most reasonable price out there, particularly for the quality.

Finally, I purchased this snow suit. The Ski Overalls were originally $34.95. At first, I paid full price, plus I recieved a 20% coupon for taking a survey on the website and combined that coupon with my 5% Place Card discount. I paid $28.15 originally. I saw online today that all Outerwear had been marked down 25%. Plus, there was a coupon attached for an additional 15% off. I went back to the store for a price adjustment/return and, with the Place Card discount, I ended up paying $21.12 for the snow suit. I find this to be very reasonable for the quality of item!

I spent a lot of time over the past few weeks preparing the whole household for winter. I organized all our hats, gloves, and scarves, sent my wool coat to the cleaners and made sure all buttons were intact, and ordered myself a new down coat to replace my old one. I don't want to have two little ones in my care and I'm not prepared for the elements.

I think I'm all set now for the cold weather. Of course, I just remembered that I don't have any waterproof gloves for little hands to make snowballs with.....

Pampered with Points

I just scored a "free" Dora the Explorer Soft Potty Seat for my daughter. She is almost 22 months old and I think we will start trying to potty training in the coming months. This item retails at WalMart for around $11.50.

I took advantage of my Pampers Gifts to Grow points to order this item which I think will be a necessity before too long. I emptied the bank account so to speak and drained my points total down to just four point! With Baby #2 on the way, I'm sure that I will accumulate some additional points before too long.

I know a lot of people question why my husband and I continue to buy name brand diapers for our little girl when less expensive options exist. I've also considered switching to cloth diapers in the past. I think I am addicted to collecting these "Points" and that the freebies I get along the way help to offset the cost a bit. 

A past item I received for free with these Gifts to Grow Points was this set of of Alex Draw in the Tub  crayons. They were 750 Points. I think that actually translates to be about a $7-8 value. My daughter absolutely loved them and I was debating on ordering a new set with my existing points but opted for the potty seat instead. 

It's almost a compulsion to find and save points. I particulary love when bonus points are posted on Facebook or you can get double or triple points for adding codes during a specified time period.  Right now, you can earn triple points on wipes codes https://en.giftstogrow.pampers.com/index.html. Also, The Children's Place has been handing out cards with 25 Bonus Points on them when you make a purchase at their stores.

Am I the only one who is crazy about this rewards program?